Ventriloquism - How To Get Started

Ventriloquism is the art of distorting your voice to make it seem as through it is coming from another source, particularly a puppet or ventriloquist dummy that you are controlling. It is a illusion where one perfects the craft of "throwing" their voice, or talks without moving their lips and mouth. It has been used as a form of entertainment for years, and has origins in the Middle Ages, back when it was believed to be a form of witchcraft.

To begin, all you need is time to practice the art of talking while manipulating your voice so that it sounds like it is coming from somewhere else. This takes lots of practice to do. This needs to be almost mastered before you start working with a ventriloquist dummy, as it will take some of your attention off the voice distortion.


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Once you are able to effectively distort the location of your voice, get a puppet or ventriloquist dummy as part of your act. These can be as simple as a sock puppet, or as elaborate as the wooden dummies most of the professionals use. You can even make your own.

Begin performing small skits for your friends and family. Create a dialogue, so you already know what you are going to say beforehand. This is essential...it is hard to ad-lib a ventriloquist performance, just as it is hard to do improv in a movie. Have everything ready before you begin. Performing for people you know will make it easier when you decide to start putting on shows for a larger audience.

The most effective way to get into doing ventriloquism professionally is with doing free shows. These can be done at birthday parties, hospitals, and schools. Dialogues that pertain to the situation of your audience has a greater impact on your professionalism than performing a random gig.

For example, if you are going to do a show at a children's hospital, a good performance could be of a puppet who broke his arm. The kids can relate to him because they have their own pain and suffering, making him a hit. If you prefer to do more mature shows, contact their local nightclubs, comedy clubs, and bars.