I'm starting a small daily show on my channel. I won't post every video I do here, but I will post when I change something significantly. I'm definitely looking for feedback - good or bad! I'm always found criticism really valuable, so if you see something that's not working, it'd really help me if you could point it out to me.

I've been wanting to try filming a puppet video every day, but the idea of trying to come up with that much content was too daunting. Plus I'm generally terrible at keeping up with promises like that - which ironically makes me want to pursue them all the more, just to be able to do that.

I had a moment of inspiration after explaining to someone the game "1000 blank white cards." It's a very simple but awesome idea - get a pack of white index cards, hand a certain amount to everyone in a small group, and then everyone writes rules or points amounts on them. (including rules about getting more blank cards to fill out.) Over time, the deck builds itself, and is totally customized to the group who plays - and it can be expanded forever.

To tie this into puppetry, I realized I could doodle a card, make up some fake horrible meaning for it, and then have a fun way to solve the problem. This feels like something I can totally keep up indefinitely. So I'm going for it and have started today! Here's a link to the first video:

The Fuzzy Fortune Teller

The biggest problem thus far is coming up with the character voice. I've got ideas, but I start to feel anxious when I actually sit down with the camera to film - so I opted to just make something and get started. I figure I'll improve it as I go along.

I'm not sure this character needs a name, but I will probably give it one later.

I think if I can keep this up for a month, I'll be pretty set as far as making puppetry a habit. Very soon I will not be able to do puppet things on weekends, because I'll be moving the equipment to a workshop. (With a bluescreen! AKA: a wall painted blue.)

Cool idea.  I do actually have a few ideas for you. 

First try and get your camera framed so your background is even and uniform. Since you'll be moving to a studio with blue screen that well take care of yourself but still wanted to mention it. Seeing part of the book case in the background is distracting.

With a mouth puppet you would move the thumb and not the upper fingers to make it talk. Your puppet is a bit unique in that it is a true glove puppet but I do think that adopting some of the ideas of mouth movement of a regular hand in mouth puppet would help.  In fact I was wondering if maybe you could curl the top fingers under a bit like when in a fist and then use the thumb to "talk" might be an interesting look.

I really do love that it is a hand and can pick up the card. Could maybe even play on "palm reading" or something similiar for a name.  I want to see the card you have created a bit longer and clearer. In fact I went back and paused the video so I could see it.  One way you could do this is to do a cut shot of the puppet reaching to a deck of cards and turning it over on the table. Would give a nice clean shot but would add a bit of time each day to your shooting. The other option may be to use FX to insert the card into the frame much like when a new anchor reads the news and has a picture next to him. Pretty sure there is a technical term for that but not sure what it is.


Really do like this idea... wish you all the luck with it. 

P.S. Be careful when you insert a link.  I think you got put the title in the URL box and the URL in the title box... going to fix the link right now for you.

First try and get your camera framed so your background is even and uniform. Since you'll be moving to a studio with blue screen that well take care of yourself but still wanted to mention it. Seeing part of the book case in the background is distracting.

We are hopefully going to get into the studio on Monday, no idea when I'll be filming. But it definitely won't be a problem there. I should probably run this cloth through the dryer to remove the wrinkles. No time for that tonight's video, but tomorrow I think I'll do that. And I think I just need to frame the video before I turn the light on.

With a mouth puppet you would move the thumb and not the upper fingers to make it talk. Your puppet is a bit unique in that it is a true glove puppet but I do think that adopting some of the ideas of mouth movement of a regular hand in mouth puppet would help.  In fact I was wondering if maybe you could curl the top fingers under a bit like when in a fist and then use the thumb to "talk" might be an interesting look.

I am guessing I do this just because I am free to move my fingers with the gloves. I'll try your suggestion, thanks!

I really do love that it is a hand and can pick up the card. Could maybe even play on "palm reading" or something similiar for a name.  I want to see the card you have created a bit longer and clearer. In fact I went back and paused the video so I could see it.  One way you could do this is to do a cut shot of the puppet reaching to a deck of cards and turning it over on the table. Would give a nice clean shot but would add a bit of time each day to your shooting. The other option may be to use FX to insert the card into the frame much like when a new anchor reads the news and has a picture next to him. Pretty sure there is a technical term for that but not sure what it is.

The original title I had in mind awhile back was 'Awful Cards.' I do like the palm reading play on words. Will have to give that some thought.

It might help to make the card slightly less detailed and use something larger for the linework, like a sharpie. Is FX a special program?

Really do like this idea... wish you all the luck with it. 

P.S. Be careful when you insert a link.  I think you got put the title in the URL box and the URL in the title box... going to fix the link right now for you.

Thanks!
Should I just enter in the embed code Youtube gives me directly into the next post I make?

I'm trying the curled fingers thing, and I think it looks hilarious. Makes for a much more fun character. I also realized that part of my problem is the glove is too short on its own. (It came from a pair someone gave me that I never wore, and many people commented reminded them of puppets.) So this puppet now has a temporary drape so I don't have to do things at an odd angle.

Here is today's, with modifications to how I use the puppet - and a voice inspired by that.

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https://youtu.be/PckKt5RZ9M4

Feedback from someone else is that the curled fingers here and my thumb going more sideways instead of down distracted them. I think this would work better if I had the puppet tilted up, but then it's hard to see the face. He suggested experimenting with adopting different hand shapes and positions, to see what works best with the character.

I'm quite pleased with the direction this character's voice is going. It isn't quite where I want it, but I feel like I've got a lot more to work with now.

I really like the curled fingers and don't find the thumb distracting. It also looks a bit like the puppet is talking out of the side of it's mouth. While you find disagreement to this on the internet "talking out of the side of your mouth" is often associated with lying. Kind of fitting I think. I would continue to work with it though. You may come up with something you like even more. The main thing is to keep those eyes in sight and looking into the camera. That is one reason I suggested curling the fingers.

I think that was better on the card show.  FX is not a program but simply short for Special Effect. Most editing programs have these and a common one would be picture in picture. So you do a separate shot of the card it self and then insert that in post production in a small frame next to the character in the main frame.

Yeah, I'm planning on taking all feedback into account and then seeing what I can do with it. At this point, anything that gets me to try something new is a good idea, I think. I did notice that sometime after I was done, I was able to get my thumb to go straight down instead of to the side. I'm not sure what's going on there, so I want to experiment and figure it out.

I'll play around with that. I think the blue screen software I'm going to be using has some options like that, so I'll see what I can do. I would like to learn different video editing software, because I want to do this long-term and it'd be good for me to get started with that. Right now, I just use the iPad camera, and also Windows Movie Maker. I'm gonna see what things I can get for free on the iPad, for Windows 7 and Linux.

Okay, today I got the backdrop all nice and ironed out. I decided to do a mix of different hand movements. I do like the potential for fingers to look like tentacles or something like that. I am thinking I'll try and save it for when the character is thinking, or pausing in speech.

I realized I can stick earrings into the glove, and I have this old pendulum hanging around that I've never done anything with. I may slowly add a mass of jewelry to this character.

I think this'll be the last video I post the URL of for a little bit. I want to post a new one after I get into the new shop, but for now I'm just going to have to do some playing around. Today I was a bit distracted and I feel I lost character for a moment, so I have to work on that. The advice I've gotten here has been really awesome, and I feel like I've got a lot to go on! Thanks!

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https://youtu.be/WAfEgN-Nd_c

I like your use of the fingers when thinking. Nice touch. I think you are getting better with each video. 

It looks like you may be working from the side instead of being right under your puppet. I saw your head a bit on the left side of the screen. More then likely this is because of your current set up. In the studio see if you can get things set up so you can be more underneath your puppet. Your hand straight up over your head. For now you'll have to look up to see what you are doing but as you progress and can add equipment this gets you ready to use a monitor to see your puppet. It well also reduce the likely hood that your head well be in the shot. With this configuration you should also be able to hold the card ready in your other hand so the puppet does not have to move out of camera view to get it a simple dip down and grab from your other hand and the puppet is right back up.

You're doing good keep it up!

Yeah, I'm off to the side. Unfortunately there has been a problem with our heat, so I have had to move all activity to the only warm room in the house. (It's getting taken care of soon, though. I love my landlords.) It's not an ideal set-up. I've had to delete lots of things because I accidentally got my head in the shot. I usually have the card on my lap while filming. I can try holding on to it while I start filming.

For the new set up, I am hoping to have a table or shelf at camera level, so that I can set a deck of cards on it. That way the character can actually grab them. That might not work well, but I'll give it a shot. I also want to see about getting a full sized microphone stand. The one I have is about a foot long, and if I want it in front of me without it being too awkward, I have to kind of balance it on my chest. I usually wear a zip-up hoodie to hold it in place. Not ideal, but it is workable for the most part.

Thanks very much! I feel very encouraged, and really appreciate the support.