File puptcrit/puptcrit.0802, message 496


From: "Alan Cook" <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:18:43 GMT
Subject: [Puptcrit] Youtube-a lesson to be learned?


The primary lesson to be learned (if it hasn't been already) is that Harry Potter had a much bigger budget. 

Just how many puppet shows have ad budgets equal to just ONE of the hundreds of full page movie ads in the Los Angeles Times or the New York Times? 

Living in Los Angeles, in a neighborhood favored often for movie/television locations, you can see first hand how much money is spent on production alone. That's why it is called MASS MEDIA.

So where do puppets compete? Well, once in awhile puppets get to be part of mass media: In my humble opinion, Jim Henson's MUPPETS were at the top---a NUMBER ONE effort in viewing on television, an impact on culture & education, and they got to the big screens too. Team America found a niche on the big screen (parental guidance required, concerns regarding impolite language).

Puppets DID find large audiences on television with Shari Lewis.

 Kukla, Fran & Ollie pioneered American television in Chicago where many TV techniques were invented.

And puppets were effective in the "EDUCATIONAL TV slot on PBS (Non-commercial programs) (Capt. Kangaroo for one)  and those commercial TV offerings we USED TO GET "in the public interest often used puppets here in Los Angeles. Those programs were required until POLITICS changed the rules regarding PUBLIC airwaves. Now we get INFOMMERCIALS (an oxymoron for sure---since it is just a very long commercial slightly disguised....and on my TV set the same infommercial can be on two stations at the same time and I don't get cable or satellite.)

Puppets helped pioneer American TV--Howdy Doody was cheap to produce. And it was the only thing on for a time--bumped off by Wonderful World of Disney (another meaning of "Disneycide?").

Mass Media also has given us Jerry Springer, Britney whatshername, Whoosit Lohan. Rush Limbaugh, & Howard Stern to help make the people dumb & dumber. Such a success story!

Most puppeteers operate in a small frog pond rather than a gigantic sound stage, and are seen in a small setting with an intimate audience, making puppetry closer to its audience. Tis one of the things I like about it. It is a personal art form.

Yet, I love the BIG Bread & Puppet figures, The BIG girl and Elephant, because they still feel personal.

A couple of weeks ago I checked me  out on youtube to see if I was even still there---yep, a cozy number had peeked at BLOCK PARTY by David Brown., made a couple of years ago at California State University Northridge. Did I expect 4,000 hits? NO! 

Have you been to any major bookseller to see how many (if any) puppet books are onshelf compared to potboiler novels?

We seem to be heading back to the Middle Ages when only the elite could read & write---and if puppeteers are part of such an elite class today (they weren't before), good for us!

Money makes a difference. Big money makes a big difference.

ALAN COOK


-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Kaplin
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 6:04 AM
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] the death of elegance?

The lesson might be good puppeteers don't always post their work on 
YouTube.
But t hen again, just because a pop song goes platinum doesn't mean it 
will stand the the test of time. Can't be any different for puppets.

Stephen


On Feb 15, 2008, at 2:33 AM, Grego wrote:

> I heard this rumor that high quality puppets and fine manipulation
> were important.
> So I peeked in on youtube and found that Cashore and Baird clips each
> had about 4,000 views, while Potter Puppet Pals ticked up a stunning
> 33 MILLION views:
> http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4
>
> Is there a lesson to be learned here?
> -G
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
> Archives: http://www.driftline.org
>

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