What Is The IVS?

The International Ventriloquist Society

What is it? Who is it for? Why should I be a member?

Well, I hope to answer some questions today!

First, click below to:

Download A Sample Issue Of The IVS Spotlight

The PDF will open in a separate window and you can double click to download and read it at your leisure.

Throughout Maher Studios history, there has been an organization that allowed ventriloquists to:

stay in touch,
learn new things,
get the latest news
and share ideas.

Perhaps the best known was the N.A.A.V. North American Association of Ventriloquists. There have been other organizations too, such as The International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists run by the Vent Haven Museum.

Each of these organizations ended. Why? There were two contributing factors – printing and mailing costs for the newsletters along with lack of participation.

When Mark, Ken & I revived Maher Studios, the first thing we discussed was bringing back the NAAV in a new format. We wanted to make it international to include everyone. The problem was the costs of printing and distributing materials. I suggested an online newsletter, which would allow us to use video and audios to add to the written content. Members would get more information and we would reduce distribution costs.

The I.V.S. was born. The first newsletters were a simple long form webpage of videos and short articles. Aside from sending me their videos and articles, I was responsible for everything put online. When Mark & Ken decided to back out of Maher Studios and the IVS, many people felt a loss. I actually had one member not renew saying he wasn’t getting much out of the IVS and now that Ken & Mark were gone he didn’t feel it would be as good.

Well, that my friends is a challenge, and I usually over deliver when challenged.

The March issue of the IVS Spotlight is a total of 3 long webpages. There are almost 60 minutes of video not available anywhere else on the Internet. In addition, our members have submitted YouTube videos of their performances. There are new columnists, and yes, even Mark Wade contributed a column.

That transformed into a 46 page downloadable PDF for members only – and that doesn’t include the video content or comments!

Comments?

With issue 18, our correspondent from Greece asked about the possibility of a comments page where IVS members could ask questions, comment or interact in the online Spotlight. The issue keeps growing because of member input.

On FaceBook, Chuck Lyons wrote: “The advice from David Crone, and Steve Petra alone is worth the cost of the Membership. Tom has done an excellent job in updating and making this newsletter a valuable tool and resource for any Ventriloquist.”

Steve Petra replied: “Tom Crowl has done an outstanding job with the IVS Spotlight!”

While I appreciate that – the truth is I couldn’t do it without the help of our correspondents and columnists. It couldn’t be done without the input and news from our members. It is more than an association or society – the IVS is a family.

Who Is It For?

The IVS is for anyone who loves the art of ventriloquism. Maybe you are a professional, or a semi-pro, or an amateur. Maybe you are a figure builder, or puppet maker or hobbyist. Maybe you love the history of the art. Maybe you just enjoy sitting in the audience and watching a show. You don’t have to perform to get value from of your membership.

Why Should You Be A Member?

Download and read the sample of the IVS Spotlight. That is only a small portion of what you are missing. If you like what you see – imagine getting full access to the ideas, insights and news from your fellow ventriloquists. The IVS Spotlight publishes 4 times a year. That is a ton of amazing content for your investment. If you are a performer, we will even help promote you through our online ventriloquist directory. Plus, you’ll be a part of an international family that you can share your news and ideas with.

To download the free Spotlight Sample magazine click the link below: