the manikin Ventriloquist dummy. (class for beginner Ventriloquists or advancing beginner Ventriloquists).
Building a manikin in to a Ventriloquist dummy
if you choose to build a ball socket neck trim the rubber to fit the head then glue it together with strong glue.
a plunger stick is much better than a broom stick because of less cutting ✂️ or trimming.
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Cover the manikin mouth with a sergeant mask or doctor mask or covid mask.
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Mask cover mouth only
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The head stick is installed at the center bottom base of manikin head.
Make a head stick for the manikin head, on the head stick no wires or strings or controls needed, just the stick like a broom stick.
The head stick will be used to turn the head left or right.
You can build a body from using wood.. the arms and hands can be from a large doll and the legs can be from adult socks or stockings filled with cotton.
You can also buy a body from a Ventriloquist figure maker it might cost some money but the body is cheaper price than a Ventriloquist figure head...
Building your own Ventriloquist figure may seem difficult but it's not..it takes time.. the body is easy because any box shaped can be used for the body, add arms with hands and 🦵 legs with feet to the body then cover with clothes, the body is the easiest part, the head is the most important part because that is where your audience will spend most their time looking so focus on making your manikin head believable, with a good mouth mask, good paint if needed, maybe some eye sunglasses 🕶️ and so on.
Make sure the back of the body has a opening space big enough to reach your hand and arm through to operate the head stick..
you can use a large storage bin container to make a body made of plastic also for the body, you need to make a hole in the storage container to slide the control stick through, if the storage container has a lid or cover top lid throw it away because this will be the back of the body, this is the space you need to put your arm and hand through to operate the control stick.
You can use glue or duct tape for putting the arms and legs onto your container body and yes the plastic container can be cut down to a desired size if like to trim the size down all you need is a box cutter.. remember to measure and examine before making any decisions... this is a project... projects should not be rushed....after the completion of the plastic container body put clothes on it, shirt, pants, socks, shoes or a long dress, socks and shoes, the insert the control stick into the neck of the body to put the manikin head on the body, make adjustments if needed for controling the head movement, step back take photos of your creation.. this first one will go into your file 🗄️ cabinet as a prototype the next one you create will be yours!
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The manikin Ventriloquist dummy can wear a doctor outfit or a hospital patient outfit.. the manikin Ventriloquist dummy do not have a moving mouth but with the mask covering the manikin mouth the Ventriloquist will be able to perform a Ventriloquist act with a manikin.. moving the manikin head with the head stick while the Ventriloquist is using lip control when speaking as the manikin the illusion of life should be in effect..
As you can see in the demo photos on how to create a manikin Ventriloquist figure.. you can also use your own way to build a manikin Ventriloquist dummy but remember manikins doesn't have a moving mouth.
Where to get a manikin head..visit a beauty supply store and ask if they have a manikin head to throw away or sell..visit your down town city fashion district maybe some of the shops will be able to help you.
The manikin Ventriloquist dummy can be used for practicing and it can also be used for entertaining the family and friends audiences.
Why build a manikin Ventriloquist dummy if you do not have a lot of money..a manikin is a full size figure and if you were looking to create a Ventriloquist character with a professional size then building a manikin Ventriloquist dummy would be on a affordable budget..work on writing a good script, make sure the mask cover the manikin mouth, make sure the manikin outfit is good, practice on manipulation of the manikin head stick and your audience will be entertained, after all we are artists of the "what if"...
*keep in mind anything can talk*
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A Ventriloquist manikin/doll is a Ventriloquist dummy with out a moving mouth, that is used for the art of Ventriloquism.
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The plunger can be used for two things for your Ventriloquist figure body building
1. A control stick
2. A ball socket neck
The stick on most plunger can be removed
The rubber part can be built into a ball socket neck. A ball socket neck allows the head to turn and tilt by the control stick.
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The Ventriloquist dance
many Ventriloquist acts were known for the Ventriloquist dance.
Ventriloquists dance with a manikin Ventriloquist dummy, the Ventriloquist dummy feet and Ventriloquist feet were connected together so that the dance steps were at the same rhythm. (In some cases the manikin original legs were removed and replaced with foam material shaped like legs.. the upper manikin body was fasten to the Ventriloquist body, the Ventriloquist control the manikin arms and legs with his own arms and legs with dance movements.. giving the illusion of two dancing together.
