talkmagic.co.uk

magicofthemind wrote:The new book "Sleights of Mind", on the neuroscience of magic, covers this in some detail.

Barry

My copy arrived on Wednesday, much reading to be done.....

sorry if i have it all wrong here because i dont know what effect you are performing, as the methods of misdirection could vary,

the method i am going to put forward is the "passive and inpassive state" the off beat- for vexample

you perform a wonderful most spectacular card effect in the world but now you wish to produce the card used by the spec from your pocket.

Id build the tension in that audience, hit them with what seems to be the finalie (release of tension, they laugh relax ect) then as the partisipant has sunk back into his/her chairs perform that parm, ditch into pocket what ever? on this release

im sorry if this comes across as just rambling of a madman who cant spell. But this works for me

some more examples of misdirection, some others have said:

the questioning a partisipant, looking them in the eye, saying a punchline to a joke, remembering that the big motion covers the small (no one wants to look at a boring old non moving hand the one with the parmed card in, when the other is leaning across a table or performing a flourish)

For more info on misdirection id recormend that beautiful legend, Tommy Wonder, and his books of wonder, or DVDs

Again i hope this helps? Anything i can do PM me

Sam

The best thing I've found to learn this kind of thing (other than just doing it) is watching other magicians on youtube. Paying attention to when they do the pass or ditch their TT can give you a good idea of when the best time is.

Unless the videos are edited so the sleights aren't shown.

This is also the main kind of thing I picked up from Derren Brown's Devil's Picturebook (bought it when I was young and fancy free, and student loans felt limitless, still can't do
half the sleights he does!) Really good if you've got the money to spare...

Misdirection the intentional maneuvering of attention, is a skill best learned in sports.

Now I know nobody has ever told you this before, but I give away all the true secrets of magic to my brethren. Take football not that stuff you guys play across the pond but what we in the states call football. If you were to watch how the quarterback is able to psych out the defensive line , you would witness misdirection at it's finest.

By watching and or playing sports, one learns how even the slightest movements are caught by the eye. So if one is doing something underhanded with the right, they most assuredly will want to misdirect with the left.

This is basic to magic. However another almost never talked about dodge is the subliminal misdirection associated with subconscious clues. I know, what is this guy talking about? Like I said I give it all up. Here's an example; Say you want somebody to think of the queen of hearts during a performance, Before the show even starts in the theaters lobby you might pipe in "playing with the queen of hearts" by Juice Newton. The music will subconsciously infect the minds of those waiting to enter. Latter when you ask someone to think of a card, it's a good chance they will think of the queen. They forget that they heard it earlier while waiting and don't even know why they thought of it.

A few things to note;

The queen of hearts is already one of the most thought of cards when asked.

One would do well to have "outs" in case of failure, as with any psychological force of sorts.

I could go into more detail to explain mind misdirection, but I think you get the idea. Just know that stimulating the senses with whatever you choose, will lead them to what you want them to experience.

The off-beat

The body language - always do the moves in the relaxation, not tension

The Ricochet by Tommy Wonder

Make them laugh - While they laugh you can put an elephant in a cup, they don't see nothing

Ask a question with open answer(something that they have to think, not close answer(not something that they will only say yes or no)

Open Question - You shuffle cards better with your right or left hand?


Close question - Do you like play card games?



Always direct there attention even when you don't need, it will be easier when you need

Don't look at your hands when you do the moves

Remember, large movements cover small and for direct there attention you need get first there attention



Read Gary Kurtz, Tommy Wonder, Slidini, Michael Vincent, John Carney,Juan Tamariz books, study there work, watch his dvds. Try card under the glass and cups and balls.


Just my 2 cents, love study misdirection




After all this techniques if you can't direct there attention say: look a plane, no,no it's a dinossaur or allways bring with you a naked woman.








Helder Sousa

Eye contact every time, even diligent card watchers will find it difficult not to look you back in the eye when you ask them a direct question.

I also like to ask people to pass me things that are on the table (As long as it is logically incorporated into the trick so it does not seem random) A person's eyes will normally move to what they are reaching for. This works well when you are performing to multiple people as everyone's eyes will move.

Don't look at your hands.

Practice!

V

Volaticus wrote:I also like to ask people to pass me things that are on the table (As long as it is logically incorporated into the trick so it does not seem random).

Michael Vincent has a good example of this in his 'Pandoras Paradox'. It can be found on the Classic Magic of Michael Vincent dvds.

jim

Eye contact is one of the most important things as well as holding a conversatioin. Having a quite chat, sharing a joke, asking a question or just making a comment on something will always give a nice moment when the attention is off what you're doing and on what you're saying. I often cover quite a few things by just asking the spec a question. All attention will then be on them and you'd be suprised by what you can get away with.

Have a look at the Paul Daniels clip referenced in the "Card to Wallet Load Time" thread.

Barry

Volaticus wrote:I also like to ask people to pass me things that are on the table (As long as it is logically incorporated into the trick so it does not seem random) A person's eyes will normally move to what they are reaching for. This works well when you are performing to multiple people as everyone's eyes will move.

This always works well. I'll often get them to sign the card and make sure they leave the Sharpie on the table afterwards. When you need the moment of misdirection just ask for the pen back and everyone looks at it. Very natural and makes perfect sense as part of the routine.

I like the way Kenton Knepper discusses the topic in "Wonder Words":

Never think of MIS-direction or taking somebody's attention off something -- this only makes you think of it harder, and all your body language will draw attention to it.

You have to think in terms of direction, not misdirection. What do you want them to pay attention to? Direct them towards that. This will automatically steer them away from anything else.

As mentioned above, it's a good idea to guide the spectator's attention all the time, not just at key moments. This is done in acting, filmmaking, and graphic design, for instance, making sure the viewer pays attention to all the right details.

Perform the slights on a off beat during your scripting of the effect. And as was said before
visualize the effect like you are really making real magic that the card really does just appear in the pocket from the deck and your hand is empty as it goes to retrieve it. Your subconscious mind will
cause your body language to follow in suit strengthening the effect. Also use your body to point
where you want them to look. The toes should be pointed toward the direction that you want
them to look. Along with your eyes, head, and shoulders. If you are pointing more then one direction at a time with your body it becomes harder to misdirect them and harder for them to follow the effect as a whole. Allot of us also talk with our hands and the larger movement of the hands during those moments should cover the smaller movement of the slight. Again it also helps to do it in a off beat to the flow of your scripting(patter).

jdmagic357 wrote:Misdirection the intentional maneuvering of attention, is a skill best learned in sports.

Now I know nobody has ever told you this before, but I give away all the true secrets of magic to my brethren. Take football not that stuff you guys play across the pond but what we in the states call football. If you were to watch how the quarterback is able to psych out the defensive line , you would witness misdirection at it's finest.

By watching and or playing sports, one learns how even the slightest movements are caught by the eye. So if one is doing something underhanded with the right, they most assuredly will want to misdirect with the left.

This is basic to magic. However another almost never talked about dodge is the subliminal misdirection associated with subconscious clues. I know, what is this guy talking about? Like I said I give it all up. Here's an example; Say you want somebody to think of the queen of hearts during a performance, Before the show even starts in the theaters lobby you might pipe in "playing with the queen of hearts" by Juice Newton. The music will subconsciously infect the minds of those waiting to enter. Latter when you ask someone to think of a card, it's a good chance they will think of the queen. They forget that they heard it earlier while waiting and don't even know why they thought of it.

A few things to note;

The queen of hearts is already one of the most thought of cards when asked.

One would do well to have "outs" in case of failure, as with any psychological force of sorts.

I could go into more detail to explain mind misdirection, but I think you get the idea. Just know that stimulating the senses with whatever you choose, will lead them to what you want them to experience.

Just to be clear, because it drives me a little crazy(er) while the above works it is not 'subliminal messaging' it does not work on a subliminal or subconscious level. It works on a very concious level and it is very clever marketing. In fact back in the 70's and 80's where sublmininal marketing was all the rage, all the studies that supported subliminal work was later found to be greatly skewed and in some cases the double blind tests to confirm the effects of subliminal messaging were not truly double blind tests. In the late 80's the test were repeated properly and Stanford University and many others concluded that submliminal messaging does not work. If we don't percieve something such as a message, then that message will not get through.

When an add for 'coke' was inserted into one frame in every third frame on a film roll and was impossible for the eye to pick up, yes sales in soda picked up. The study was done for one summer and the numbers were compared to attendance for the previous year not taking into account that soda sales are down in the winter and that was but one of many problems. When the test was redone with proper controls the placing of a picture of a can of soda in ever 3rd frame (or whatever) had no effect on sales.

What does work is name recognition, which is why playing the queen of hearts song will work, some will be able to figure out, others won't. It is why there are so many car commericials. They really are not trying to sell you a car, (if they do make a cold sale from an ad it is a bonus) those ads are directed at people who are thinking of buying a car, and what has been proven is that the more they can get a particular product in front of you, the better chance they have of making that sale.

works with magic too.

As for misdirection. Your best bet is engaging the audience. Works like a charm every time.

I see a lot of mentions of eye contact, I've picked one thing up when performing for and individual spec. Eye contact doesn't always force your spec to look you in the eye but it will without fail tell you where the spec is looking.
The other day I was doing a couple of tricks and I managed a ermm... Well I wouldn't call it a slight because anyone using this site would spot it when he broke eye contact and looked over to another group of people all laughing at something unrelated. Again it wasn't a slight or manipulation because anyone burning the deck would see it. I did this move casually and kind of openly but no one was any wiser and the spec was awestruck.
How did his freely selected card end up somewhere completely unexpected?
I put it there when he wasn't looking