Misdirection is a technique commonly used in magic performances to divert the audience's attention away from the secret moves or actions performed by the magician. It is an essential and integral part of magic, as it creates illusions and makes the magic tricks appear more baffling and impossible to comprehend. Misdirection is based on the principle that people tend to focus their attention on the most obvious and visually captivating aspects of a performance, such as the magician's hands, props, or movements. By using gestures, body language, or verbal cues, the magician skillfully manipulates the audience's attention to maintain their focus on the predetermined areas while subtly executing the secret moves elsewhere. There are various techniques used in misdirection magic to achieve this deception. One common method is called "patter," where the magician engages the audience in conversation or tells a story, diverting their attention away from the trick itself.

Misdirections magic

Just in time for the holiday season! Come meet Jay Alexander, San
Francisco's Top Performing Magician as he promotes his newest DVD "Tricky
Business, an executive magic DVD". Jay will sign autographs and perform
magic from his DVD.
See why the Rolling Stones, Robin Williams and so many Fortune 500 companies
book Jay Alexander when they want to be entertained!
Jay recently did a private command performance for the Ron Wood and his
family of the Rolling Stones in San Francisco and was only magician featured
on MTV's "Sweet Sixteen."

Saturday, November 26, 2005
2:00 - 4:00pm
@ Misdirection's Magic Shop
1236-9th Avenue
San Francisco-Ca
(415) 566-2180
http://www.misdirections.com

"Tricky Business - The Executive Magic DVD by Master Magician, Jay
Alexander"

Looking for a great way to break the ice in business and social situations?
Want to put a little show in your business? Wish you had the magic touch to
hold an audiences attention? Using everyday objects, "Tricky Business"
teaches 22 easy-to-perform magic tricks guaranteed to amaze friends and
clients! Executives, sales-people, speakers and all business professionals
will find that little magic will add fun to meetings and enhance
presentations.

*Business Card Miracles
Handing out your card has never been so much fun!

*Office Supply Sorcery
Great tricks using items found in the office!

*The Corporate Shuffle
Easy-to-do card tricks!

*Return On Investment
Conjuring with coins and cash

*Learn 22 Tricks

*Easy-To-Do Tricks To Break The Ice, Create Memorable Presentations and
Astonish Your Co-Workers!

Master Magician and speaker, Jay Alexander teaches magic and presentation
skills to executives and sales professionals. He entertains for corporate
clients such as Wells Fargo, Toyota, Coca-Cola, Merck Pharmaceutical, Kaiser
Permantente, Microsoft and Apple Computers. His celebrity clients include
Steve Wozniak, Robin Williams and the Rolling Stones.

$ 19.95 DVD FREE SHIPPING IN CONTINENTAL U.S. - Misdirections Magic Shop Exc
lusive!
Makes the perfect gift for the person who has everything.
Learn magic from one of Today's Top Professional Master Magicians, Jay
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Next Lecture in the Series

“Original Instructions NOT Included”
In this one of a kind lecture Corporate Magician Paul Gertner will have you taking a second look at magic that you have purchased, played around with and then placed back on the shelf.
As Paul explains: “There are many ingenious props and devices that have been invented by some of the most brilliant minds in magic but all too often magicians stop thinking as soon as they open the box. They assume all the thinking has been done for them, but that is NOT the case. In this lecture we take a look beyond the “original instructions” and discover that any good magic effect has more potential than most of us see at first glance, if you add your own unique touch!”
By sharing a number of his favorite marketed items, including some you probably already own Paul demonstrates that with a little creativity you can breath new life into an existing effect, bringing it and your
magic to a higher performance level. The selected effects include some that Paul has used to deliver business-marketing messages at both trade shows and sales meetings around the world including a few unpublished routines from Paul’s corporate working repertoire.
At every lecture Paul also performs an opening Close-Up Show which includes a performance of his classic routines including among others The Cups & Steel Balls, Unshuffled and That’s Ridiculous which have
been featured on television shows like The Tonight Show, NBC’s World’s Greatest Magic and HBO. Paul also takes questions on any subject and will share his 30+ years of experience in the area corporate magic and trade shows, which is where he has made his living since he was 19 years old.

Paul Gertner-Bio:
Paul Gertner is recognized by his peers as one of the finest sleight-of-hand magicians in the world today, his first place awards in international competitions in Las Vegas, Madrid and Miami confirms this status.
Even David Copperfield has called upon Paul to consult on his TV specials. His original routines, the Cups and Balls with Steel Ball Bearings and the Ring on the Hourglass, have become classics of magic - leaving experts totally amazed. He is also an author of one of the fastest selling books in magic history, Paul Gertner: Steel & Silver, which has also been released on DVD in a four-volume set.
Paul’s original close-up magic has won First Place awards at every major magic competition including FISM, The IBM, The SAM, and he was the winner of the first Siegfried & Roy Gold Lion Award for closeup magic at the $10,000 Las Vegas Desert Magic Seminar Sleight-of-Hand Challenge.
In the world of business, Paul has performed for more than 500 corporations in more than 20 different countries and has made a living as a performer and speaker in the corporate market for more than 30 years.
He has lectured at MIT, consulted with corporations and theaters and has been featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal…twice.
In the world of entertainment Paul became a frequent guest on The Tonight Show and was also a personal magic teacher to the late Johnny Carson. Paul has also appeared on NBC’s World’s Greatest Magic, HBO, That’s Incredible! And yes…even Mister Rogers Neighborhood. In 1998 he wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed one-man theatrical production “Paul Gertner-Ten Fingers.” This one-man show became the fastest selling play in City Theater’s history. Paul was also invited as a featured performer at the Presidential Inauguration of President George W. Bush

MAJOR AWARDS:
1st PRIZE 1994 & 1995 ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS, HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIAClose- up magician of the Year
1st PRIZE 1994 ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS, HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA-Lecturer of the Year
1st PRIZE 1985 FISM WORLD INTERNATIONAL MAGIC CONGRESS, MADRID, SPAIN
THE OLYMPICS OF MAGIC
1st PRIZE 1983 $20,000 LAS VEGAS SLEIGHT-OF-HAND CHALLENGE
2nd PRIZE 1978 GRAND PRIX OF WORLD MAGIC 78, TOKYO, JAPAN
1st PRIZE 1975 SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS COMPETITION, CHICAGO
1st PRIZE 1973 IBM INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION, MIAMI
Paul became the youngest magician too ever win this first prize award.
NATIONAL TELEVISION
Food Network Dinner Impossible
NBC The Tonight Show - 3 appearances
NBC World's Greatest Magic II
ABC That's Incredible! – 2 appearances
BBC TV The Magic Circle Show
HBO Magic Moments
Nippon TV 78 International Magic Festival & 83 Grand Prix of World Magic
PBS Mister Rogers Neighborhood

Contact Misdirections Magic Shop

for more information.

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Story Title

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Donec molestie. Sed aliquam sem ut arcu. Phasellus sollicitudin. Vestibulum condimentum facilisis nulla. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla nonummy. Cras quis libero. Cras venenatis. Aliquam posuere lobortis pede. Nullam fringilla urna id leo. Praesent aliquet pretium erat. Praesent non odio. Pellentesque a magna a mauris vulputate lacinia. Aenean viverra. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Aliquam lacus. Mauris magna eros, semper a, tempor et, rutrum et, tortor.

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Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon

One common method is called "patter," where the magician engages the audience in conversation or tells a story, diverting their attention away from the trick itself. The use of humor, wit, or dramatic storytelling helps distract the audience's minds and prevent them from noticing the magician's secret moves. Another technique used in misdirection magic is known as "dual reality.

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‘Business Profile’: Misdirections Magic Shop, by John Oppenheimer

By John Oppenheimer

Having mastered his first magic trick at the age of 5, San Francisco native Joe Pon has devoted his entire life to the art of illusion. After opening Misdirections Magic Shop in the Inner Sunset, Pon and his store have become a cornerstone of the Bay Area’s magic community. When Joe got married, his wife said she did not want to travel, so Joe came up with the idea of a magic store.

Joe Pon, outside his shop, Misdirections Magic, on Ninth Avenue between Lincoln Way and Irving Street. June 22, 2023. Photos by John Oppenheimer.

“Magic is my first love, I’ve been doing it since I was 5,” Pon said. “I became a teacher and a mentor. Over the years, I’ve actually taught some of the biggest names in magic nationwide as well as here locally.

Pon said one of the most interesting aspects of teaching and mentoring future magicians is that there is a “magician’s code.” If you buy a trick, Joe will be more than happy to teach you how to do the trick, hoping you will invest your own time to practice. But the code is set in stone: You don’t ever tell anyone how you did the trick.”

Joe Pon, owner and operator of Misdirections Magic Shop, giving a demonstration in the art and magic of shuffling cards.

Pon shared his favorite part of running this type of business.

“It’s the community here,” he said. “I think I have created a magic place in the Bay Area and have cultivated so many friendships throughout the years around magic. This is truly the heart and soul of our shop.

“My other favorite thing is I get to do my passion every day. It is my dream and I live it each and every day. I get to teach new students, young and old. I meet my heroes in magic and inspire others in the art”.

I asked Joe how he came up with the name for his shop. He replied, “The secret to magic is “Misdirection.”

Misdirections is celebrating 27 years in business.

" In this method, the magician creates two versions of reality - one that the audience perceives and another that only the magician knows. By subtly manipulating the environment or using decoy props, the magician ensures that the audience's perception aligns with the false reality, while the secret actions are carried out in the real, hidden reality. Additionally, misdirection relies on the psychological aspects of human perception and attention. Magicians often exploit the limitations of the human mind, such as the limited capacity to process multiple stimuli simultaneously or the tendency to overlook subtle details. By understanding these cognitive biases, magicians can strategically design their tricks and misdirect the audience's attention effectively. Misdirection is not only limited to the visual aspect of magic but also extends to auditory misdirection. For example, a magician may create loud noises or distractions to divert the audience's attention, allowing them to perform secret moves or manipulations without detection. In conclusion, misdirection is an essential skill in magic performances that allows magicians to create mind-boggling illusions. By diverting the audience's attention and manipulating their perception, magicians can perform seemingly impossible feats right under their noses. Through the clever use of patter, dual reality, psychological tricks, and other misdirection techniques, magicians continue to captivate and mystify audiences worldwide..

Reviews for "The Science Behind Misdirection: How Magicians Exploit Cognitive Biases"

1. John - ★★☆☆☆

I was really looking forward to watching "Misdirections Magic" as I am a huge fan of magic shows. However, I was left disappointed by the performance. The tricks were predictable and lacked the wow factor that I was expecting. The magician's stage presence was also lacking, and he seemed disinterested and unenthusiastic throughout the show. Overall, it felt like a mediocre performance that failed to live up to its potential.

2. Sarah - ★☆☆☆☆

I had high hopes for "Misdirections Magic," but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The tricks were poorly executed and it felt like the magician was rushing through them without enough attention to detail. The show lacked creativity, and I could easily see through the tricks, which took away any sense of awe or wonder. I would not recommend this show to any magic enthusiasts, as it simply does not deliver the level of entertainment one would expect.

3. Mike - ★★☆☆☆

"Misdirections Magic" was a letdown for me. The tricks performed were nothing out of the ordinary and lacked any originality. It felt like I had seen them all before in other magic shows. Moreover, the magician's delivery was underwhelming and lacked charisma. The show failed to engage the audience and left me feeling bored and unimpressed. Overall, it was a forgettable experience that I would not recommend to others.

4. Lisa - ★☆☆☆☆

I attended "Misdirections Magic" with high hopes, as I had heard good things about it. However, I found the show to be extremely disappointing. The magician seemed out of sync with his tricks, often fumbling and making mistakes. It was evident that he was not well-practiced, which greatly affected the overall quality of the performance. Additionally, the tricks themselves were unremarkable and lacked any element of surprise. I left the show feeling let down and regretful of my time and money spent on it.

The Psychology of Misdirection: How Magicians Play with Your Mind