Cybervent News

Russo Lewis Comment's On Movie Cameo

The ventriloquist, to the greatest extent is a stand-up, a single act, usually in the setting of choice so my my little scene in a cafe with Tommy Lee Jones, In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead, due for release Dec.10, brought this actor/ventriloquist into the 'ensemble arena.

Compared to ventriloquism at the professional level, acting the act, so to speak, switching roles, wizard and hobbit in the same person, this was all too easy. I pulled my SAG card out of my wallet and went to work for the 6:30 am call.

The film's director Bertrand Tavernier's presence touched every player, even the lowly, like me. He made every one feel important to the scene.

That said; disciplines learned as a ventriloquist did come into play for me. The ability to concentrate, remember what props are where or were at each line and for the puppeteer in all of us, the attitude of body at each cut for accuracy on the pickup action at the same place in the script. For ventriloquist' s, either in puppetry mime, I advise studying Bill DeMar's work if you can still get copies of his shows.

Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, other principles, crew and back-round players made it a wonderful work environment. The town, the local people of New Iberia , warm, hospitable, and friendly, their location proved, for an old show business war dog like me, superior than a much more expensive one that might have been built on a stage set.

Nevertheless, what we learn on the variety stage I found applicable. 1st positions, rehearsals, and if you're doing vent for TV, camera angles.

I suggest you always ask to see or be able to glance at a monitor to keep your animation where you want and in the attitude you'd like.

As to the movie, if you are interested, it's based on the novel by James Lee Burke, the movie stars Jones as Dave Robicheaux, a Cajun detective who is trying to link the murder of a local hooker to New Orleans mobster. Mary Olson-Kromolowski and Jerzy Kromolowski adapted the novel for the big screen.

On a personal note, out of m own seclusion in a true Louisiana bayou, I seem to be leaving the alligators to their own swampy world, glad to play with puppet, staged as a single, with other acts and or an entire cast.

Truths is in the moment guys, all else is conjecture.

Blessings everyone.

Russ'

Russo Louis, with Brooklyn Birch, Esq.

Stand Up...Comedy Ventriloquism' s #1-Man-2-Some
Comedy DVD www.russocomedy.com
Blog: Myspace.com/russocomedy

A Winchell Celebration
By Annie Roberts

The Winchell Celebration set the tone for this year’s conVENTion by making people feel sentimental about ventriloquism and reminding many of why they got started in this art in the first place. The tribute to Paul Winchell’s life started on Wednesday evening with an amazing video called Magic Moments – Remembering Paul Winchell. Put together by Jerry Layne, Burt DuBrow, and Mike Clark, this hour long special totally encapsulated the life and talent of Paul Winchell. Click Here for complete article

As many in the world of vent no doubt already know, ventriloquism lost one of its best recently, when long time vent, Vent Haven conVENTioneer, and friend of W.S. Berger, Nick Tomei, passed away. Nick had been ill for quite a while, too ill to make his yearly pilgrimage to Fort Mitchell this past July, one of only a handful of conVENTions that Nick had ever missed. Because of his absence, Nick was not able to receive his W.S. Berger Distinguished Service Award in person at the conVENTion. Read more at www.venthaven.com