The Skill of The MagicianThe Skill of The Magician
In the world of theatrical magic, misdirection can be described as an art of deceit in which the performer draws audience attention to one object to divert attention from something else. The ability to control attention from the audience is the aim of all theatre, and is the primary need of any magic act. Whether the magic is of an “pocket trick” variety or the stage is a major production, misdirection is the central key to the success. The term refers to either the effect (the eye’s attention being drawn to an unimportant object) or the sleight-of-hands and patter (the magician’s voice) that creates the illusion.
It’s difficult to determine who first coined the term, but an early reference to misdirection appears in the writing of an influential writer and illusionist named Nevil Maskelyne. it involves spooking the spectator’s senses, to hide from detection certain details in which confidentiality is essential. The same time, magician, writer, artist and performer Tarbell noted, Nearly the whole art of illusion relies on the art of misdirection.
A few magicians who have studied and developed techniques for misdirection are Paul Rosini, Malini, Derren Brown, Tommy Wonder, Tamariz, Tony Slydini as well as Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the central act of conjuring as a manipulating interest.
A few magicians divert attention of the audience by using two fundamental ways. One causes the audience to glance away for a brief time, so that they aren’t aware of a act or gesture. The other approach re-frames the viewers’ perceptions, leading them into thinking that some other factor has much to do with the accomplishment of the feat even though it does not have any bearing on the effect at all. Fitzkee notes that The most effective magic is the ability of his performance in changing the mind of the audience. In addition, sometimes, props like magic wands aids in distraction.
Misdirection is the foundation of nearly all successful magic. Without it, even the most skilled sleight-of-hand or mechanical device is not likely to make an impression of genuine magic.
Misdirection uses the limits of human brains to present a false image and memory. The mind of a typical person in the audience can only concentrate on one thing at the time. The magician utilizes this technique to alter the perceptions or ideas of the audience of sensory inputand lead them to make false conclusions.
A few magicians have debated the meaning of the termmisdirection, causing plenty of debate about the meaning of it and how it functions. Celebrated magician Jon Finch drew a distinction in misdirection from direction. The first is a negative phraseas opposed to the other, positive. Ultimately, he equates the two as the same thing. If a performer some means, has directed the mind of the audience to conclude that he’s done something he hasn’t done, he has wrongly guided them into that belief; hence, misdirection.
Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it is much more effective, from the magician’s perspectivein focusing on the goal of directing the attention of the audience. He writes that misdirection implies wrong direction. It suggests that attention is diverted towards something. By constantly using this term, it eventually becomes so embedded in our minds that we might start to perceive misdirection as directing our attention away from rather than toward something.
Tony Slydini said that if the magician believe that, the public will believe it and magicians are something that they cannot see. The trick is to believe in what the magician is doing and then follow the magician. resource on misdirection
