Using webcam for puppet monitor

[practicecactus]

Alright I apologise for taking it the wrong way, I just felt like I was being singled out for having a different opinion.
And as for the giving up thing..I meant with that post..cause I figured I wasn't making sense..which clearly, I was right because we've gotten our wires crossed here.
P.S. Im not aiming to be a proffessional puppeteer , I just wanna stuff for fun, for myself first and foremost, I didn't think everyone would $#!+ on my idea this much.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Steve, sorry the answer came pretty late on Saturday, but I think Mike had a good idea and will hopefully post it in this thread. Sounded like a good answer at the dinner anyhow.

And glad you made it to the dinner, Steve! Was fun seeing you and Mayberry out there.

 

[Whatever]

So if you use a mirror to practice with, is that the right effect or not? I'm confused now.

 

[Puppet crazy]

No the opposite of a mirror reflection. If that made sense.

 

[Muppetsdownunder]

It is confusing, but if im right about this, with a mirror we see a reversed image, and with a monitor we see a true image of what is seen by the audience, although when the monitor is facing you if you go left it moves to the right on the camera. I probably didnt make any sense at all.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

That's it exactly.

 

[FISH'N'WOLFE]

So if you use a mirror to practice with, is that the right effect or not? I'm confused now.

Yes, it is the right effect. Works swell in lieu of a camera and monitor setup. It's how Frank Oz honed his puppeteering skills in fact.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Using a mirror will work if you look at the performance in another mirror.

Reason is that, on a monitor, your puppet will be doing things backwards!

When you turn the puppet's head to the left, on the monitor you see the head turn to your right (although, it's really looking to the left of the screen).

 

[MrsPepper]

Monitors are tricky. I'm not a puppeteer here, but I have a neat little story about monitors.
When I took a tour of NBC studios in NYC last may, I got to be the weather girl in a little mock broadcast that our tour group got to do. I had to read off of a teleprompter, and point to whichever sides of the coast when the teleprompter said to. However, I was standing in front of a green screen, and I could only see the map on a monitor! So I had to memorise which hand was going to do what (ie If I move my right hand, that would be the west coast). It was a little disorienting but alot of fun.

 

[erniebert1234ss]

This may be of interest to those of you who want to set up and practice with monitors properly - Setting Up A Practice Monitor by Leo Brodie.

Re: webcams, I think that's a great idea but buy the more expensive, 30fps models. The cheap ones are 15fps and very jerky.

Oh and just to back up what Blink, Ravagefrackle and others have already said the "mirrored" monitors are not standard in television. Anyone here aspiring to be a professional puppeteer who works in TV or film has to be able to use the reverse monitors. Not being able to use a reverse monitor in TV puppetry is sort of like trying to be a racecar driver and not being able to drive standard.

Thanks Andrew! I had some serious misgivings about monitor work. I'll make more professional-looking puppets, then I can talk. I like the setup and I already have it in my word-processing program for future reference.

BJ