Hello fellow puppeteers,

I have been doing a little research on the net and watching pretty much every tutorial i can find on the net, wether in youtube or expert village and in the expert village videos (also available via youtube), the Emily DeCola videos fascinated me. The hand control she uses, as she sais in one of her videos, is referred as "German Technology". I was wondering if anyone of you have ever heard of it? If so, are there plans for such technology available on the net? This control really fascinates me and i want to know more. I know that i am barely starting in the marionette building and manipulating world, but the more i learn the more it helps me find my way.

Here is the link where she talks about the controls in question. I am also adding a picture about the controls.
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/40261_marionettes-complex.htm

Puppet hug,
SHould

Hi SHould,

indeed, the controls of Emily are realy something... I have also been studying the video and I have been trying to make the control of the head and shoulder puppet. This one can be made. The one one the picture is another story. Here you have flexible parts... I already send some emails to Emily for some tips but as you can guess... no reply. If you want some info how I made the control of the Head and shoulder puppet Or the Czech control... let me know I will email it to you.

  Johian

Hi Johian,

Thanks for the offer, i have just emailed you accepting your offer. Cant wait to see what you will send me!

Its really great to be part of such a great group! Thanks for everything!

Puppet hug,
SHould

You might want to check out these sites:

http://marionette-maker.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91726092@N00/

(The Flickr page is Marionette Maker's)

The German control came from Albrecht Roser. I have built three vertical Czech controls (you'd think I'd learn after one.) The Czech style are much more restrictive and difficult to manipulate than the German style. (The Czech's are not nearly as superior in puppetry as they believe they are!)

The biggest thing the German control did for me was the tremendously expressive hand and arm control. As Emily DeCola (and Roser) say, the legs are not so important.

Unless you're making a complicated dancing marionette, spend time working on the head, shoulders and arms (and costume).

doc'

Hi Docmic,

Thanks for your input, always valuable advice. Maybe one of my puppets will only be a head and shoulder puppet, anything is possible. For now, i am merely shopping information around because we never loose when we are well informed on a subject.

Do you have plans to share with us all? I am sure that many people would benefit from it all. But if you dont have any, its ok.

Thanks again for your input, priceless.
Puppet hug,
SHould

If he is still around and offering workshops in 2010, then I will be making Germany one of my stops to take his classes.  I have a few countries in Europe that I am planning a marionette learning vacation and his is one of my stops that is high on the list.  Here is his link.

http://www.albrecht-roser.de/00028.html

Aloha,
Nikole

Unfortunately, not everybody is that lucky. But if you do make it into his class, please keep us to date, maybe by writting a journal about what you learn so that we can all dream a little more!

Puppet hug,
SHould

OH ABSOLUTELY I will share!!!  I am only getting to go to so many countries because of my hubby's work.  He has to travel every year to do research.  This summer is Asia, next summer nothing, summer 2010 is Europe.  I am hoping to document a lot of puppetry that I find in Asia this summer.  We will be in Singapore for a month but I will be traveling with my mother to other countries from there.  Should be fun and I also get to visit my mother's family that I haven't seen for over 12 years.  I think THAT is the best part of the trip. 

I'll definitely start writing in my blog during that time.  The nice thing is being away from the puppet studio so I am forced to write rather than build.

I'm really crossing my fingers that we will get a chance to visit Cambodia while there.

I'll keep you updated.

Nikole 

Hi Nikole,

Cant wait to see what you will find out and share with us all.

Puppet hug,
SHould