Working with kids and puppet building

[intozlight]

Yeah,
I might enter one of them - he was not finished in the pics though. If that makes a difference.

 

[Blink]

Yeah,
I might enter one of them - he was not finished in the pics though. If that makes a difference.

Sorry intozlight,

I totally meant to respond to this. I think it is best if I wait until the contest is over before looking. Perhaps after the contest you can start up a new thread and post the pictures again. Anyways, I am glad there are others out there passing on their love of pupptery with the next geneartion.

 

[aaronmojo]

Those look really great!

A question for you guys about puppet building workshops. I'm starting a business soon and plan to offer these workshops to groups of kids (birthday parties and such) since there's nothing like it here in town. Do you generally bring kids to you for such a workshop, or take the workshop to the kids?

Thanks!

 

[Blink]

Those look really great!

A question for you guys about puppet building workshops. I'm starting a business soon and plan to offer these workshops to groups of kids (birthday parties and such) since there's nothing like it here in town. Do you generally bring kids to you for such a workshop, or take the workshop to the kids?

Thanks!

Hi aaronmojo. I think it can work both ways. There are businesses that are set up to have all of the supplies in their studio and groups show up and have the workshop there.

Other people have travel cases that they fill with workshop supplies and go to the client's location. It really all depends on a number of things (demographics, supply needs for building, availability for travelling/transportation, etc.).

I think if you are doing birthday's then being able to travel is much more advantageous. I know that if I was having a party for my child I wouldn't want to deal with transporting the party to a different workshop location. But again it all depends.

Perhaps you can do some market research to find out who you would be selling your services to and what they might want.

Just an idea. I hope it helped.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I think that going to locations is the way to go too, at least at first. You don't want to have the overhead associated with a location if you are just starting out with a business. You'd have to pay rent, utilities, taxes, insurance, etc. it's a real pain. Also, people will pay more for the convenience of having you come to them.

 

[Anita The Great]

I agree with Buck on this one! Go to the party, don't have 'em come to you. Also, know what you're expected to accomplish there--and make your needs very clear to your clients. Will you need a big space cleared? Can you work outside? What supplies are you bringing? What age will you recommend your work for? All the kind of stuff parents will want to know--and be sure to look into insurance (especially in this day and age). The Puppeteers of America offers a form of performer insurance that I've used before and I believe Theater Bay Area has one too (you can check into stuff online--I don't have those website for you--sorry).

Best of luck to you! Keep us posted on your success!

 

[intozlight]

I would recommend putting together kit builds where you can control the cost of your supplies. You might want to make several different ones depending on your audience. Be sure to bring a small portable screen so they can play with their new puppets.
Keep in mind time constraints (kids bore quickly) and that the larger the group - the longer it will take.
Also, I would give them a flyer ahead of time to let them know what "other" supplies they might want to bring.
____________
Director Davies
Ripples Puppet Ministry
“I do not see the glass as ½ empty, nor do I see the glass as ½ full, I just thank God for the water…

 

[aaronmojo]

Thanks, guys, for all the input. I was leaning towards taking the workshop to the kids for exactly what Buck-Beaver mentioned. I really don't want to have to find a nice place to rent, then worry about gussying it up, to say nothing of people not wanting to drive all the way out to a glorified workshop etc etc... Anita, thanks for the mention of the Puppeteers of America. I have their website bookmarked. And Intozlight -- putting together "kits" is another good idea. I'm still working on the final business plan but the goal is to walk away from the soulless corporate world by the end of the year. Gulp!

I'd like to post images of the puppets I'm working on and stuff, if I can. I'm a longtime lurker here, and traditionally I've only done 2-D stuff (illustration and design) but I've always had a thing for puppets and puppeteering. I'm kind of a newbie as puppet-building and it's a real learning process, especially when my workspace consists of the living room floor! Your input and feedback is appreciated! ...Say, anybody else around here in the Northeast Florida area?

 

[Anita The Great]

Please post pics! We'd all love to see 'em!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Aaron, you should join one of the PofA's Southeast Guilds (whichever is closest to you). This URL has a list - http://www.puppeteers.org/reg_se.html

Even if you're not in South Florida, you should get in touch with David Goboff, who runs the Puppet Guild of South Florida. He might be a helpful person to talk to in your area.