Koodo wins award for TV puppetry in West Africa

Early in 2005, Institut Africain de Bio-Economie Rurale initiated a project to provide information on agricultural markets in West Africa through a television puppetry programme entitled TV Koodo.

The show, which is hosted by two animal puppets, stars two puppet characters: Chevrina, "a seductive female goat reporter, and her sidekick Margouillat, a lizard, provides viewers of Burkina Faso’s national television channel with monthly information on market prices for livestock and grain, in addition to discussing various topics with guests invited to participate in the broadcasts.

According to the organisers, the idea behind the show is to bring rural reality home to the Burkinabe public. The intended audience are farmers and those involved in the agricultural and livestock marketplace, but the show is also applicable to the general public as well as policymakers and donors. You can view examples of the TV show (in French) here and here!

Monster Film opens in Melbourne

A unique event is taking place at the Holocaust Centre in Melbourne on 15 February 2009. It is the premiere screening for one-day only, of a puppet play written by a thirteen year old boy.

In 1943, while imprisoned in Theresienstadt (Terezin) concentration camp, Hanus Hachenburg wrote a puppet play, 'We are Looking for a Monster'. But before his play could be performed, Hanus was murdered by the Nazis. In 1999, I discovered his play in a Jerusalem archive and performed it on stage for the first time. After almost ten years of travel and research we have finally completed the film of Hanus' original puppet play!

If you are in Melbourne, or know anyone interested in puppetry there, pass this along. You can watch the making of the Monster here!

If anyone is still interested in our upcoming Puppetry for Film and Television course in February, please contact me here, cause the early-bird discount finishes in two days. You can view the course promo here!

PUPPETRY COURSES and EVENTS for 2009

It's hard to believe that the holiday season has come and gone and here we are into a new year. We are now planning new puppetry courses, as well as launching a brand new puppetry broadcast company this year, so stay tuned.

Despite all the troubles in the world, I remain extremely optimistic for 2009. I believe this will be a year for great opportunities and the year we shall put puppetry firmly on the webcast market!

But firstly, our first Puppetry for Film and Television Course for 2009, will begin in Sydney on 25 February and run until 22 April.

Gary Friedman Productions presents a unique opportunity to learn the art of puppetry for the camera in Australia. The course is suitable for film-makers, performers, puppeteers, teachers and others interested in learning about puppetry for the screen. The course will include design and construction of puppets, manipulation for the camera, developing scenarios for performance, voice characterisation, and the directing of short performances.

Participants will develop, perform and direct their short scenarios for a course DVD.

Venue: The Wesley Institute for the Arts, 5 Mary Street, Drummoyne, in Sydney

Dates: Eight consecutive Wednesday evenings from 25 February to 22 April 2009 (Excluding Wed 8 April) Time: 6pm to 9pm

Cost: *$749 (including materials)
*Early-bird: $50 discount for all bookings before 31 January 2009

To check out a short film of the course, click here!
For bookings or more information, contact me here!