Do others break your puppets?

[spcglider]

Hey, heres a question for all you puppet builders:

When you finish a puppet, and you let someone "play" with it, do you get all uptight?

I do. But I have good reason to.

Without fail, whenever I hand over a puppet to someone (and the puppet has a hard pallet) they immediately try to squish the mouth around like it was a soft pallet. I make most of my hard pallets from thick poster board. Its really light and doesn't add too much thickness to the pallet. But several times over I've watched as someone who is not a puppeteer crush that board in an attempt to get impossible expression out of the puppet. I'm going to make a few puppets with a soft pallet in the near future just to expand my building acumen and try to alleviate this. Or, I guess I could just be a real dork about letting people play with the puppets?

I know one guy who I'll never let put on one of my puppets ever again. Three times over I've let him handle my work and he immediately stressed the puppet to the point of damage. Not major damage, since I build pretty sturdy puppets, but it's like he has a subconscious desire to break them or something. And this guy is a professinal spfx guy. You'd think he'd have a little more respect for another's work.

Anyway, I know the whole effect is heightened by the fact that these are our "babies". Its easy to be hypersensitive about them.

But I was wondering if anybody else has experienced this.

-Gordon

 

[Buck-Beaver]

My take on this is that if you're working professionally or even just a serious hobbyist a puppet is a tool, just like a hammer or a blow torch. You wouldn't hand a blow torch over to someone who didn't know how to use it and a puppet shouldn't be any different.

Of course the problem is that puppets are usually much more cute than a blow torch. No one ever says "aww...what an adorable blow torch! Can I hold it?"

 

[buckshot]

I try not to let too many instances come up where someone has the chance to "play" with a puppet. I usually bring them with me in a bag, use them, and bring them home in the bag. There's rarely a time where I'm just walking around with a puppet not in use.

"aww...what an adorable blow torch! Can I hold it?"

Hahahahah

 

[wes]

Don't feel bad if you don't want to let People see your Puppets. If you have invested time and money don't worry puppets are tools not toys.

I also try to keep around store bought puppets that i don't care much about (and didn't cost much)for people to play with, If they can't understand they really don't need to mess with them.

sorry thats my soap box!!

 

[spcglider]

That's a very good reply.

I hadn't actually put it into that context before, but you're right.

So, then the question arises: How do you break the news to them without sounding like a total elite-ist jerk? I mean, what's your response?

On a related note, how do you deal with the folks (usually children) who insist on jamming a finger or an entire hand into your puppet's mouth as an interaction?

You know, some kids are all cute about it. They offer up a finger in a "hey, bite my finger with your big puppet mouth" sort of way. But then you get those kids who pay no attention to what the puppet is saying and instead just jam their hand into the puppet's mouth.

I've tried two different things, neither of which really seem to work. Maybe someone here has a better answer.

First is I try to squish their finger really hard and make it hurt. I know that's kinda cruel, but what else would one expect when one shoves one's finger or hand into another creature's mouth? I hope they'll learn not to do it because it causes pain. But this method risks damaging the puppet.

Second, I try to maintain character with the puppet. The puppet mkes a gagging sound and then asks the kid (or even the adult for that matter) if THEY would mind having a hand shoved in THEIR mouth. Some get the message, others decide it's a challenge and just try to do it again.

So what's the deal? Do I just break character and tell them to knock it off?

I have to admit that this is one of the major reasons I despise performing live. When you don't have the artifice of the procenium to establish a separation from the audience ( street theatre situation), it can get hairy sometimes.

How do you guys handle this sort of thing?

-Gordon

 

[Phantom]

What an adorable blow torch!

Can I hold it?

 

[D'Snowth]

I try to steer clear of letting others mess around with my puppet. I prefer to have them interact with them...I love it when I can keep little kids amused as they conversate with him as if I don't exist.

 

[froggiegirl18]

You think you've got it bad. I had a kid while I was performing at a apartment complex to hit the puppet's head..hello that's my hand. since the kid was a little bit taller then the stage I asked an apology from the kid. Sure it had to have been embarrassing for him but what he did was not right. Shortly after the incident my two guy friends that were also helping out decided to be my body guards. I learned that day in that situation it is good to have body guards that will help the kids to not come up and play with the puppets. What I do is I quickly put up the puppets once they are done. I too have had one of my puppets broken and thankfully this summer it was repaired. Wes had a pretty good point have cheap puppets on hand for people to see. Tell them the normal price of the expensive ones and they normally treat them with better respect. It would have to depend on the person. I have learned over the years to only let the ones who also perform puppetry to handle my puppets. Tell the others, "I'm sorry but these puppets are really expensive and in the past others have caused them damage and I need these puppets to last another ten years." I have told these to a few and they have completely understood. I definately can relate though to your predicament. I though wanted to do puppetry at eight so if I see a kid that is well behaved and really just wants a close up view I tell them to be very careful and they are. Okay I have lectured long enough..I hope this helps.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

What an adorable blow torch!

Can I hold it?

No. No, you cannot.

 

[spcglider]

Oh, its cool to get all of your input.

I appreciate it. And keep sounding off. I'm learning here.

-Gordon