Hi peoples.
Wondering how you best study misdirection. How did you come to understand it and learn to apply it? What tips and exercises etc helped light the lightbulb in your head? I want to master it but first I need to understand it...
Go...

For advice on misdirection, The Fitzkee Trilogy stands out. Magic & Meaning by Neal Burger is also a classic which may help. Watch other magicians perform. Study what they do. Watch them over and over again and you will pick up the subtle nuances called misdirection.

Ray

If you are able to get ahold of Tommy Wonders book of wonder vol 1, his explanation on "misdirection"
really "Direction", will totally enlighten you IMHO

Juan Tamariz 5 Points in Magic

Mr.Tommy Wonders material is the Best. Best, Raj.

Ramsay.

As well as Misdirection, Pacing is also important.

When I want the Audience to focus on specific actions perform them slowly and very deliberately.

For actions you don't want the audience to see or pay attention to, perform them in a relaxed manner and don't rush the move or sleight.

As a performer you lead the audience, good misdirection requires you to lead them and lead yourself to the spot you want them to see. They follow your eyes and body. I became good in misdirection simple by trying to get a coin from one hand to another without any moves, simply placing it there and still have them think it's in the fist.

There are two languages the audience follow;

• The verbal language
• The body language

Master them both and you will have much easier to misdirect them.

I'll second Juan Tamariz "Five Points in Magic." I loved this book the first time I read it and still love it after reading 4 times. Its not long, real easy to understand and contains some GREAT performance info.

It is what and how you say it, as well as where you look. People will look where you are looking. Never watch your own hands.
JMTC
Keith Shazam

Magic and Showmanship by Henning Nelms would have to be my suggestion. It is a Dover book, hence the low price

Well, you CAN watch your own hands if that's where you want the audience to look!

I think this advice is rock solid, this is I like to practice magic with my eyes closed. This way I wouldn't need to look at my hands at all during performance unless I wish my audience to do so. I also like Eugene Burger's highly ingenious advice to always know the names of the spectators you are performing for. When you want them to look at you just call out their names and look them straight in the eyes they will mirror you by looking into your eyes as well. Some magicians can perform sleights during this time right away while others prefer to shift their audience's concentration even further. Asking them a question immediately after would take the heat off of you and focus their attention towards answering your question. With this divided attention there is ample time for you to get your deed done

Many magicians also say that the eyes like to follow any motion. So if your right hand is performing the sleight your left hand should be doing a lot of moving. Of course the movements should look natural which means they do not look strange or out of place in the situation. Pointing also provides excellent misdirection, most audience looks at the direction your finger is pointing.

I also find that complimenting them on their clothes would serve as a diabolical misdirection as well. For example during the middle of the performance I might say "By the way, nice shirt" or whatever they would most likely shift their eyes towards their shirts or whatever items they were wearing. Moreover they would then look at my shirt as well as some sort of comparison. This why I like to wear my watch on the opposite hand to the one I use to perform the sleight, there is no doubt that if I compliment laymen on their watches they will look at my watch as well

I find that telling them a relevant story, riddle, or joke during performance serves me well regarding where I want my audience's attention to be. An engaging storyline could be all the misdirection you need. You could even act the story out! Remember the eyes like to watch actions and attractive movements so it is prudent to take advantage of this fact.

Sounds also provide good misdirection especially a loud noise or bang somewhere behind the spectators, if your eyes follow the sounds the spectators will follow suit.
There are an infinite ways to create misdirection but they all serve the same purpose of shifting their attention away from your sleight of hand.

I couldn't edit my previous post for some reason but I wanted to add that touch is another effective form of misdirection if you only require one hand to perform your sleight. Touching your spectators on their hands or arms with one hand will most likely direct their attention towards those locations leaving you free to do your sleight with the other hand.

If I want them to stop staring at my hands before a sleight I will call them by name. As soon as we make make eye contact I pull off the sleight and immediately hand them the deck and kinda rush them in a not so obvious manner. Calling people by their name almost automatically makes them respond.

It should be noted that Magic by Misdirection from the Fitzkee trilogy and Magic and Showmanship by Henning Nelms were both highly regarded by Tommy Wonder, so it's no "wonder" that all of those, including Mr. Wonder's work, would be excellent choices for study.

There is a Tommy Wonder lecture that was posted somewhere on the Café recently and he mentions these "jokingly" in the beginning as being his only lecture notes- to read these books. And one other, the title escapes me at the moment. But, these are all on my current wish list and would make great additions to your library.

Today I was doing a card trick and one girl was just stariing at my hand. I did nothing else until she looked up. I actually waited like I was getting uncomfortable at her staring at me. As soon as she looked up blam double lift

Hey,
I found a good short ebook online that helped me out line the basics. heres the link: http://info.magicshop.co.uk/understandin......ee-ebook

Otto

Sorry that link doesny work here's the real one: http://info.magicshop.co.uk/understandin......ee-ebook