Open Source Puppetry Project

[puppetsmith]

ME TOO! We need job assignments.

 

[SesameKermie]

Ok

Forgive me if I'm taking over here, but to get this thing off the ground:

keith--Would you be willing to be webmaster for this? If so, can/would you arrange a decent 'free' website for us? We need something that serves as a point of contact for the contributors as well as allowing others to see it. Perhaps we could host the videos using Rapidshare or some other "off-site" storage at first. 'OMFG' Sounds great.

Bezalel--do we have any word on the pattern(s)? Since it looks like we are going with the "Omega" idea, could you find a good looking omega to use as the logo?

How about some ground rules for the videos?

 

[MGov]

anyone who is willing to design the site and maintain it as webmaster can have first dibs on any possible merch revenues.

I've dealt with enough short films, indie stuff, etc. to know that the likelihood of this making any kind of money down the road are slim, and yet, I would never agree (nor should anyone else, I think) to assign the rights to my work to anyone else on a project like this.

Each of us should retain all the rights to the characters each of us creates and whatever original work each of us does. Otherwise, if there is money to be made down the road, it will be a bigger hassle.

Besides, deciding who has dibs on what starts to make this a business deal. And we really want to do this for fun and friendship, right?

 

[puppetsmith]

Amen, MGov. The website should just be a central "meeting place".

Patterns? I'm working on the Monster Series. However, it may be longer than I had anticipated because of a puppet building project that I'll be involved in for a month or so. At any rate, for those who want a pattern or who want to get started right away, any one of the Forma Series patterns can easily be made into a monster character. You can check out the gallery for examples, if you haven't already.

Once the website is up, I'd be happy to offer some kind of rebate or special or extras for those who used a Project Puppet pattern in their video submission. That will have to be decided down the line.

I can come up with a logo - if keith doesn't want it - I just want to be sure of the name. Omega Company? The Funderlings? Anyone?

 

[keithallison]

Mgov, i don't think the point of this is really to make money.. just a bunch of people that are trying to contribute to something that they may not be able to do completely on their own. I think it sounds fun and interesting and since I'm a wannabe puppeteer like a lot of people here (yes, I am well aware there are a slew of accomplished puppet builders and puppeteers here)

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I have to agree, although I'm not really involved in this, I was the one who first pitched the idea way back when and the point was it was to be "open source" i.e. free for anyone to participate in. I think the offer of a rebate or special extras for someone using a project puppet pattern is very generous, but it would be much cooler if there was a good, free pattern that everyone could use. People are of course welcome to take this in any direction they'd like, but I think that building the project around patterns that cost $50 betrays the spirit of the original intent of the idea.

I have a basic pattern that I've been using for a few years that I would be happy to give to whoever for free if everyone wants a standard pattern to work with. It's very basic, but can be used to make almost anything with modifications (I used it for virtually all of the puppets in the Star Wars puppet fan film I've been working on). You can see a sample of a puppet made with it here.

I'd also recommend releasing the video under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License so that it can be freely shared but no one can modify it or make "derivitative works" using it or the characters in it. It could be hosted for free by the Internet Archive.

 

[puppetsmith]

I certainly did not mean to imply that using a Project Puppet pattern would be a requirement. I'm all for creativity and doing things inexpensively. I'm just offering for anyone who would want it.

I definitely don't think using a pattern that was purchased, whether it be from Project Puppet or any other company, betrays the original intent of the idea.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Actually, it does.

Maybe I'm splitting a hair here, but the original concept behind this - which has changed a bit as discussion about it has proceeded - was to do something in puppetry that's modelled on the open source software movement (hence the name "Open Source Puppetry Project". So, for example, if there is a web site all of the videos would have Creative Commons Licenses so people could edit or "mash up" the puppet videos however they wanted. Just like open source software, people can post or download patterns that were used to build the puppets in the videos. Everything is free, the only cost of participating is the "freely use, freely give" principle which means that in order to contribute or benefit from the project you have to share your "source" i.e. the video files, patterns, etc.

I think this is a really interesting approach because it provides an amazing opportunity for people to learn and grow with an absence of commercial interests. It's the kind of "Creative Commie" approach that excludes commercial products in favour of open, free information and ideas.

Now I realize that what I think is being discussed now is more of just an online collaborative puppet show on the web and that's fantastic too. I think this should grow in whatever direction people want, but the model I outlined above is where the discussion about this started from way-back-when.

 

[gfarkwort]

When I read this I am reminded of Animal Farm for some reason.....I'm not going to name characters, but this better be resolved before it doesn't happen.......

 

[puppetsmith]

I'm a bit confused by your comments, Buck. Common sense would tell a person that with any undertaking there is a cost involved, whether it be time, money, energy or other resources.

Right now anyone with a computer, a webcam, a puppet and a little free time could easily start a puppetry vlog for free using these tutorials. Rocketboom - the web's most popular video blog - is famously made with a "consumer-level video camera, a laptop, two lights and a map" and now it's available from TiVo!

The above quote is from the PuppetVision Blog. Wouldn't you agree that some sort of cost would be involved in regard to a computer, a webcam, and a puppet (even if you build it yourself from a free pattern)? These are materials and tools that would be necessary in order to see the project through. This is not to mention time and energy. The same holds true in the open source software field - cost is involved for all the contributers for any open source software project.

My offer for the Project Puppet patterns was just an offer - something I can contribute to the project that I thought was of some value. I am in no way trying to hinder the exchange of free puppet patterns or the sharing of knowledge.

I'm sorry to see that your view of Project Puppet has changed. This has become apparent by your more recent posts, although you have never been a customer.

I apologize to the readers of this thread for taking it off topic.