Fozzie Bear Replica Puppet

[Bear Man]

Ugh. Sounds like he doesn't want repeat customers, does he?

Lovely Piggy! That's a face I'd be afraid to try to make because of the shape of the mouth.

Now that is an awesome Pig!

For what it's worth, I know that Reevz's isn't the only criticism of Creature Clones on this board. It's a shame because based on the look of that Piggy they might be someone I'd consider (along with the insistence on the use of an escrow service) if it wasn't for the fact I'd be majorly worried about the durability of the final product. Regular foam has a bad enough reputation for longevity, but foam latex apparently is even worse and from what I can guess was spent I'd want a Pig that would last forever!

Having purchased a puppet from Terry, though, I can't even begin to praise the quality, final product, and communication skills of the man. 10 stars all the way (and that's on a five-star system!). Now if he can work a miracle and make foam immortal I might even bump that up to 11...

 

[Diego Fiorucci]

Now that is an awesome Pig!

For what it's worth, I know that Reevz's isn't the only criticism of Creature Clones on this board. It's a shame because based on the look of that Piggy they might be someone I'd consider (along with the insistence on the use of an escrow service) if it wasn't for the fact I'd be majorly worried about the durability of the final product. Regular foam has a bad enough reputation for longevity, but foam latex apparently is even worse and from what I can guess was spent I'd want a Pig that would last forever!

Having purchased a puppet from Terry, though, I can't even begin to praise the quality, final product, and communication skills of the man. 10 stars all the way (and that's on a five-star system!). Now if he can work a miracle and make foam immortal I might even bump that up to 11...

Aren't the original Miss Piggy puppets made of latex foam?

 

[Bear Man]

Aren't the original Miss Piggy puppets made of latex foam?

Yeah - I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that 20 Miss Piggy heads were made for the most recent movie - foam latex isn't very durable, and even just standard direct sunlight will begin to break it down.

 

[Reevz1977]

Yeah - I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that 20 Miss Piggy heads were made for the most recent movie - foam latex isn't very durable, and even just standard direct sunlight will begin to break it down.

Erm...what now??!!? Is my Piggy gonna make like Gremlin if exposed to sunlight

 

[Bear Man]

This page has some good info on foam latex: http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/building/FoamPuppets.html

This is what it says about lifespan:
STORAGE & LIFE EXPECTANCY: Foam chemicals stored tightly capped in a cool room will last a year or more. Shake them every month or so. Cured latex stored in plastic bags in a dry place away from light can last 20 years or more. Place puppets in a plastic bag in a box somewhere safe. Don’t squash puppets as they may stay deformed. Give them some breathing space. Stuff paper or cloth into heads to keep their shape when stored for long periods. Latex foam I formulated for the Tarzan movie Greystoke kept in sealed plastic bags was reported to be as subtle as new more than 15 years after its manufacture. With Miss Piggy being used every day of the week on the original Muppet Show it was common to replace her every 6 - 12 months. Mouth corners and necks are the first to go on latex foam puppets. Performing on weekends and holidays, a latex foam puppet could last many years. It’s wise to have a backup puppet in case of an accident when doing film and television work.

 

[Diego Fiorucci]

Erm...what now??!!? Is my Piggy gonna make like Gremlin if exposed to sunlight

I've done some things on makeup effects, and I know that it happens. It's not about bad quality of the material, on the contrary, it's very flexible and ideal for these things, but its life is short. That's why facial prosthetics are replaced all the time when you do special make ups, and in productions with puppets some characters need to have use replicas. Beyond the joke about "Gremlins" who gained access to parts used in this production know they're very degraded today. Have you seen how is the original Yoda of "The Empire Strikes Back" or the original Alien? I think the mistake is to pretend that precisely Miss Piggy, be a faithful copy and handle and live the same time as any other puppet. If you want an exact copy of Piggy will happen this, or you should ask about other material options. Maybe he can build it with other material and make it look alike.

 

[Reevz1977]

I've done some things on makeup effects, and I know that it happens. It's not about bad quality of the material, on the contrary, it's very flexible and ideal for these things, but its life is short. That's why facial prosthetics are replaced all the time when you do special make ups, and in productions with puppets some characters need to have use replicas. Beyond the joke about "Gremlins" who gained access to parts used in this production know they're very degraded today. Have you seen how is the original Yoda of "The Empire Strikes Back" or the original Alien? I think the mistake is to pretend that precisely Miss Piggy, be a faithful copy and handle and live the same time as any other puppet. If you want an exact copy of Piggy will happen this, or you should ask about other material options. Maybe he can build it with other material and make it look alike.

She's been built and staring back and me for months. I also had a Stripe from Gremlins created for me and I can already see him breaking up...I dare not say what he cost!!

Is there anything I can do to protect them? Both are posers and there's not a great need to keep reposing them.

 

[Diego Fiorucci]

She's been built and staring back and me for months. I also had a Stripe from Gremlins created for me and I can already see him breaking up...I dare not say what he cost!!

Is there anything I can do to protect them? Both are posers and there's not a great need to keep reposing them.

It' better to keep away from very warm and wet rooms, and don't touch it too much. But inevitably, the material degrades. It's perfect for film productions because its flexibility and spongy nature but is short-lived. If you just want a rigid replica, perhaps someone can do it in resin. I saw a great Yoda in resin once, it looks as credible as the original in its best times.

 

[Diego Fiorucci]

It' better to keep away from very warm and wet rooms, and don't touch it too much. But inevitably, the material degrades. It's perfect for film productions because its flexibility and spongy nature but is short-lived. If you just want a rigid replica, perhaps someone can do it in resin. I saw a great Yoda in resin once, it looks as credible as the original in its best times.

 

[muppetperson]

Erm...what now??!!? Is my Piggy gonna make like Gremlin if exposed to sunlight