theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

Sleight of Hand Vs Misdirection

When you perform, do you rely on your presentation and misdirection, or sheer sleight of hand

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J

JPS

Dec 21, 2016
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There are complex sleights that are invisible even when being burned, alternatively you can have a personality and are good at working a crowd. Or you can have both.

The real answer is "Its preference", but in your personal opinion what do you find more effective when performing?
 
jakepetrakos said:
There are complex sleights that are invisible even when being burned, alternatively you can have a personality and are good at working a crowd. Or you can have both.

The real answer is "Its preference", but in your personal opinion what do you find more effective when performing?
Click to expand...

If you not relying on your presentation in anyway whatsoever, then you're just doing sleight of hand and there is no magic effect.

Plus, I'm yet to see a sleight that us 100% invisible. There's always 'something' that needs to be covered.

Rev
 
The key is in the structure and design of an effect which includes the sleights, the presentation and the misdirection arranged in a functional sequence. For good magic, the three are inseperable.

The term misdirection is often used incorrectly. I like Tommy Wonder's definition which is focused on purposeful direction that makes sense in the context of the effect (I want you to show that card to the audience -- while I glimpse the bottom card) rather than misdirection (like asking someone an inane question like "why did you pick that card?"). Darwin Ortiz talks about the different types of misdirection (e.g. time misdirection) in his book Designing Miracles. The other concept that Roberto Giobbi talks about is the justification for any sleight of hand in the context of the effect. The best way to explain it is to answer the question, "why are you touching the deck and what is it supposed to look like you are doing?"
 
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All magic uses some form of misdirection. You need to direct them away from the method in someway in order for it to work.
 
All magic is basically misdirection. Invisible sleights are simply using the spectators mind to hide a sleight within an action, i.e) turning over the deck of cards, squaring up cards, etc. That said, these are way harder to find since they are less common and are undetected (you literally don't see it). Misdirection is definitely the way to go; some people feel they are bad at it is because they don't really understand. Actually using misdirection is real mastery of magic. I find the best way to test your misdirection is not really to go and test your mettle, but to actually think about what you use as misdirection and see whether or not it seems out of place. Consider an Ambition Card Routine:

"Pick a card"
*spectator picks a card
"Ok now put it back in the deck"
*puts back

Bad misdirection:
"Squirrel!"

"Wow is that a UFO?"


Good misdirection:
"People always ask me how I'm good at magic, and let me tell you, the best magicians use misdirection. I supposed I'm only good at magic since as a kid I was always distracted easily, for example, this one time in school I was --Squirrel!"

"So you choose your card right? Completely free choice? No, don't tell me your card. There is no way I know your card, correct? For the first time ever, what was your card? etc."

Personally, I don't actually have set patter that I would use 100% of the time, try to just go with a conversation and try to:
use questions that make them think usually works best with "do you remember your card?"
take their mind off things "How's it going?"
crack a joke "So I'm now legal drinking age, I walked into a bar yesterday, and now I have a splitting headache, I tried a ice compress, but it still hurts. I don't know if you notice, but there should be a mark right about here."
 
Rev said:
If you not relying on your presentation in anyway whatsoever, then you're just doing sleight of hand and there is no magic effect.

Plus, I'm yet to see a sleight that us 100% invisible. There's always 'something' that needs to be covered.

Rev
Click to expand...

Sleights are not "100% invisible", that's why they are sleights. That said, the invisible pass doesn't need to be covered at all, you just need to know how to either use your body to block or you need to keep practicing the sleight.
 
MisterE said:
Good misdirection:
"People always ask me how I'm good at magic, and let me tell you, the best magicians use misdirection. I supposed I'm only good at magic since as a kid I was always distracted easily, for example, this one time in school I was --Squirrel!"

"So you choose your card right? Completely free choice? No, don't tell me your card. There is no way I know your card, correct? For the first time ever, what was your card? etc."

Personally, I don't actually have set patter that I would use 100% of the time, try to just go with a conversation and try to:
use questions that make them think usually works best with "do you remember your card?"
take their mind off things "How's it going?"
crack a joke "So I'm now legal drinking age, I walked into a bar yesterday, and now I have a splitting headache, I tried a ice compress, but it still hurts. I don't know if you notice, but there should be a mark right about here."
Click to expand...

I think that is the wrong type of misdirection because it has NOTHING to do with the effect. In your example, the spectator picks a card and looks at it. While they are looking at it, you do the preparation for the Vernon/Marlo move that comes next. As you put the card back into the deck, use a subtlety that shows the card being inserted into the middle of the deck (can't remember who to credit with this, but I learned it from Justin Miller). That move relaxes the audience's attention. As you go to reinsert the card, you look up (drawing attention away from the deck) and say, "Now I'm going to show you how to do something really amazing. As I waive my hand over the deck, you will actually see your card coming to the top of the deck." Then look down at deck and waive hand focusing audience's attention on deck. Then look up at audience member and ask, "Did you see it?" As you ask the question do what you need to do to turn over the top card and show that is their card. Then, as you are turning the card back over, say "I hope you were watching closely, because you have to do it the next time." Put the card back in the middle of the deck, and have them waive over the deck and turn over the top card. Notice that you have them look at the deck when you want them to and have them process something that is relevant to the effect when you need cover.
 
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