ja, das puppets!
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2004
Printed Date: 5/17/24 at 10:42am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: ja, das puppets!
Posted By: puck
Subject: ja, das puppets!
Date Posted: 9/01/06 at 11:16pm
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Does anyone have any puppet making experience around
here? Specifically, puppets / apparati that aren't akin to
marrionettes ... and prefferbly ones that aren't rigged to a batten.
These guys need to appear as if they are growing larger, say from five
to 10 feet. In actuality, this project might grow into something that's more shadow oriented, but I wanted to hear thoughts as to how it could be accomplished in the more tangiable sense. Maybe, if it's ...Have you seen Marilyn Manson's video for The Beautiful People? There's these really tall crazy figures that dance around and do some ballet stuff. Maybe something like that? Heres a link to better support that musing: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6842022290562005797&q=beautiful+people+manson&hl=en - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6842022290562005797& amp;q=beauti ful+people+manson&hl=en If Mason kinda like, isn't your thing you can just fast forward to the spot, it's like 1.10 in or so -- they make apperences throughout after. Anywho. Thoughts would be fabulous. [x-posted] ------------- That swift as quicksilver it courses through/The natural gates and alleys of the body,/And with a sudden vigor it doth posset/and curd,like eager droppings into milk,/The thin and wholesome blood. |
Replies:
Posted By: EddyZ
Date Posted: 9/02/06 at 11:43am
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In a lot of those scenes, the tall figures are simply one dancer on
another's shoulders. (I've seen this done a lot in the dream
sequence in Fiddler on the Roof). I suspect the scene in which they
grow involves fake legs and a wire rig to lift the person into the air,
then the camera cuts away -- they'd probably cut back to another actor
on stilts walking again, or one dancer on the other's shoulders. Little hard to do camera tricks on stage, though. You might to make a puppet using a "backpack rig" like this guy does for a lot of his stuff: http://www.cockeyed.com/incredible/fandango/fandango5.php and be able to make the rig so it telescopes, letting you raise the upper torso higher. ------------- EddyZ http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ - http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ http://www.nailsouptheatre.com - www.nailsouptheatre.com/ |
Posted By: puck
Date Posted: 9/02/06 at 12:28pm
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Curses! I thought I was imune to to the Editing Magic. I think I had thought better of the Dreaded Editing Magic because of the delicate and nimble moves that those guys make, and thinking that it would be beyond tedious to do that with folks on top of eachother's shoulders. It needs to have a fluid organic motion to it, it can't appear too contrived. ------------- That swift as quicksilver it courses through/The natural gates and alleys of the body,/And with a sudden vigor it doth posset/and curd,like eager droppings into milk,/The thin and wholesome blood. |
Posted By: castMe
Date Posted: 9/02/06 at 12:34pm
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Can you perform on platforms? Pop the puppets out of a trap door?
Maybe you can incorporate your shadow idea into this and show part of
the grown raw and some of it shadowed. I'd love to see the end
result.
------------- Investigate. Imagine. Choose. |
Posted By: puck
Date Posted: 9/02/06 at 5:45pm
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I think, platforms *Could* work, but the design as it is now has a lot of other rolling / tracked units.
------------- That swift as quicksilver it courses through/The natural gates and alleys of the body,/And with a sudden vigor it doth posset/and curd,like eager droppings into milk,/The thin and wholesome blood. |
Posted By: TimW
Date Posted: 9/02/06 at 6:22pm
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I think the telescopic idea is a great start. You can possibly have a wire attached from the actors foot to the top of the frame and back down to the costume (a pulley and cable system). If the actor is in a squatting position the cable is shortet and the costume is lower. When they stand up, the cable from the foot to the top of the rig gets longer raising the costume. Then maybe run control lines from the actors hands to the puppets hands on the inside. In my mind it works, maybe on paper. Good luck! Tim |
Posted By: EddyZ
Date Posted: 9/03/06 at 9:10am
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There's a company out there somewhere, too, that makes 10-foot tall
mascot puppets, for use in stadiums and whatnot. I tried to find
their web site again yesterday for you, but I couldn't. If I run
across it, I'll let you know, it might be a good place to start. ------------- EddyZ http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ - http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ http://www.nailsouptheatre.com - www.nailsouptheatre.com/ |
Posted By: EddyZ
Date Posted: 9/03/06 at 9:15am
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A-ha! Didn't find the exact site again, but this groups puppets are of a similar design: http://www.stiltwalker.com/giantpuppets.htm - http://www.stiltwalker.com/giantpuppets.htm ------------- EddyZ http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ - http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ http://www.nailsouptheatre.com - www.nailsouptheatre.com/ |
Posted By: puck
Date Posted: 9/04/06 at 2:53pm
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Tim, I love the pulley idea in principle! But that seems like it might get into wonky tension issues with the cables and I don't know...can you draw a picture maybe? EddyZ! Thank you! The links really helped break some things up in the mind...! I found some other ginormus puppet information, and methinks the Backpack idea will work for one of the 3 characters needed. It sounds like it wants to telescope in some way some how. ------------- That swift as quicksilver it courses through/The natural gates and alleys of the body,/And with a sudden vigor it doth posset/and curd,like eager droppings into milk,/The thin and wholesome blood. |
Posted By: TimW
Date Posted: 9/06/06 at 4:41pm
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High Puck. I tried to get a drawing onto this site, but had no luck. Probably more me than the computer. So I will try this route. 1. Build a frame like a backpack (probably out of alumimum) using 'c' channel for the sides with the open side facing out. Use cross bracing to keep it square. Attach a small pulley to the top center of this frame. 2. Build another frame for the costume out of square tubing a little wider than the backpack frame. Height will vary upon the costume. Attach rollers to the costume part of the frame so they roll inside the 'c' channel part of the backpack frame. 3. Get or make a strap (similar to an excercise strap) for the foot. Run a line from this strap up through the pulley and down to the bottom of the costume frame. As long as the line from the pulley to the bottom anchor point is parrallel to the side of the frame, there shouldn't be much tension or twisting issues. I hope this will help. if you need a drawing, I could send one by fax or email.Until then I will try to fiqure this out.
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Posted By: puck
Date Posted: 9/08/06 at 11:58pm
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Hey Tim! So, I think I need a drawing. I'm having a little trouble wraping my mind around it even when I try to draw what you've written. Do you think you could email me one please? andy.darrling@gmail.com ------------- That swift as quicksilver it courses through/The natural gates and alleys of the body,/And with a sudden vigor it doth posset/and curd,like eager droppings into milk,/The thin and wholesome blood. |
Posted By: EddyZ
Date Posted: 9/09/06 at 1:16pm
Puck, I think this might be close to what he means. The bootline runs through a few pulleys on the backpack frame and attach to the bottom of the puppet rig somewhere. (The point as illustrated is more for clarity than accuracy. Note, too, that the rig can certainly envelope the puppeteer, rather than just set behind him. Again, for clarity rather than accuracy.) When you're crouched lower, the cable brings the rig closer to the ground. When you stand up, the rig raises. ------------- EddyZ http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ - http://webpages.atlanticbb.net/~ezahurak/ http://www.nailsouptheatre.com - www.nailsouptheatre.com/ |
Posted By: TimW
Date Posted: 9/10/06 at 12:21am
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Thanks EddyZ. I appreciate your help. As soon as i figure out how to put my drawing on this site, I will. Also, the beginning of your set is very intriging, especially the "carts and brace". Thanks again. TimW |
Posted By: puck
Date Posted: 9/11/06 at 12:06pm
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Thanks EddyZ and TimW! I think the backpack shoepulley formula is going to work. If you haven't already -- you should win an award for your fabulousness! Moreover, about the gates -- they look incredible. Thou art a Master of the Jigsaw!! ------------- That swift as quicksilver it courses through/The natural gates and alleys of the body,/And with a sudden vigor it doth posset/and curd,like eager droppings into milk,/The thin and wholesome blood. |