Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Ventriloquism is the art of making inanimate objects appear to be alive. In this article, you will find tips and instructions on how to become a good ventriloquist.

Steps

1. 1 Learn to speak without moving your lips. Place your finger over your mouth as if you want to call someone to silence.This will help prevent lip movement. Next, say the alphabet. You will notice that letters such as "b", "f", "m", "p", "u", "v" and "y" make your lips move. To prevent this wiggling, you must find replacements. For example, "b" as "d" or "g", "f" as "s", "m" as "n", "but" or "no", "p" as "c" or "t" , "y" as "oy", "in" as "z", and "u" as "yu". You may think that the new words with the replacement sound funny, but if you learn to pronounce the words, emphasizing the syllable without this letter, the word will sound natural.
2. 2 Change your voice. A convincing "inner" voice should sound different from yours. Listen to your voice. Do you speak loudly or softly? Fast or slow? Do you have a low or high voice? Try to keep your partner's voice different from yours on most points. To change your voice, you need to engage other body functions. For example, if you pinch your nose while speaking, your voice will change.
   • One great way to change your voice is to breathe out through your nose rather than your mouth while speaking.
   • Another way is to try to get the sound deep from the throat or diaphragm. To do this, pretend you want to cough or lift something heavy. You will notice that the muscles around your abdomen have tightened. Now, try to speak using these muscles. The result is a deep, harsh voice that can also be enhanced depending on the personality type of the character you choose.
   • Choose your "inner" voice very carefully so that it matches your partner's personality type. If he is witty, make your voice fast, without stuttering. If the character is stupid and slow, let him speak in a low, slow voice. The voice will help to better characterize the hero and breathe life into him.
3. 3 Breathe life into a new friend. Decide which partner you want. His personality must necessarily be different from yours in order to create the illusion that you are not the same person. If you are a kind, responsible person, make your partner a mischievous joker. Just pick something to add contrast to.
4. 4 Come up with a doll that fits your character. For example, if you came up with a young and energetic boy character, do not choose a doll in the form of an old grandfather or a girl. Make sure you choose the right partner.
5. 5 Reassure yourself that your partner is alive. Once you can convince yourself, it will be easier for you to convince your audience. Try to make sure that the moment you take him / her (out of the box, bed, etc.) and take control, the doll will come to life. Let her tell stories about how she is doing, her thoughts, going to school, etc. Even though it's technically yours that makes it all up, it will make it easier for you to believe that your partner has life.
6. 6 Animate your partner carefully. There are many puppet control systems, but the best option for beginners (and even professionals) is head motion control. Be careful when buying a doll so as not to buy the option with a string around the neck to control the mouth. Buy one where you have to stick your hand in your back, grab the wand attached to your head, and pull the lever to control your mouth. This is the key to bringing the character to life. When your partner speaks, make sure his / her mouth moves with every syllable that is spoken. Also make your partner move while speaking. So the audience will believe that he-she is real. However, do not forget to keep track of the number of movements. If your character is young and energetic, move his head quickly and shake him while speaking. But if it is an elderly person or a sleepy child, the head should move slowly and infrequently. Make sure your head isn't twitching too often when speaking, otherwise it will distract the audience from the essence of the conversation. Observe real people to convey similar facial expressions to the character.
7. 7 Enjoy. For a ventriloquist, passion, or even passion, for their occupation is of great importance. You should always hone your craft. Daily practice will ultimately make you an excellent ventriloquist. Plus, you don't have to just sit and talk with your partner during your workout. Play games, watch movies, bring the doll to family gatherings and meetings with other people. Whether you are into ventriloquism for yourself or for your career, always have fun. The illusion of recreating life does not come easily, however you must have faith in your partner to bring him / her to life.

Tips

• Each of us has a grain of a small child. The audience wants to believe that your partner is real, so don't do any tricks or actions (such as turning your head 360 degrees) that might remind viewers that the character is not real.
• Look at yourself and your partner in the mirror during your workout to note what you are doing right and what is wrong. Also ask friends or family members to watch you and give their opinion.
• Try to speak to the doll as if it were a real person within the limits of its characteristics. For example, if the doll is funny, imagine you are talking to a funny friend.
• Try to move your partner's entire body, not just your head. For example, make him wiggle in your lap or chair. If he / she does not move, it will look unrealistic to the audience.
• If you are new to this business, practice a lot. Over the years, you will be able to master this skill to perfection.
• Remember, most viewers rate your performance, not how cool your doll is.
• Watch performances by famous ventriloquists like Jeff Dunham and watch them act.
• NEVER beat yourself up. You will succeed!
• In order not to move your lips, clench your teeth by sticking your tongue between them.
• Try to apply lip balm before performing. In case you need to open your mouth, it will open easily.
• When touching your lips, try to keep your middle and index fingers at the corners of your mouth.

Warnings

• Don't buy a doll with multiple functions just for the sake of those functions. It is likely that you will not use them often. Besides, it is quite expensive and also you may have problems with management. Remember, the best ventriloquists like Edgar Bergen and his partner Charlie McCarthy used completely simple puppets.
• Don't use the doll to insult anyone. This is not only rude, but it is also obvious that these are your words.
• If your doll has many functions, make sure you only use them when needed. Some ventriloquists moved the eyes, eyebrows, and even the ears of their puppets while speaking. This is very distracting and confusing to the audience.

What do you need

• You will need a doll with a moving mouth and head. If you need to practice before buying, get a wrap-around doll or something similar that is homemade. A very famous ventriloquist (Shari Lewis) used a doll similar to the one worn on the arm as a partner and performed on radio, television, in many theaters and clubs.
• It takes a lot of perseverance, passion and optimism to create the illusion of life.