Date: Wed, 10 May 2006 17:08:41 -0700
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Need eye-making advice (resin and mechanics)


I read Bruce's post with interest, and understand the "less is more"  
attitude.

Can anyone here ever forget trying to play a broken puppet?  I don't  
care how wonderful a performer you are, a broken puppet can adversely  
affect a show.  Yes, puppetry is theater, so focus on that.  Allow a  
mechanic to do what they do best (adding quality animation).

The very best mechanics in this industry are the ones who make it so  
simple.  Jim Greenall has been our mechanic for many years, and a is  
also a top-rated puppeteer (Sabrina the Teen Witch for 7 seasons / 20  
- 26 million viewers per show) to boot.  He's one of the (maybe) 2 or  
three I've ever met or heard about that can do both (perform and  
engineer).

Also, his puppets work, and work, and work, and work.

Now, I can recall some of the other mechanics I've trusted my  
projects with over the past 26 years.  Not so impressive.

My point is not to belittle Remo Bufano's work (nor those many others  
who have come before us).  I can only hope to improve on those  
traditional techniques in the short time I dance upon this earth.

It's also important to understand that every performer entering the  
field, playing in these shows, and touring, can be all amazing all  
the time.  This one reason I've spent so much time developing ways of  
recording and playing back all or parts of performances.  This where  
we can better assure magical performances for audiences everywhere.   
These methods make use of modern day electronics as well as  
mechanical integrity.

They also help the shows keep their integrity as they get franchised  
and spread across this world.

Best Wishes,
Jim




On May 10, 2006, at 11:33 AM, Bruce Chesse wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> "Less is More", Never having been a technologist
> I still relish making the simplest puppet .
> Making  it live is the icing on the cake. Remo
> Bufano made very crude puppets (as my father told
> me) but when he held them aloft and provided a
> voice and movement  that was spell binding,
> articulated parts were unnecessary. Puppetry is
> theater after all and should take you to places
> unknown. Lest we forget Puppetry is 55% illusion
> (if not more).
>
> Bruce K. Chessé
>
>> Hi Mathieu,
>>
>> That means, I'm not impressed with the technological work being
>> presented here.  It's mostly rehashed technology from the 1800's.
>> Crude tools and results.
>>
>> Advancing may mean working with a machinist who has the tools and the
>> knowledge to animate things.  Performers should concentrate on
>> performing (scripts, music, bookings, etc).  Technologists should
>> concentrate on bettering the mechanics (lighter, smaller, better,
>> cheaper).
>>
>> It's not just my approach.  This is the Henson method.  Their
>> performers rarely take part in constructing or maintaining the
>> puppets.  Performers have a voice in the construction, just don't
>> actually run the lathes, etc.
>>
>> It's team work.  Upfront, It may be more expensive, but your
>> audiences will notice the difference.
>>
>> -Jim
>>
>> http://www.animalmakers.com
>> http://www.bouldproductions.com
>> http://www.animal-channel.com
>>
>>
>>
>> On May 9, 2006, at 11:41 PM, Mathieu René wrote:
>>
>>>>>  Yikes,
>>>>
>>>>  All I can say to the responses I continually see in the "how to  
>>>> make
>>>>  eyes" category.
>>>>
>>>>  hmmmm....
>>>>
>>>>  -Jim
>>>
>>>
>>>  What do you mean?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  Mathieu René Créaturiste
>>>  Marionnettes, Masques, Etcetera...
>>>  Puppets, Masks, Etcetera...
>>>  www.creaturiste.com
>>>  creaturiste-AT-magma.ca
>>>  (514) 274-8027
>>>
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