The Puppet Film

In this documentary by American David Soll, we discover that, unlike many other countries, where puppets are embedded in religion, folk crafts, and high art – America has long thought of puppetry only as a children’s medium, relegated to sock puppet shows and kids television. Since the nineties, however, serious, adult puppetry has exploded in the United States. Although it still sits at the fringe, there has been a marked increase in press coverage of the puppet world and every year sees more high-profile productions featuring puppets. On Broadway, in the avant-garde, and even at the Metropolitan Opera, puppets are suddenly on the American mind. 

This ‘puppet renaissance’ suggests a key question for the film: Why was puppetry first marginalized in America, and what does it mean that we’ve returned to this ancient form? Some have argued that the explosion of puppetry is part of a larger reaction against technology and digitization. As puppeteer in the film puts it, “Can you take apart your iPod and fix it? Of course not. But you can fix your bicycle.” In other words, puppetry symbolizes a yearning for mechanical, analog, basic interactions with the world. Others have suggested the disappearance of puppetry in the West was in line with the ascendance of realism, and thus the reemergence of puppetry signals a decline in realism. Is it possible that puppetry is a symptom of a culture-wide backlash against these pillars of the modern era?
We now wait with baited breath for the release of another interesting puppetry doco!

The life of a British Muppeteer

I discovered this fascinating short documentary by Max Clendaniel, on the life of British puppeteer, Mak Wilson, who has worked on many of Jim Henson's iconic films, such as Labyrinth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Storyteller series, Babe and Dinosaurs. He describes his work with Jim Henson and how when he really started getting close to Henson, was the time when Henson suddenly passed away. Mak played some great characters and describes some of these fantastic opportunities in his life, a life in which he also battled with depression. It's a great little doco. Enjoy.

Puppetry for Television Course films

Last week saw the completion our January 2010 'Puppetry for Television and Web Course' at the Wesley Institute in Sydney. Our talented participants ended their course by completing two short films, My Fur Lady and Baby-Faced Thugs. (Click on them to view)

The films were made and edited as the culmination of a intensive two-week course, during which nine newcomers to the industry were introduced to all aspects of puppetry for TV and the Web, including puppet building, improvisation, performance for the camera, story-boarding and producing a short film in a team.

I also put together a short piece on Behind the Scenes at the course, which shows the making of the two short films. You can take a look at this short film here.

New Year launch of International Puppetry Course in Sydney

Welcome to 2010. I trust this will be our best puppetry year ever! We have started our year on a very positive note with the inauguration of our two-week International Puppetry for TV and Web Course in Sydney today. We have ten new students from both Europe and Australia and today began with some warm-up yoga, naked hand and ball exercises in the mirror to develop eye focus and lip-sync and foam puppet building techniques.

Keep posted for the films from our brilliant new students which will be posted here on 15 January, after the completion of the course .

Puppetry for TV-Web Course Jan 2010 - Last chance to register!

With registrations about to close next week, our 'International Puppetry for TV and Web Course' to take place from 4 to 14 January 2010 in Sydney, is filling up fast.

Participants will work with professional puppeteers & cinematographers in: Designing and constructing puppets for the screen; Developing character personality & voice characterization; Manipulation techniques for the camera; Improvisation skills; Directing short scenarios for performances; Editing episodes for webcast and developing a dedicated puppetry ‘You Tube’ channel.

Venue: Wesley Institute, Sydney Australia New Dates: 4 - 14 January 2010 (full-time)
Cost: Aus $1,300- Excl Accommodation / Aus $1,790- Incl Accommodation, excluding meals
BOOKINGS DEADLINE: 30 September 2009
For more information or to book click here!

40,000 visits and still going strong..

This morning I noticed that our visitor counter, below, has hit the 40,000 mark. This means the interest in the puppetry arts is still growing across the globe. Thank you to all who have supported me over the past few years and sorry I can't update the blog daily, due to lack of time. I do enjoy hearing from you, so if you have any ideas or news to share here, please do share your thoughts!

For those of you watching our Puppetry Films, listed on the right, I will continue adding stuff as often as I can and will start including new topics soon, so keep your eyes open for impressive new works.

Our international 'Puppetry for TV and Web Course' scheduled to take place in January at the Wesley Institute in Sydney will go ahead, although a few minor details might change, like we might shorten the course slightly to assist participants internationally who are working and can't take much time off work. Final details will be posted here soon, so keep your eyes open!

Puppetry for TV & Web Course Films

Our February to April 2009 Beginner's Puppetry for Television and the Web Course has just been completed. Our talented students work can now be seen. They also completed a short film called "Ruddlink", about the world economic recession and the Australian Government's decision to hand out the $900 stimulus package, bringing the country into greater debt. Check it out here! Enjoy.

Puppetry for TV and Web Course in May-June

A special Winter Discount is being offered on our next Puppetry for TV and the Web Course starting in Sydney on 6 May 2009.

Gary Friedman Productions presents a unique opportunity to learn the art of puppetry for the camera.

This puppetry workshop, lead by Jim Henson trained master- puppeteer, Gary Friedman, is suitable for film-makers, performers, puppeteers, teachers and others interested in learning about puppetry for the screen. The course includes design and construction of puppets, manipulation for the camera, developing scenarios for performance, voice characterisation, and directing short performances.
Participants will develop, perform and direct their short scenarios for webcasting on a special puppetry course ‘You Tube’ channel.

Venue: The Wesley Institute for the Arts, 5 Mary Street, Drummoyne NSW 2047, Australia
Dates: Eight consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6 May to 24 June 2009
Time: 6pm to 9pm
Cost: Instead of the usual $749, the Winter Course is only $649 (incl materials) for bookings made before 15 April.
For bookings: Email me 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!

Still Looking for a Monster

This morning we experienced a loud siron throughout Jerusalem marking 'Yom HaShoah' or Holocaust Memorial Day. It was really a strange feeling, cause at the time I didn't know what on earth it was and thought the city was under seige. But after a few minutes we realised it was a Holocaust tribute. This was also on the day in which we again interviewed Terezin survivor, Yehuda Bacon in Jerusalem for our documentary film 'Looking for a Monster'.

Yehuda was one of the boys who was transported, together with our protanganist Hanus Hachenburg, from the concentration camp of Terezin to the death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau in December 1943. Yehuda was selected as one of 89 boys to be transfered to the work camp, just days before the rest of the 'family camp' were sent to the gas chambers on the night of 12 July 1944. Today Yehuda tells his story to the world and the fact that Hanus perished on that fateful day. The documentary film and Hanus' live puppet play, (written by thirteen-year old Hanus in 1943), will be released internationally next year. See our previous post. Keep tuned for details!