From: Jimsan777-AT-aol.com
Date: Sat, 1 Oct 2005 11:58:01 EDT
To: puptcrit-driftline.org-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] Left-right controllers



Dear Greg et. al.

    During the time that I was a USAF pilot, I was trained to fly fighter
type A/C with right hand on the stick, left on the throttle.   But Sabreliners
(T-39s) and many other multi-eingine A/C had a wheel with ONE set of throttles
between the two pilot seats, so we were trained to fly from either side.  
(Does this have anything to do with puppetry...dominate hand, you BET it does!)

   While I was earing my Master's Degree (in Aero-space operations
management,) I spent a lot of time figuring the most ergometrical way to perform tasks. 
 During WWII there were many manufacturers of the modern DC-3s, turned them
out by the hundreds of thousands, and different companies would install
different controls, sometimes in different locations.   The lever that pulls up the
gear, for example might have a wheel or a knob or a handle on the end.   There
were many accidents and loss of life because of lack of standardization.  
Nowadays, Landing Gear levers have the 'feel" of a wheel, flap controls "feel"
like an airfoil.   I've tried to standarize my design of marionette controllers
the same way, although it's not a life-threating issue.

    It is only logical that the dominate hand should do the most work, and as
Greg knows from our experience in our production of Hansel and Gretel, with
only two puppeteers. we must work marionettes both ways and transfer
controllers back and forth.    The only solution I could find ergometrically was a
controller with many extenders that works Lefty or Righty.   I think Greg used "my"
style for Team America marionettes.   It takes a good manipulator to
controllers work both ways.    I think many puppeteers are now preferring this style
of controller...and maybe even improving on it.   Jim Gamble

In a message dated 9/30/05 12:51:48 AM, gregballora-AT-sbcglobal.net writes:


> You never told me you were teaching me to work
> marionettes Lefty! I just followed your lead, and have
> been pretty happy with the results. I think it is
> rather interesting though. You build more extenders
> onto your puppets than many people, and it always made
> sense to me that my dominant hand (right) was doing
> most of the work on the control, while my left hand
> managed the fewer strings. It was interesting to see
> on Team America how people prefered to work.Those
> marionettes were NOT friendly to operate, so people
> tended to want to stick with their strong side.
> Initially, a lot of casting for=A0 a given shot depended
> on handedness, since we had a great number of
> obstacles, and places to put platforms was limited.
>
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