Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 07:36:54 -0800 To: puptcrit-driftline.org-AT-lists.driftline.org From: Steve Axtell <steve-AT-axtell.com> Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] High Tech Little Shop of Horrors At 06:45 AM 1/25/2005, you wrote: >The reference to the "waldo" reminds me not only of the original Waldo CGI >puppet character from "The Jim Henson Hour" and the Muppets' 3D attraction at >Disney-MGM Studios, but of the simulacra Doozers from "Fraggle >Rock." Does the >waldo glove work as an elaborate, high tech simulacrum, working the puppet >remotely by carrying the puppeteer's hand motions via electronic wires to the >puppet?..... > >But let's say Waldo was performed as live animation, and was making apparent >eye contact with the audience, even really addressing himself to specific >people in the crowd. Do you think the character on-screen, as opposed to >what >may be happening with the puppeteer and his gizmos backstage, is actually the >puppet? Or is the puppet what is on the computer monitor? Or is it the >keyboard of the computer? The abstract programming? Arabic numerals in >code? > >Curious, > >Sean My opinion is that if you are directly controlling, the real time movements of an object for purposes of entertainment or drama, it is a puppet. A "waldo" (Rick Lazzarini told me he owned the trademark to this word) is just another method of transferring the real-time control from the puppeteer to the puppet. Two great references to see a waldo in action is "Turtles on a half shell: Making TNMT" , and the movie FX (which parts were faked). Hand puppet (hand directly controls the puppet) Rod Puppet (hand controls rods at a distance from the puppet) Cable control (hand operates cables at a distance from the puppet) Radio control (hand operates joy stick at a distance from the puppet) Waldo control (entire body of puppeteer controls the puppet) 3D virtual puppetry (puppeteer using joystick directly controls the live movements of a 3D animated puppet on a monitor) Many draw a distinction because the puppet is no longer real but virtual, but I think it's still puppetry because the manipulation is real-time by an operator. Now if the puppeteer were a programmed robot, who in turn operated a puppet....is it puppetry? Hang a marionette from the moving arm of a robot. The marionette dances around like a drunk....is the robot a puppeteer? Ax >Steve Axtell / Axtell Expressions, Inc. *************************************** See our new show "AxTelevision" on DVD! http://www.axtelevision.com Amazing Puppet Characters for over 20 years. http://www.axtell.com International Performer's Directory (Free Listing) http://www.axtell.com/ipd.html The original content of this email or attachments is =A9 2004 Axtell Expressions, Inc. _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org
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