Tips for Puppet Feature Film

[kbug67]

We are Currently writing a feature film for a series of puppet characters.

Im looking for your advice for what you people at MC would like and also
i need some advice for what sourt of things a distracting in a puppet film.

Please help as your advice will help us in the status of our film

 

[CPR PUPPET]

My first question is what kind of film will it be? sci-fi, romance, action, a childrens movie, or an all animal cast?
Unless I knew the story line its hard to say what I would look for and shy away from.
One thing i do know, I cant wait to see it.
Good Luck!!

 

[kbug67]

My first question is what kind of film will it be? sci-fi, romance, action, a childrens movie, or an all animal cast?
Unless I knew the story line its hard to say what I would look for and shy away from.
One thing i do know, I cant wait to see it.
Good Luck!!

Its an Action (with a little bit of horror) Film set in the British Countryside.

Im not that good at telling people about films and giving huge bits away but basicly this is the story, Monster (a puppet) runs a popular local tea room, But one day customers start disappering from his shop and go to another tea room run by Granny (another puppet). Monster gets angry and try's to get his customers back, But some misterious things happen along the way.

At this time i dont know what sourt of disribution the film will have as its only me and 4 other of my friends at this present time doing basicly everything.

One thing that i am going to do its show it in one of the larger cinemas in the uk for one night only and invite friends, family and members from MC to see it.

 

[CPR PUPPET]

I like your story idea. Somthing I dont care for is dark movies. I like color and good lighting. Also over the top realism takes away from the puppet focus.
I think the timing of humor in various situations really helps keep interest as well as opportunities for story flow. If the main characters are well written all should go well.
These are just my opinions,thing that I like.

 

[Punch'n'Judy]

Keep in mind that you are creating a puppet film and ask why you are using puppets.

Buck had a wonderful list of puppet related questions along these lines...but I've lost link. Anyone help?

J

 

[Jivepuppet]

Rehearse. That's the biggest tip. Film reading of the scripts with the puppets on your arms, using the sets or dummy sets. Do the whole thing like this a few times, and be a harsh critic. Then you'll be able to go back and tweak everything that needs it; the script, the manipulation, the puppets themselves, etc... That's my advise, it'll end up as a living storyboard you can refer to while sooting the final project!

 

[Jinx]

Sounds like a dreadfully dull "story" to me. I don't mean to seem overly harsh, but the single most "distracting" element in a movie (or book or play or opera, etc., etc) is a poorly contructed story.

The best manipulation, sets, costumes, puppets and such are completely meaningless without their ultimate purpose being to serve the story.

Study how Pixar films approaches their work. Story comes first. Period. They often come up with great gags and sequences that are never animated because ultimately they do not add to the story.

Mysterious goings on between rival tea rooms run by monsters and grannies really does not sound very compelling. If one or the other gets all the customers, well.... so what?

Having a good story can help cover a lack of production value. I recently directed a play that has a scene in the woods between the young lovers of the story. As written, the scene is played in front of an extremely simple backdrop, consisting almost entirely of strips of green and blue cloth, and a carboard moon. The reason it works in this play is because the characters and their story take the audience to the place where they "willingly suspend disbelief" to engage in the story. If a weaker piece were to be played in an identical setting, both would become laughable.

A good story can be summarized into just a few paragraphs, conveying all of its important intentions. If you cannot write a simple treatment of the story, it's quite simply not ready for pre-productioni, let alone production. If your above description is the best you have, then it's not ready. Not even close.

In short, write it, rewrite it, dissect it, sharpen it, check it for spelling and grammar, make sure it is a story worth telling before investing ANY energy into making a film.

THAT's the biggest tip, not rehearsing.

 

[muppetperson]

Yes, the script needs a bit of tweeking.It started off ok, with customers disappearing, but only to reappear at an opposition tea room was the let down.Perhaps if they were to totally disappear and then a Detective gets called in to investigate why people are dissappearing.Maybe the Tea shop is a front for someone selling body parts to Hospitals, or Aliens are abducting them for slaves on their home planet!!Good luck with it.

 

[Punch'n'Judy]

Why not have a look at Sweeney Todd.

 

[kbug67]

.Perhaps if they were to totally disappear and then a Detective gets called in to investigate why people are dissappearing.

The story does include a detective and also the actuall story is a lot better than what i wrote but im simply not that good at summerising story plots.

Ill get the main script writer to write a better summary and then ill post it up