Eyebrows that move - any ideas?

[Show and Tell]

I don't know. They all just kinda quit posting. Maybe they got in trouble with the JHC for violating non-disclosure agreements or something. Or maybe they got mad when some of us were fussing about them being so secretive. Oh well. The less people are taught about puppetry, the less the art of puppetry will survive in the long run IMO.

I really hope your wrong. Maybe some of us will rediscover the tricks of the trade and carry this art on. I don't know that it should be common knowledge but IMO real success is having a successor.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I don't know. They all just kinda quit posting. Maybe they got in trouble with the JHC for violating non-disclosure agreements or something. Or maybe they got mad when some of us were fussing about them being so secretive. Oh well. The less people are taught about puppetry, the less the art of puppetry will survive in the long run IMO.

People have lives, they get busy or have other more pressing things than MC. It's just life. I wouldn't speculate too much or assume anything.

 

[ScrapsFlippy]

Jim Henson Creature Shop.

And you're absolutely right!

-- Scraps

 

[Buck-Beaver]

The Creature Shop doesn't build the Bear costumes though right? I thought they had a strict line drawn between them and (whatever is left of) the Muppet workshop.

 

[zoetrope]

Eyebrow update

Well, as fate would have it, I was shopping in a thrift store (looking for puppet supplies) and Sesame Street was on one of the crappy TVs they were selling. And there was Bert singing to Ernie (?!?). They had a long closeup of Bert and you could definitely make out the thin thread attached to the middle of his eyebrow. Actually there were two, one going up a little, and one going down a little, so it could be moved either way. I assume that inside the puppet this is a single thread attached to a loop on Oz's finger. Maybe there's some sort of simple pully in there too. Also, at one point the eyebrow was moved and you could see the material near it bunch up just a little, making little wrinkles.

So the moral of the story is, get out to the thrift store more often

 

[Show and Tell]

OoO OoO I just love stories with a moral ending....That was a good one

 

[scarylarrywolf]

You know you're in bad shape when the thriftstore has a more hi-definition TV than you I had never been able to see the fabric wrinkle up! That's awesome, and it would seem to make things a whole lot easier.

 

[zoetrope]

As far as the wrinkling goes, I should note that this was only noticeable in the extreme close up of Bert. Even in the regular close up it was not noticeable, but in the XCU you could see the slight gathering/wrinkling of the fabric under the lower thread. Come to think of it, I think his eyebrows were going up when I noticed this (it didn't last long) which would mean there's not only some sort of pulley inside the head but a spring or elastic creating tension on the whole loop of thread, or the thread is tight between two pulleys.

Actually the TV had a pretty bad picture, the contrast was set way too high, but I think this made the wrinkles stand out more than they would have on a decent set.

 

[Show and Tell]

thats just what happens when you get old.

 

[ScrapsFlippy]

The Creature Shop doesn't build the Bear costumes though right? I thought they had a strict line drawn between them and (whatever is left of) the Muppet workshop.

Well, I can't vouch for that. But There are JH Creature Shop labels sewn into our Bears (we have 4 - hope that doesn't "spoil the magic" for any kids out there.)

--SF