In the world of theatrical illusion, misdirection is an art of deceit that draws audience attention to one thing to distract it from another. Controlling attention of the audience is the main goal of any theater, and the foremost prerequisite for all magic shows. Whether the magic is of the “pocket trick” variety or the stage is a major productionmisdirection is the main secret. The term refers to either the effect (the the focus of the observer on an object that is not important) or the sleight of hands or patter (the magician’s speech) that causes the illusion.

It is difficult to say who was the first person to coin the term, but the first reference to misdirection can be found in the writing of an influential writer and performer named Nevil Maskelyne: Admittedly, it involves spooking the spectator’s senses, to block out from detection certain details in which confidentiality is essential. The same time, magician, writer, artist and performer Harlan Tarbell noted, Nearly everything about illusion relies on this art of misdirection.

Some magicians who have researched and developed techniques of misdirection include Paul Rosini, Malini, Tommy Wonder, Derren Brown, Tamariz, Slydini, along with Dai Vernon.

Henry Hay describes the central conjuring process as a manipulating interest.

A few magicians misdirect audience attention by using two fundamental ways. The first is to make the audience turn their attention away for a short moment, so that they aren’t aware of a sleight or move. The other approach re-frames the viewers’ perceptions, leading the audience into believing that some other factor can be a factor in the performance but it actually isn’t a factor in the result in any way. Dariel Fitzkee says that the true skill of the magician is in the skill that he displays in manipulating the mind of the audience. Additionally, sometimes a prop like magic wands aids in the misdirection.

Misdirection is the cornerstone of nearly all successful magic. Without misdirection, even a mechanical device or the most adept sleight-of-hand is not likely to produce an illusion of genuine magic.

Misdirection uses the limits of the human mind to present a false image and memory. The brain of a typical audience member can only concentrate on one thing at the time. The magician makes use of this technique to alter the audience’s ideas or perceptions of sensory inputwhich leads them to incorrect conclusion.

A few magicians have debated the meaning of the term, misdirection, creating plenty of debate about what it is and how it operates. Master magician Jon Finch identified a difference between direction and misdirection. One is a negative word, while the other is a positive. In the end, he sees the two as the same thing. If a performer some means, has directed the minds of the viewers to believe that he’s done something that he’s not accomplished, he has incorrectly guided them into that beliefwhich is why he has misdirected them.

Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it’s more efficient, from a magician’s perspectiveto focus on the goal of directing the audience’s attention. He states that misdirection is wrong direction. It suggests that attention is diverted away from something. When we keep using this termit becomes embedded in our minds that we begin to see misdirection as taking attention away from rather than toward something.

Tony Slydini explained that if a magician believes that, the audience will believe it and magicians are something that they cannot perceive. The trick is to believe in what the magician is doing and then follow the magician. reference