Do you want to be a better ventriloquist?

Do you want people to:

• laugh harder?
• applaud louder?
• enjoy your show more?
• hire you more often?
• pay you higher fees?

I hope so. All ventriloquists should strive to be better. Those who think they have the skill down and don’t need to work on it, or, “it doesn’t matter how good I am”, should quit.

Why would anyone want to be mediocre?

If you want to be the best that you can be, this Ventriloquism Tip is for you. Follow it and be amazed at how much you improve.

A few months ago:

Dizzy Desmond shared something on the Member’s Forum. The concept was so simple I could have slapped myself for not thinking about it sooner. So here, with kudos to Dizzy, I’d like to share and expand on his idea.

I’ve always encouraged writing scripts in chunks. Chunks are short routines. They are easier to edit, easier to memorize and easier to hone. Chunks can join together to create a show. You can move chunks around, add more or leave them out to suit your audience and show requirements. Chunks are nothing new.

Practice videos on YouTube

I see a lot of practice videos. Most are long – 10 minutes or more.

• The vents have trouble remembering their script.
• They have issues with manipulation.
• They are concentrating on lip control instead of entertaining the viewer.

I’ll be honest, some are very hard to watch.

Yet video is an important part of improving your talent.

So you go back and watch the video to make notes.

If you are seriously trying to improve, you then follow the notes to practice the problem areas. Then you record the same act again and repeat the process.

The problem is – many of the “new” videos I see are a whole new routine. The vent may have worked on a skill – but now they insist on doing another act.

So they suffer the same fate.

• Trying to remember the lines.
• Trying to manipulate the puppet in a new way.
• Concentrating on lip control for the new script.

The results aren’t much better.

Dizzy had a brilliant suggestion.

Instead of trying to record a long script, video a chunk! One of his videos was only 1:04 long. That was perfect!

Instead of ten or more minutes of notes, you only now have two minutes of video to review. You can see the problem areas much easier.

You can critique the video properly.

• Watch the entire scene first.
• Go back and watch just the puppet.
• On the next review watch just yourself.
• Play it again to examine your lip control.
• Now watch the entire scene again.

Make notes on each review.

You’ve spent about the same time reviewing a 2 minute video multiple times, that you did watching a 10 minute video once. You will learn more. It will be easier to practice the improvements because you’ll have less to concentrate on.

Now practice.

Not a new routine, but that same short chunk.

• Work on the lip control.
• Work on the vocal inflections and delivery for both you and your puppet.
• Work on your puppet’s manipulation during the scene.
• Think about how you and the puppet will interact.
• Think about how you and the “audience” will interact.
• Think about how your puppet will interact with the “audience.”
• Block how the puppet will move.
• Block how you will move.

Spend a day or two and do this. THEN record the exact same routine again. Go through the review process again. Repeat the same procedure again! This is how you get good.

Now you’ve honed all the movements. You know exactly what you will do when the chunk begins. You’ve got a smooth bit.

BUT IS IT FUNNY ENOUGH?

That is a blog for another day!

If you found this helpful, it is only a peek at the information inside the member’s area here at Learn-Ventriloquism.com. Join the course for only $97 and become a part of the best on-line ventriloquist community around!

Also – check out Self Improvement Tips From A Ventriloquist Dummy over on the ComedyVentriloquist Blog!