where to find local puppeteers

[faze]

Hey all

i was wondering where would be a good place to post to find local puppeteers in toronto area to work with on project on ongoing projects

i was thinkin either mandy.com, and puppetsandstuff.com

 

[Blink]

Hey all

i was wondering where would be a good place to post to find local puppeteers in toronto area to work with on project on ongoing projects

i was thinkin either mandy.com, and puppetsandstuff.com

If you are looking for a non-paying gig (volunteers) you could try The Ontario Puppetry Association. I think you will be hard pressed to find many professional puppeteers who are willing or able to work on a volunteer basis (or at least below ACTRA rates). Especially now because it is production season here on Toronto and many are working.

I think that sometimes the best thing to do is use friends and family. Perhaps you can find one or two trained puppeteers and the rest can be trained. I know Buk has found volunteers from Kids on the Block Toronto.

You might actually be sruprised but I have found naturally talented puppeteers among people I would never have thought about. Warning however, do not use people who show poor skills unless you don't mind that showing through in your production.

 

[faze]

Thanks Chen

for those links they are a website,

how much would a professional puppeteer normally charge?

 

[Blink]

Thanks Chen

for those links they are a website,

how much would a professional puppeteer normally charge?

I am not 100% sure on the actual rate structure but here is an overview for ACTRA performers:

ACTRA Rate Card

I am sure there are loop holes and ways to play with rates etc. But overall you are probably looking at anywahere from $600.00 - $1,200.00 per day, for a principal performer.

Now there are many talented professional puppeteers in Toronto that are not ACTRA, and that is a matter of agreeing on rates. For television they charge ACTRA rates, but smaller projects can often be negotiated. If you have never done anything like this you may want to get a consultant. Someone who has worked on many televsion shoots who can offer advice.

I have heard stories from some performers (people who are well known) who were hired and showed up on a set that looked like it was from highschool. I think that it is important to know what you are doing before you ever spend big money on talent. A consultant might be able to help with that stuff.

You could also hire a puppeteer who offers workshops that you can pay for a bunch of volunteers to learn from. I know a bunch of puppeteers (Bob Stutt from Under the Umbrella Tree is one that comes to mind) who run sensational workshops. It might be a way to save money and have the volunteers all be on the same page.

I really think you need to do alot of research (which it seems you are doing) before you jump in to things. There is often more to puppet video production than most people think.

I hope that helps.

P.S. My last name is Chen. I guess Kanja seems like an odd first name, but it is.

 

[JoeyMuppet]

I'm a local puppeteer,But I live in Villa Rica Ga. And mostly the only puppetry stuff I do right now is around where I live.Sorry.But if I did live in Canada I'd be interested in a job like that.Matter a fact anywhere in Canada or The U.S.,But I would have to wait a while from now to get one of those kind of jobs since I'm only 15.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Sorry to muffin the thread, but just for the sake of clarification I've never worked directly with anyone from Kids on the Block Toronto. They are a good organization though with a lot of dedicated volunteers. They do a lot of good in their community.

 

[Blink]

Sorry to muffin the thread, but just for the sake of clarification I've never worked directly with anyone from Kids on the Block Toronto. They are a good organization though with a lot of dedicated volunteers. They do a lot of good in their community.

Sorry Buck. I spoke with a woman at the Muppets audition named Terri and I thought she said she had worked with Kids on the Block for many years and that she and some others had volunteered for your Star Wars thing. When I saw a picture of her on your site I believed her. Perhaps I mixed up where she was volunteering from. I thought it was from Kids on the Block. Sorry if I got that mixed up.

At any rate it may be worth a try to see if there is anyone there interested in helping out.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Oh no worries, probably the confusion is that I've worked with KotB-affliated organizations in the past, just not Kids on the Block Toronto. There's several groups using KotB programs in Southern Ontario and I think in most people's minds they all get lumped in together. Irregardless, as you say if you're looking for puppeteers it's not a bad place to start.

 

[Melonpool]

Did you ever finish that Star Wars video, Buck?

 

[Buck-Beaver]

It's about half done. I was hoping to get it finished up this spring, but it had to take a backseat to some other things I was doing.