Colin,

The vent instructional video of Paul WInchell is among the best you can get if you want to learn proper figure manipulation. Another good resource is "Manipulating Your Dummy" video of Steve Taylor.

Operating hard figures is so different than that of soft puppets. The second video I stated teaches both.

I agree with ONY. That is exactly what I was going to say....and everytime you watch it you'll learn something new - or reinforce something you forgot. Paul Winchell video is truly the only one you'll ever need.

Also - buy DVDs of the greats, or watch them on YOUTUBE. Study their lines, expresions, reactions. Have fun!

I'm gonna dive in the deep end tonight. I'm going to audition the Dan Payes figure, infact it works that he's going to audition me to see if I'm good enough for him! I've adapted some lines from Arthur Worsley, after all the talk of being original!!!

Couple of thoughts:

I have a file in my computer into which I put lines that come into my head, jokes someone sent me on the internet, exchanges of dialogue I hear in the street, etc.
They sit in there...sometimes for years...and I start making links when I need new material.

These are never lines from other vent scripts.

But there is one exception:
I started as a magician and ventriloquist at the age of four...picking up money at birthday parties and church Christmas parties (Never my own church!)...and Paul Winchell was a strong early influence.
Jerry used to call Paul a "phony ventrikalist," and Winchell couldn't get him to pronounce the word right.
I put together a bit of my own back then that I still use...wherein one of my figures uses the initial pronunciation...I try to get him to pronounce it correctly, going through the word rapid fire syllable by sylabble, and he still can't get it right...then I go to another word that we try...and finally, there's a joke payoff that refers back to the beginning.
It's not a steal from Winchell...though the original inspiration was from him with that pronunciation.


As far as the character design business:

I bought a "grumpy man" vent figure head from a craftsman in Buenos Aires. He has face shape and expression in common with Walter and Mr. H., but not much else.
I built a body for him and absolutely HAD to cross the arms. It goes with the expression, y'know?
I haven't used him yet, but I'm beginning to write material (I make a decent living as a playwright, so writing material comes naturally). I own a couple of Dunham's DVD's, but I am being careful not to go back and watch them for fear I will find a line that is just too good not to use.

I'm not sure, in other words, where the line may be drawn. Now, you could say that this character, whom I have named "Cooter Mudge," might never exist without the others...and that may be true. I'm not sure what the original builder had in mind, though. I could ask him, I guess, as I stay in touch with him. I'd be surprised, though, if he knew about Walter or Mr. H.

When I got my old man character, I made a point of getting a less grumpy face and NOT folding the arms just so there wouldn't be the inevitable comparison to Jeff and Walter.

I have tried to stay away from the angry old man personality, and have gone with just an old guy who says he's too old to work and too broke to quit. He "works" for me caring for my Critter puppets.

He loves to tell exaggerated stories, has a bit of a memory problem, and is forever losing things....hey sounds a lot like me

I won two consecutive episodes both recorded today

"Thanks be to God for all His unspeakable gifts"

Wanlu

Wow! You go get 'em!

Congratulations. Terry better start looking over his shoulder. Footsteps comin'!

Bob

From the DVD thread:


You answered that yourself Neale - your own spin. If you were copying word for word or even most of the routine - then I'd either buy the original or get permission. If you are taking the story of a fairy tale, not reading from a published version, it should be considered public domain. By giving it your own adaptation - I'd consider it yours.

Is it just me or is the grumpy old man character suddenly very popular amongst ventriloquists. In fact, I have considered owning one but I'm never able to pull off a good voice. I'm only good in the high pitched squeeky voices.

I have an old man but deliverately stayed away from the grumpy guy. I think grumpy guys have always been around in comedy, though.

My old man is not grumpy, but just old, tired, forgetful etc.

My old man is definitely grumpy. He goes into rants about the youth, though as a sales man he loves their stupidity and gulability!
He thinks he sold them all their tatoos and peircings.
At the moment he gets to audition me which is fun!

Here's my take on the grumpy character...

Instead of an old man, I have been developing one of my figures as a grumpy person:

My Hartz boy named Nonoy--who's a ten year-old boy!

In the recent material I was testing for him, he was ranting about everything--politics, showbiz, social issues, etc. I guess it's interesting to hear those rants from a little boy!

This thread mentions the "killer comedy approach". Can someone elaborate on this?

Thanks,
Tod

Bob Baker: A performing Colon??? Now I've heard it all. And what if you took the idea of the California Rasins (which looked like Singing Turds) and combined them with the Colon? Permission needed from Will?

I always thought a Cheeky Spleen might be nice...but tell me...when you made the talking Colon did you have to get permission from Congress? They own that concept.

LOL

Todd,

Killerstandup comedy's main approach uses NO JOKES in writing comedy material.
Here:

http://www.killerstandup.com/

It's the best system, at least for me.

Ony

Salamat, Ony.

-Tod

I looked at the stuff on the link, Ony. I'm gonna guess the secret is this:

Comics say funny things.
Comedians say things funny.

Watch Bergen or Winchell...or come up to the present and watch any of today's masters. Their figures tell the occasional joke...but, for the most part, the comedy grows from the characters. Jokes have spaces between. Character humor just keeps on rollin'.

The good stuff grows out of characters...saying things funny.
Being a comedian, not a comic.

Another good example: Senor Wences. Johnny and Pedro didn't tell jokes.
They didn't say funny things.
They said things funny.

The best stuff grows out of character...or (subhead) character in a situation.
But it's not about telling jokes.

Jimmy Nelson...another good example (Hard to define him. He was an early master for me...but he's still working! And still a gentleman. And still a master).

You hit right, Servante. And this system will help performers write their own materials without resorting to jokes. Well, using jokes is okay, as long as they fit the character we're using. This system also teaches how to use street jokes in your routines.

I also use jokes, but my real challenge for myself is to write more materials without using street jokes.