File spoon-archives/puptcrit.archive/puptcrit_1997/97-02-09.045, message 79


Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 10:42:11 -0800
From: Steve Axtell <steve-AT-axtell.com>
Subject: Re: facial expression


At 08:48 AM 1/12/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Hello. I'm a third year university student studying theatre design at
>the Welsh College of Music and Drama. I'm hoping to specialise in
>animatronics when I finish in the summer so I've chosen to write my
>dissertation on "the importance of facial expression in puppets". I
>already have a lot of information but I need to find out some opinions
>from people like you who work with puppets. I'd be really grateful if
>you could spare the time to answer all or some of these questions.
>
>1. What most commonly decides which facial movements are given to a
>puppet? Is it the size of the budget, the time available or the demands
>of the script?
>

In my little experience, I've had more puppet expertise than the producers
who hire me so they usually ask me to review the script and recommend facial
features.  However some come with a laundry list of animations and no
budget....we usually compromise with blinking eyelids as the single most
important feature.  Far more important for expressing emotion than side to
side eye movement.


>2. How much of the effectiveness of a puppet is due to the puppet maker
>and how much to the puppeteer? Can a good puppeteer turn a bad puppet
>into a good one?

A good puppeteer can cause a bad puppet to be emotional and expressive and
believable, but the aesthetics could still not be right for television. Stage 
is a different baby with a much broader allowance for harsh painting and
freedom of art form.


>
>3. Puppet technology has improved enormously in the last ten years. Is
>there still a place for the basic glove puppet?

Yes.  Minimal animatronics is best for a talented puppeteer.  Again, I think
blinking lids will do nicely as the only added feature to a glove puppet.
Too many cables and servos with the support crew all trying to synch with
your play can become too intense and too frustrating for a good performance.
Some scenes in major motion pictures may require multiple puppeteers and
animatronics to create a complicated series of realistic movements but may
end up lacking a good performance.



>
>4. Puppets work very well on TV and film because of the ability to stop
>and start the action and cut the film. Can they be as effective in live
>performance?


Sure, they have forever.  Good luck with your work Paul.


>Thanks for reading this and please don't worry if you are too busy to
>help. 
>
>-- 
>Paul Kimpton
>
>Paul-AT-littlebear.demon.co.uk
>
>
>
>  --- Personal replies to: Paul Kimpton <Paul-AT-littlebear.demon.co.uk>
>  --- List replies to:     puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
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>
>
Steve Axtell, President / AXTELL EXPRESSIONS, INC.
***************************************
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