wow this is a great discussion.

I read andrew's post on puppetvision the other day and having been thinking about similar stuff on my own for a while now. Stephen and Myself decided about a year and half ago to let the puppetry get better as we learn. Since we started every aspect of stuff has improved. The puppets have changed drastically on the inside and out. We now have started using external mics instead of in camera.  We even changed our editing and are no longer doing just one long take and instead have been cutting up the clip.

My point here is regards to how to get more puppetry to the next level. As I see it a lot of the problem with people not being able to push themselves out of amateur level(which I still am in my mind) is that they don't take risks.

There are so many videos on You Tube where the puppet is lipsynching to a song. There is little to no risk here if people already love the song well then somebody will love the video just because of the music. Some people however are great at this for example Phil from the gluvets did a video recently where he did some lipsyching and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I think the professionalism of Phil's video though came from his expert manipulation. The puppet was rocking some Air guitar action in the video.

I will agree with everyone here that another reason a video is stuck in amateur level is composition. I myself struggle with this as well due to a small practice space.  It is amazing how the puppetry looks different with good composition when we worked on the curious kitchen t.v. Pilot it was amazing how much better the puppet looked. Youtube user Kermit3001 has some great talent for puppetry but the composition is always so distracting to me. 

Well I found for me the best way to improve is just to keep going. If you keep working on puppetry and producing I feel everything will improve together as you go. For example stuff that we made 6 months ago that I thought was awesome is now just O.K.

@Jay -----I love your idea of all of us redoing a scene and see how we all translate it to the puppetry world. Count me in.

@Jon---- You hit the idea of those Olympic videos right on the head. We wanted to create something you couldn't do with Humans. Make it about being puppets.

O.K. I went on long enough

My issue at present is mostly that my puppets characters are not very clearly defined as yet.  While I'm trying to work out the scripts I have to keep asking my self is this something that he would say or would she really do someting like that?  Does this fit with this characters personality?

Added to this is that I really don't know much about camera placement and video editing or any of that.

I guess I have to do what Onath has suggested and take the risk and get some work on tape so that I can get an Idea of what really works.

Great discussion everybody!!

Daryl H

 

Good points all around.  There are so many disciplines to explore when doing creative work that I think the best thing people can do is produce as much as possible and try to improve at least some aspect of their production from piece to piece.

The key though i think is to keep making stuff and releasing it.  There's no way to improve skills that haven't been exercised.  If you have the time and equipment don't wait until someone gives you permission or certifies your skill level, because you'll be waiting a long time.  Just do something, keep it fast, keep it simple, try to improve each time.

As far as subject matter goes I know i've already fallen into doing some sort of episodic sitcom style thing, which I've lately felt painted me into a corner which gave me an excuse to procrastinate.  I think the way i'll gravitate this year is into self contained gags and commentaries, or something based on a piece of fun instrumental music.

Anyway, here's hoping everyone makes a lot of stuff this year.

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Nice video, and good advice for every person that want to expres an idea in videos or radio, with puppets or themself.

Thanks

Blast that hater......I have one who moved in a long time ago and the rent is to cheap to get him out.  I must raise that rent to move that hater out of my head. 

I have to say that I had a ah-ha moment when watching that video.  It can be a struggle to get started but once I do nothing holds me back.

Daryl H

Whow did that hit home  I think I have a whole family of haters that has moved in my head. Time for a eviction notice. Thanks for the wake up call.

Billy D.

Droffsett - that video said a mouthful of truth.  It's time to give the hater in my head the boot and do what I know I ought to be doing.  No more perfectionism, nothings going to be perfect anyway and it really doesn't have to be to be some thing I can learn from and others might enjoy seeing.  No more procrastination, nothing is going to get better or easier if I wait anyway, all you get in the procrastin - nation is more stress so its time to move on.

Thanks for the video.  This discussion and that video are help to motivate me into action.

Wow that video is great.

I don't always know what to do. To prevent the "little hater" from moving in. I will do something like say the alphabet or count on camera. Maybe recite a nursery rhyme or two. You now have something to say in front of a camera.

See these videos for examples.



or



or just say the same word over and over again