Elmo or Cliford

[Secret Squirrel]

Luke. "I'm interested to know if it was another one of these occasions where Frank was "busy" or if Kevin has taken over his character in the same way Eric has?"

Both and neither. Frank was unavailable for the project, period. He doesn't consult his schedule over individual lines or individual characters. Neither Jerry Nelson nor Kevin Clash were available for the shoot, so they both looped what voices they could.

Let me stress. Nobody has "taken over" any of Frank's characters. Eric, David, John and Kevin all work strictly as understudies in this capacity. In the case of Animal and Sam, they're cast on a case-by-case basis.

You said you had no idea. You also said "they can loop voices remotely ... so in reality either he cost too much, Kevin has officially taken over Sam's muppeteering ... or it's yet more proof of a break between Frank and JHC." That seems a lot like you were trying to sound more authoritative than you are.

I doubt that you would use quotation marks around "busy" if you were talking directly to Frank, rather than speculating about him. Either way. It is worth remembering that you are merely speculating after all.

secret squirrel

 

[dwayne1115]

ok you all are blowing my mind what are you talking about when did kevin ever do sams voice i never remeber hearing or even seing that. but that really dont make much secec to me ethier. I think it would be good for Kevin to do Sam when Frank is bussy becaues it is like i said anothe step on the muppet ladder but i never knew he did his voice when and was what was it on. and Eric did not take over all of Franks muppets They are still Franks i think frome all i have seen on here Frank is still very active with JHC he hasnt givne up his muppets but just is sharing them with others and i think thats it fine but we have to look at one thing if im think back to AVMMC was that were kevin did Sam if it was it was a ok job not right on the nose but ok and if that was kevin then why was clifford not in it at all. thoes are some of the qustions i have. Now the diference betwen Frank and Erick and Kevin is Frank is much older then them and has been with JHC when it started some 40 years ago i think now we have to realize that Frank could be geting kind of tired i mean after 40 years wouldn you be a little tiered but as somone said on another thred Ericks Fozzie seem to be young agine to have the same exitment when Frank was on the Muppet Show and the same might be the same with Kevin's Sam of coars he wasnt in AVMMC much at all we still might see him in the upcoming projects so am i for kevin doing sam sure you bet i love the work that Frank has done but the muppets need the young egde that they had when they stared or they will never be as good as they were so go for i kevin keep up the good work and Frank keep up with it to

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Secret Squirrel, maybe you can help us understand better.

When do they opt to use voice-over/dubbing?

Do these understudies of Frank's characters all share in the performance of the different characters, or are they assigned to either Piggy or Fozzie or Animal?

Will they ever fully assign his characters to certain performers, or will they just be performed by him until that time--if ever--he is able to hop back in and take them over again? Do you think he will--your own personal opinion if you will?

Thanks,
FOZ

 

[Luke]

They are similar to questions i was going to ask actually. I’m sorry if what i said came across the wrong way. There had never really been a case before that the fans have known about where Frank’s characters were looped in his absence by someone other than him, rather than having an understudy puppeteer do both the puppet and the voice so i assumed (wrongly) that if Henson needed to get somebody to just loop a voice they would go to the main puppeteer seeing as looping (again, i assume) is a pretty easy thing to set up, even remotely. I had heard of it being done this way occasionally with shows like Simpsons and Futurama so i thought it might be technically possible with puppets. As has been explained by Secret Squirrel he was busy for the project period and he would not be asked just for one character which does actually make a lot of sense.

As for Franks involvement with the Muppets in general, i think i speak for most of us here when i say that the whole situation has been very confusing for fans for a number of reasons. From Henson folk we hear that he was busy for each particular shoot, as if to say he is consulted on a case by case basis. It’s also great to hear that while some characters have more permanent understudies they have not been taken over and are left for Frank to return. The thing that makes it more confusing for the fans is that aside from a few rare TV appearances and some looping in MFS this has been the case with the classic Muppets since 1996 and even if he has been tremendously busy at the time of every Muppet shoot, Frank has found time away from his directing to do Yoda, block recording for Sesame Workshop and other voice projects. Also he has done a few print interviews where he was not entirely positive about the Muppets, and i remember my friend interviewed him for breakfast TV about his general career and was encouraged not to show a Muppet clip or ask him about them, yet Frank does attend Jim Henson Foundation events. I’m not trying to speculate or imply that there is a problem between Frank and the Jim Henson Company - i’m just trying to illustrate that the impression fans have been left with has been far from clear.

At the end of the day what matters is that we get to see his great characters more now and his career decisions are his own. It would be nice to hear if Frank has actually stated he has any intention to return to the Muppets in the future even if his characters have been left open or whether he is deciding this on a case by case basis, but it’s certainly not our right. It’s just silence in the media and with fan forums like these does lead to theories and speculation which when it comes to like the 1,000th time i’m sure must get on Henson peoples nerves.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Fozzie. Most of this is common sense. "When do they opt to use voice-over/dubbing?" If a character's performer isn't available, another performer will stand in. They'll usually impersonate the voice, but where possible, the original voice will be used. This is standard practice.

"Do these understudies of Frank's characters all share in the performance of the different characters, or are they assigned to either Piggy or Fozzie or Animal?" This has been pretty comprehensively answered elsewhere. The Tough Pigs site has an FAQ that covers this well. I'm sorry I don't have the link handy.

I'm not sure I fully understand your last question. Everybody involved considers them Frank's characters. The door will always be open until he either retires or is unable to perform.

secret squirrel

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Luke. I can't speak for Frank. Nobody can. But I don't see much ambiguity. He does what he can and always has. When promoting his films he would prefer to talk about the film than Muppets. When giving interviews he speaks honestly, occasionally criticizing Muppet projects and his own work.

As far as his availability goes. I think I've said previously that Sesame tapes regularly and can request Frank's presence well in advance. Muppet interviews are short-notice, while films require a much greater investment of time. It therefore seems obvious that he will be more able to appear on Sesame Street.

Frank Oz is a full-time director and an occasional Muppet performer. That's been the case for a long time now. Any unclear impression would only arise from, as you say, speculation or implication.

secret squirrel

 

[Super Scooter]

Frank seems to be a wonderful person. I'm sure glad we have you around, Secret Squirrel, to explain a bit further Frank's situation regarding the Muppets and directing. Whenever possible, I've always taken Frank's side on the matter, and have tried my best to defend him with what little knowledge I have of his situation, but you've helped immensly in being able to do this. Now I have real info I can use. Thank you.

Of course I wish Frank could do more with the Muppets, but he's doing what he wants to do, and that's all that really matters.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Dwayne1115. Thank you for your comments. Your enthusiasm is appreciated.

I mean this with great respect and kindness: It might help you to compose your posts in Microsoft Word. Then you could use a grammar and spell checker before pasting your text into the forum. This might make it easier for us to respond to your questions. At the moment, I'm afraid I can't always understand what you mean.

secret squirrel

 

[Fozzie Bear]

SecSquirrel--

It's nice to have someone from the inside helping those of us on the outside understand what we're on tippy-toes trying to look over the wall and see what's going on behind the scenes.

Like Luke said, ultimately what we want to know is just details that don't really matter; the juice of the fruit is that we're seeing Piggy and Fozzie and Animal and Sam more often now than in recent years and for that we're happier than hogs at slop time!!

I think it'd be super cool if Frank were involved at least in the direction of the next Muppet movie project, perhaps if he were to be the producer/director and maybe have his finger in the pudding of the script.

So, does your specialty of knowledge come as being more a part of being involved with the JHC administration in whole, or from particular productions such as Sesame Street or The Muppets, or workshop...? Or had you just rather not say?

Also, do you know how the JHC accepts outside scripts? Do they look at them if the writer is a member of the Screen Writer's Guild or do you have to be on the inside of the JHC for them to consider the scripts?

FOZ/Kev

 

[dwayne1115]

wow Thanks SS that means alot to me . i will try reall hard on my spelling and im sorry for my mistakes. I have always had a hard time spelling, and when i get to really thinking about the muppets my spelling somtimes gets a little off. i will really work on this just for you secrete because i have read alot of what you have put on here and i really respect your writings. Thank you so much for all the info you have given me about the muppets and JHC over the past month. I can't wait to see what is in stored for the muppets and JHC. I hope maybe me and You could become more close friends if at all posable. If you still want to keep a distence i understand i just think i need more good friends who care for the muppets and for all parts of the JHC like me. Sometimes it seems to me that i kind of Work for the JHC when i have to stand up for it or one of the people who work for the compony. Thanks agine For the nice words and please keep up the good work. oh and it does not bother me when someone asks me to try and fix my spelling . If they do it in a nice way, as my friend SS did . now to the matter of Frank i think it is fine and i have said it befor for him to be doing other things. he does a GREAT JOB on whatever he does. He is a person i really look up to and wish that i could do just a little bit of what this great man has done. Not only for the muppets but for movies as well, and i think that JHC is proud to have him as a player of the team. Even though his part has become smaller. thanks agine Frank and SS i hope you all keep up the good work.