3D: Puppet Inspiration

There are puppets, and then there are puppets. Here are a few videos to get you thinking about the many possibilities, from completed puppetfilms to some far-out approaches to puppetry to some approaches to geeking out on gears, controllers, and other stuff. I'll post more stuff here as I collect it!

First, Hugo and Inez are a pair of amazing puppet performers from Peru. I saw them live at the International Puppetry Festival Fantocchio in San Francisco many years ago, and have never forgotten them. Here are a couple of my favourite pieces from that show:

• Peidich
• Ginocchio

This trailer promises an amazing film to emerge this year from the Spirit Cabinet. The Narrative of Victor Karloch features the work of special effects artist Kevin Turk and is produced by Heather Henson's Handmade Puppet Dreams. Check out the crazy production value you can get with carefully lit, precisely crafted puppets and sets. It's not out of the question! Aim for the stars!

• The Narrative of Victor Karloch (trailer)

More puppet films from Heather Hensen's collection include a wide variety of styles and forms. Here is just a tiny selection:

• Omar's Mother by Paul Andrejco
• A Dog Goes From Here to There by 'suburban primitive artist' Carl Knickerbocker
• The Whole World and You (music video) directed by Frankie Cordero
• Callalilly (trailer) by Christie Kane
• Too Loud a Solitude (trailer) by Genevieve Anderson
• Tyger by Guilherme Marcondes
• Unicycle Baby Guy by Matty Sidle

For gear geeks (and what puppetientist isn't a gear geek?)! If you are looking for some alternative ways to shoot your puppetfilm, the internet is rife with suggestions, like this DSLR slider.

• DSLR Slider

There are also tons of ways to make puppets. Here is one way of approaching bunraku puppets. Experiment! Use the Internet! You'll find all kinds of amazing tutorials.

• Bunraku puppet controllers

Ever wanted to make a large mechanical hand? Here's a cool one made with bike-brake cables, and it's what's called a 'master-slave' style of puppet, meaning that what the human body 'master' (in this case the puppeteer's hand) does, the 'slave' puppet will replicate. It's actually very similar in concept to our cardboard, straw, string and elastic puppet hands:

• Large Mechanical Hand

Automatons are ceaselessly fascinating to me. I can always see how they're done but find it tremendously challenging to make them myself. The internet is loaded with examples; here's a nice flying horse one:

• Flying Horse Automaton

puppetz rule!