Big Big World

[Was Once Ernie]

Does anyone know how the giant Sloth is operated? He has two working hands, instead of one being on a wire like Big Bird or Bear. At first, I thought since the whole show is done on blue screen (or green screen) that there was a second puppeteer operating the right arm, but then I saw a shot where they started behind the character and the camera swung around to the front, so now I'm not sure.

 

[ravagefrackle]

Does anyone know how the giant Sloth is operated? He has two working hands, instead of one being on a wire like Big Bird or Bear. arm, but then I saw a shot where they started behind the character and the camera swung around to the front, so now I'm not sure.

At first, I thought since the whole show is done on blue screen (or green screen) that there was a second puppeteer operating the right arm

That is how it is done, camera tricks help a lot as well,
and to operate a arm you do not have to always put your hand all the way in to make it look like it is moving , they also do some work with the arm being attached to a string (like big bird or bear), it all depends on the shot they need., also the puppeteers are always on the move on that set jumping in to do one quick thing then getting out of the way so the main performer can do what he needs to do,

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I think they do the same thing with Big Bird in the "Journey to Ernie" segments on Sesame Street.

 

[gfarkwort]

I Love this show.......they need more episodes now....because I've recorded all 11 of them so far......the music is just sooo awesome! I wake up to it now

 

[ravagefrackle]

I think they do the same thing with Big Bird in the "Journey to Ernie" segments on Sesame Street.

they do indeed, and once in a while they do it on the street its self with a puppeteer hiding behind Bird, its all smoke and mirrors after all,

 

[Was Once Ernie]

also the puppeteers are always on the move on that set jumping in to do one quick thing then getting out of the way so the main performer can do what he needs to do,

Thanks, ravagefrackle! That makes a lot of sense. So, it's basically all choreographed ahead of time. Very clever!

I've also been wondering... all the characters have two hands. Are they doing it like the Swedish Chef, where the voice is only working the head and the other puppeteer is working both hands, or are they doing it the more traditional Muppet way where the main puppeteer is doing the head and left hand and the second puppeteer is doing the right? (I didn't mean to make this sound like the puppets on Big Big World are Muppets... I know they are not.)

 

[doctort13]

I too enjoy this program. It seems that the entire background is CGI, so the puppets are all in front of a green screen. I think they are calling the technique "Shadowmation". I wonder what "Super-Shadowmation" will look like?

 

[MGov]

There's a picture in "DV" magazine from the show. It has Smooch and Winslow, the marmosets, along with Snook on the blue screen. The marmosets have three puppeteers each: one on the hands, one on the feet and one for the head and body.