McGuffin is a word created by the great Mr Alfred Hitchcock. Basically the idea is to introduce something that it is supposed to matter and creates interest. At the beginning of the story the object, that could be anything, seems to be important for it, but as the story goes on and mainly at the end of it, the object turns out to be irrelevant but it has just created what it was intended for: suspense.
Hitchcock explained the term «MacGuffin» in a 1939 lecture at Columbia University in New York:
“The word comes from the music hall. Two men are on a train and one of them tells the other, «What is that package in the trunk over your head?». The other answers, «Ah, that’s a McGuffin.» The first one insists, «What is a McGuffin?», And his fellow traveler replies: «A MacGuffin is a lion-hunting device in Scotland.» «But if there are no lions in Scotland,» the first man snaps. «Then that’s not a MacGuffin,» the other responds.
There are a lot of films that use this tool to create interest. Some examples are the following:
The Blues Brothers (1980). The characters incarnated by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd must obtain money enough to save the orphanage in which they were raised from foreclosure. While the whole movie shows to the sake of how to get the money – they bring together a musical group, get performances, flee from various groups of characters and everything ends with a spectacular police persecution – the motive of the wanderings (money) is explained in a few minutes at the beginning of the film, and in the end the payment is made, which is why it becomes secondary. Even the orphanage shows very little, and money does not even appear. Actually the reason why they faced so many adventures could be anyone.
The Great Lebowski (1998). The characters run a series of surrealistic adventures by a kidnapping that never came to materialize.
Reservoir Dogs (1992). Six criminals who survive a failed assault face each other, believing that there is a traitor among them. The reason is a bag of diamonds that is rarely seen or mentioned.
It would be good to use this premise in a presentation too, as a tool to create interest. Here is a link where you can see an example of this ruse from J.J. Abrams, writer, director and producer. It must be a good plan as the presentation finish with a standing ovation. TED
Enjoy it.
