How to Be a Ventriloquist

Ventriloquism is an act of stagecraft in which a person, called a ventriloquist, manipulates his or her voice so that it appears that the voice is coming from elsewhere. The act of ventriloquism is called ventriloquizing and the ability to do so is commonly called in English the ability to "throw" one's voice. However, the term "throwing one's voice" is misleading, because it implies that a sound's physical origin has changed, when really the change has been perceptual and not physical. The illusion of ventriloquism is just that, an illusion. A ventriloquist is skilled at speaking without moving his or her lips. The audience, therefore, actually detects the sound of the voice from the ventriloquist’s mouth, but sees only the mouth of the puppet moving.

So, how does someone physically perform the act of ventriloquism? In this free video series, our expert will show you what, how, and why a number of steps are taken to perfect the illusion. You'll be shown how to pronounce problem letters, how to practice your technique, and how to develop uniques voices. Soon, you'll be able to trick your friends, impress people at parties, and entertain with this historic technique.