Gotta start somewhere...

...So I am off! First and foremost, I decided to start this blog for my own sanity and possibly the sanity of others with regard to ventriloquist figure making. Ventriloquism is an art which is not new to me. In fact, I first started (like many, I am sure), when I was in grade school with a "Willie Talk" ventriloquist doll. I did mostly birthday parties, school talent shows and the like.

Somewhere along the line, my interest in Ventriloquism seemed to dwindle and once I started high school, the idea of using a ventriloquist dummy seemed quite embarrasing for me. So I stopped, for 25 years in fact!

Now, the events which led up to my recent rekindling of this fantastic art are a bit hazy. The only thing I can recall is that I suddenly became interested in purchasing a ventriloquist dummy a few years ago, but had no idea where to start.

So, I decided to start hunting around on E-Bay and located a particular figure which really interested me. As a result, I placed a bid and then another, and another, and--well, you know the auction drill. Needless to say, I won the figure. After receiving the little guy, I was on cloud nine. But, there was only one problem--character! Over time, I discovered that I could not nail down a voice nor a character for this little guy. Apparently (I learned), this was a pretty common experience among novice vents. Rather than asking myself what I was looking for in a character, I am afraid that I went into the whole endeavor backwards.

Unfortunately, a few months later, that same figure was placed back on the auction block and sold shortly thereafter. After this experience, I told myself that I would never orphan a figure ever again.

Okay, so I learned an important lesson. The only unfortunate thing is that I was still "partner-less." So, I ventured further and began educating myself on some of the various figure makers (past & present). First off, the work of the McElroy brothers really spoke to me. The only problem was that these figures are few and far between with regards to actually locating one; these really are like the Rolls Royce of Vent figures. Also, I discovered the magical work of the true daddy of figure makers--Frank Marshall. Another figure maker, whose work really spoke to me, was the great Jack Coats.

Further searching revealed the fantastic contemporary works of Tim Selberg, Alan Semok, Conrad Hartz, and Brandt Gilmer.

So, I located some wonderful leads for locating a great figure. I also had a definite character in mind, and a bit of money.

The next hurdle was the wait time and the amount of money it would take to get a custom figure built. So, I was back at the starting gate.

Now, I understand that good things take time, but the stark realization that they can also take quite a bit of money seemed to sink in quite quickly.

As a result, I decided to make a figure. "What man has done, man can do" sort of mentality played across my mind at that moment. Once I made my decision, there was NO turning back. In doing a bit of research, I quickly came upon the Mike Brose site which was a revelation to me. And once I received Mike's fantastic book on figure making, I truly realized that I had arrived.

Mike also offers the wonderful "Fred Head" kits; this was one of my first pursuits. The kit itself is a great introduction into this art and for many, it is a means to an end. But not for me. I still longed to sculpt, cast, and build my own figure which has landed me here.

So, I will document (pics included) my trials and tribulations of building an original ventriloquist figure (among other things) on this blog.



More to come...