In theatrical illusion, misdirection is an art of deceit that draws audience attention to one thing to distract it from another. The ability to control attention from the audience is the aim of all performances, and the most important requirement of all magic acts. If the magic is of an “pocket trick” variety or a large stage production, misdirection is the central secret. The term refers to either the result (the the focus of the observer on an object that is not important) or the sleight-of-hand and patter (the magician’s voice) that creates the illusion.

It is difficult to say who coined the term, but an early mention of misdirection is found in the writings of a renowned author and performer, Nevil Maskelyne. it involves spooking the spectator’s senses, in order to screen from detection certain details for which secrecy is required. Around the same time, magician, writer, artist and performer Tarbell noted, Nearly the whole art of sleight of hand depends on this art of misdirection.

Magicians who have studied and refined techniques of misdirection are Malini, Derren Brown, Tamariz, Tony Slydini, Tommy Wonder, and Dai Vernon.

Henry Hay describes the central conjuring process as a manipulation of interest.

Magicians misdirect audience attention in two basic ways. The first is to make the audience turn their attention away for a short time, so that they aren’t aware of a sleight or move. Another approach alters the viewers’ perceptions, leading them to believe that an extraneous factor is a significant factor in the success of the trick but it actually does not have any bearing on the effect at all. Dariel Fitzkee explains that the most effective magic is in the skill he exhibits in influencing the spectators mind. Sometimes, a prop like the magic wand can aid in distraction.

Misdirection is the cornerstone of most successful illusions. Without misdirection, even the most skilled sleight-of-hand or mechanical device is unlikely to produce an illusion of real magic.

Misdirection exploits the limitations of the human mind to present a false image and memory. The mind of a typical spectator can only focus on only one thing at a given time. The magician makes use of this technique to alter the perceptions or ideas of the audience of sensory inputand lead them to make false conclusions.

Magicians have debated the meaning of the term”misdirection,” causing a great deal of discussion about the meaning of it and how it works. The great illusionist Jon Finch made a distinction between misdirection and direction. One is a negative wordas opposed to the other, positive. Ultimately, he equates the two as the same thing. If a performer any means, has led the minds of his audience to conclude that he has done something he hasn’t done, he has wrongly led them to believe thiswhich is why he has misdirected them.

Tommy Wonder has pointed that it’s more efficient, from a magician’s perspectivein focusing on the purpose of directing the attention of the audience. He writes that misdirection implies the wrong direction. It implies that attention is diverted away towards something. When we keep using this term, it eventually becomes so embedded in our minds that we might start to see misdirection as taking attention away from rather than towards something.

Slydini explained that if a magician believes it, the audience will believe it and magic is something they don’t observe. Misdirection is true when they believe in what the magician is doing and follow the magician. website