How to operate a muppet...

[WiGgY]

Originally posted by muppettheatre
Yes the thing on their head is a mike. Frequently who performs the hands of a live hand will be determined by what has to be done by the puppet, it will either be one person performing both hands, or the main puppetteer performing the head and one hand, or occassionally one hand will be stuffed and pinned in place. Big Bird is generally one hand in the head, and one hand in one of the wings. The other wing is connected with a piece of monofilament to the operated wing to create movement, or on rare occassions someone will be behind the bird performing the other arm.

I notice that in the Journey to Ernie segments Big Bird always has two workable real wings. This is probably done with blue screen sicne the whole segment is doen against a blue screen.

 

[muppettheatre]

Originally posted by WiGgY
I notice that in the Journey to Ernie segments Big Bird always has two workable real wings. This is probably done with blue screen sicne the whole segment is doen against a blue screen.

EXACTLY!!!

 

[WiGgY]

I think it's nice for Big Bird to have two working wings. When I was little it always seemed weird to me that Big Bird couldn't move both wings. I felt bad for him.

 

[sarah_yzma]

goodness i never noticed stuff like that.........i probably wouldn't have noticed if he was missing a wing...i wasn't an observant child so umm let me get this.....if a character has full hand movement the puppeteer (or whoever's helping) fit his hands in there like a glove?

Sarah

 

[matleo]

so umm let me get this.....if a character has full hand movement the puppeteer (or whoever's helping) fit his hands in there like a glove?

Correct!

Also with Big Bird (and Bear in the Big Blue House) there is a piece of very strong fishing line that goes from the puppet's left hand up around (actually through) the back of the puppet's neck and down to the other empty hand (known as the 'dead hand') So when Big Bird gestures with his lefthand, the 'live hand', it will counter weight his right hand and appear to move despite the fact that there is no hand in it. This is of course except for in 'Journey to Ernie' where Bird does have a second puppeteer operating him in front of a blue screen. Hope this helps.

--Matt

 

[Sam Bald Eagle]

And with Sweetums His right hand was in a sling 99% of the time and richard hunts right hand opperated the jaw

 

[Hays]

This is fun

Haven't seen this perspective for a while. My old mentor always used to chuckle and say "puppet magic!"

The mikes are taped or strapped to headgear because puppetry if they were on a headset (like the ones in RENT,) you'd hear all the heavy breathing that puppeteers try so hard not to do.

Muppets are some of the few puppets that still use live voice; most puppeteers work from a tape. Personally, I think the ability to ad lib and add life to a character is the whole REASON to use a puppet, but apparently Disney Channel doesn't agree.

Also, I've always worked live, but none of the Henson productions are done that way. I realized the huge difference this makes while watching the Muppet Show episode where Gonzo Evil Kanevils himself into Statler & Waldorf's booth. In my head, I was impressed by how fast the puppeteer raced up the stairs to do the "What a rush" bit. Of course, it doesn't happen that way - they just cut to a different set.

A lot of what you're describing happens with several versions of the same puppet, and a lot of strategic cuts as described above. For instance, sometimes Big Bird has use of both hands on the Street (or Bear in the house,) which can't be bluescreened because of the set. They use a closeup at those times, so they can hide the additional puppeteer.

Forgot - if you get the DVD of The Dark Crystal, you can see behind-the-scenes clips that show a lot about how the puppets are manipulated; It covers most types of puppets. It's hysterical to see Frank Oz with the fat witch puppet up over his head. What an amazing guy!

 

[KingPrawn]

Re: This is fun

Originally posted by Hays
Also, I've always worked live, but none of the Henson productions are done that way.

so you're a puppeteer yourself?
assuming that you are...
how difficult is it and how long did it take for you to get down?

the more i think about it, I realize how talented the performs at Henson really are.

one more thing: when arms (for argument's sake, let's say Gonzo's) are operated by rods, how does that work? Are both rods held by the puppeteer's free hand?

i really need to watch that portion of dark crystal...this is getting complicated

 

[Sam Bald Eagle]

It depends on the puppeteers preferance, when I perform, I hold both rods in my left hand (because I'm right handed) the way I hold the rods looks complicated but its the way I feel comfortable.
Some puppeteers use one rod while a nother puppeteer works the other.
Some just let the second rod dangle.

Its all about comfort and maximiseing performace.

(I prefer to perform live as well, it gives a much more realistic and warm performance unlike pre recorded wich can sometimes look dead and cold)
I've been performing for 13 years. 99% of the time live voice , weather on tv or stage .

 

[Hays]

I gave up puppeteering profesionally almost ten years ago. I actually started in the Bil Baird side (read:marionettes and wood rod puppets) A puppeteer named Nik Swindin was a great mentor to me, and now that he's passed on I miss him terribly. I learned Henson-style puppets at a later job.

Although I had always intended to become a professional puppeteer, after college I sort of fell into my first job by taking a job as house manager for a local puppet theater; I think stories like that are common; even more common are folks who start their own troupes or one-man shows (I love one-man shows, but they're nigh on impossible to do without a tape; I know people who do, tho) Basically, if you love it enough to be dogged and determined to do it even if you aren't any good, you'll get there. It can be a really creepy business, though - there are many aspects of it I do not miss.

Anyone interested in getting into it should check out what's going on locally; email or call the P of A (Puppeteers of America) to find out if there's a guild in your area. Just in case, I would caution young teenagers to do NOTHING without bringing an adult they trust.

Rod puppets are usually manipulated by one puppeteer, you hold the rods something like chopsticks. The performers at Henson usually are hired out of a "workshop" they offer, which is both highly competitive and expensive. Performers then spend most of their time doing background characers without voices, or being the left hand. It takes a lot of hard work and talent to move beyond that in such a large company - and their fingers are pretty far-reaching.