Knocking on Henson office door...

[jellopants]

Ok,
so after realizing I was at the wrong address and that the OLD new york office had moved (that is another story cause I actually got to go inside the old one---it was empty and they were moving stuff out) I somehow found the new office. It is really hard to find because its really tucked away somewhere next to this mexican restoraunt with a big neon sumbraro. I decided to just knock on the door because for whatever naive reason I thought they would appreciate that cause of all that "you cant take NO for an answer" talk in MTM.

But of course a kind of bewildered almost scared woman opened the door a crack. and handed me a post card with the address of where I could maybe send my portpholio.

the sad thing is that I made up this really nice package to send...with an animated movie I made and a couple of comic books I had made and I just dont have the courage now to send it. does anybody feel the same way I do...It takes a lot of guts to go for what you really want when you know the chances might be very low...even if you have talent or whatever.

love
jellopants

 

[abiraniriba]

Where is it??

could you tell me the address I went to the office across from Hunter College once myself, and I would like to know where they moved to and why.

 

[OverUnderAround]

Well as good as your intentions were, the way the world is nowadays most businesses won't see anyone without an appointment.

Gone are the days when a teenage Richard Hunt just picked up the phone and called the Muppets if he could audition and was told to come right over and was hired. Or as Fran Brill once said in an interview in those old days you would call the Henson company and Jim himself would answer the phone.

Now everything is security, privacy, don't call us, we'll call you and of course who you know to get your foot in the door.

I knew a fellow who worked for the Henson's years ago who had to deliver Oscar the Grouch to Carroll Spinney. He looked forward to meeting Mr. Spinney. When he got to the place and rang the bell, a woman asked what he wanted. He said he was delivering Oscar the Grouch. The woman opened the door only six inches or so (acting fearful), took Oscar and slammed the door on the delivery guy.

So while the song says "you can't take NO for an answer" sounds cool and inspires one to push forward. It's not realistic. Example, if you love a girl and she doesn't love you the logic of "you can't take NO for an answer", might put you in jail.

Send your portfolio (prepared professionally) and follow it up with a request for an interview and hopefully that will open the door for you wide open.

 

[jellopants]

Thank you!!!

Thank you so much for your oh so nice reply. I was only in NY for that day and I wanted to do something. The coolest part was walking around the old empty office...even though it was kind of sad. Thanks for your help again. I will write the new address of the new office when I get home.
thanks again!

 

[MelissaY1]

Well as good as your intentions were, the way the world is nowadays most businesses won't see anyone without an appointment.

Gone are the days when a teenage Richard Hunt just picked up the phone and called the Muppets if he could audition and was told to come right over and was hired. Or as Fran Brill once said in an interview in those old days you would call the Henson company and Jim himself would answer the phone.

Now everything is security, privacy, don't call us, we'll call you and of course who you know to get your foot in the door.

I knew a fellow who worked for the Henson's years ago who had to deliver Oscar the Grouch to Carroll Spinney. He looked forward to meeting Mr. Spinney. When he got to the place and rang the bell, a woman asked what he wanted. He said he was delivering Oscar the Grouch. The woman opened the door only six inches or so (acting fearful), took Oscar and slammed the door on the delivery guy.

So while the song says "you can't take NO for an answer" sounds cool and inspires one to push forward. It's not realistic. Example, if you love a girl and she doesn't love you the logic of "you can't take NO for an answer", might put you in jail.

Send your portfolio (prepared professionally) and follow it up with a request for an interview and hopefully that will open the door for you wide open.

Very good point. I always say I was born too late for many things and this is a perfect example of it. I wish I could've been old enough at the time Henson was more a "grass roots" family owned company that opened the doors to new talent. Those times are gone and it's sad. And I also hate to say that even "who you know" isn't always the answer either. When I finished my internship at Henson don't get me wrong it was a lifechanging experience, dream come true, etc. But the bottom line was at the time I finished, they weren't hiring and even though I had many connections before I interned and even more afterwards it didn't guarantee me a job. And of course now the company has gone through so many changes. So it's sad how things change sometimes not for the better.

 

[Infinity Sirius]

Next to a giant neon sombrero, huh? I wonder how many of those are in NY, but then again when thinking about that city probably more than one. When you went into the old office dod you go into the bathrooms? I heard they had Muppet Baby wallpaper in there. Was there any stuff letting you know that the Henson company had been there at all?

 

[CensoredAlso]

So while the song says "you can't take NO for an answer" sounds cool and inspires one to push forward. It's not realistic.

Send your portfolio (prepared professionally) and follow it up with a request for an interview and hopefully that will open the door for you wide open.

That's a good idea, just send it out, you have nothing to lose.

I don't think "You can't take no for an answer" is unrealistic per se. You just have to find out the effective way of looking for a job in the industry you desire and keep at it.

It is amazing how Richard was able to call up and get in that way. From what I've read, I think he managed to call them on a day they were actually holding auditions, so he was lucky and wise to take the initiative.

 

[jellopants]

Going into the old henson office building was really a trip. I was so excited (crying like some dope...the guy cleaning up the place thought I was a freak) there were a couple kermit mugs here and there. there was a tall spiral staircase which led up to the office rooms and then on the very top on the ceiling there was a stained glass image (something kaliedascopey). there was also a spiral mosaic like tile thing on the floor and in the middle of the spiral there was spelled out in tiles HA you know for Henson Associates. the mural of the muppet show audience wasnt up and there were a couple of old sesame street magazines in one of the offices and what looked like a small diarama of a set someone was designing.

would you believe that I didnt take a picture!!! I was so flabbergasted at the whole scene...I was almost numb (to be really dramatic about it).

the bus ride to the new office did include a very muppety moment though (unlike the one at the henson office doorway...). the cleaning guy told me that the new muppet office was next to this sumbraro place in Soho. I took the bus down there and had a conversation with the bus driver about my dreams and when I got off the bus he said "go get em kid, ya got nothin to loose...you can do it!". so that was nice...but it only fueled my whole "Im in a movie now" naivety.

the address of the new office is...
The Jim Henson Company
627 Broadway
9th floor
New York, Ny 10012

It was really hard to find...I went literally from door to door and then at one door way there was a little title the size of a stick of gum as part of a long list of people in that building.

 

[jellopants]

Thanks for the encouragement Heralde, much appreciated. you know how it is... when you really want something it just stays in your drawer for forever. Its really hard isnt it.

 

[Infinity Sirius]

Did you manage to sneak out some of the stuff left behind in the old office? Or did the movers take those too? You would think they would let you take them if no one had bothered to pack them.