Cinematic 'Puppetry' In Star Wars & Jurassic Park

        The influence of puppetry could be seen to reach into the realms of cinematic special effects. After all, like a theatre puppet, a CGI creature is an artificial, articulated human construct designed for manipulation and performance. The only difference is that while theatre puppets are free to exploit their artifice, cinematic puppetry is burdened with the task of replicating reality, or at least giving the impression of being 'real' within their own world, of fitting in seamlessly alongside live action footage. 

        I began researching Star Wars and Jurassic Park, both long lived franchises which rely on visula effects to tell their stories, and which have both encompassed a range of techniques, from on set puppets and animatronics to cutting edge CGI. While the 'making of documentaries' which I watched did not provide a particularly detailed account of the processes used, aimed as they are at the general public rather than specialist interest, some intersting points were made upon the skills and methods which are transferrable between the analogue and digital techniques, mainly the importance of a strong performance, and placing yourself in the mindset of the character you aim to bring to life.

        

Inspiration at the Victoria & Albert Museum

        Exhibition of puppetry it seems are few and far between. This may be because when displayed rather than operated they are 'dead' objects. Still interesting, and sometimes beautiful, no doubt, but failing to fulfill their purpose, which is to depict the illusion of life. They are displayed to their best advantage in festivals and performances. However, there are a few examples to be found in the Theatre and Performance Wing of the V&A, so it was here that I turned for inspiration.

        The first and most striking puppet in their collection is Joey, from the National Theatre's production of War Horse. Having only viewed him from the afar, as an audience member watching a puppet perform on stage, it was a special experience being able to get up close to such an imposing creation. In such close proximity, you can appreciate just how large the puppet is, and what a feat of engineering it must have been for Handspring Puppet Company to balance the necessary strength and structural integrity, in such a beautiful form, which must be able to perform like a living, breathing horse.

        There were other fascinating items on display too, such as a puppet from Rhinoceros, operated by two people and with a bicycle chain to enable movement of the head and tail, various masks, costumes, and set design models (which were all rather eerie), and a beautiful, ethereal dragon puppet.

Proposal Feedback

        After submitting my proposal, I did have some concerns. For one thing, I felt that perhaps I had tried to cover too many topics in one projects, and that by covering puppetry in theatre, animation, film and digital effects, I would be unable to go into the required depth and detail within the 9,000 word limit. I was also worried about my proposed creative outcome, as I feel that creating a practical outcome alongside my written work has been a weakness in the past. 

        Fortunately, the feedback I received from my tutor was encouraging, and I was given a number of new avenues to explore:

• Researching the history of puppet theatre and the range of traditional techniques used to produce movement would form a good opening chapter, before moving onto contemporary adaptations.
• Puppetry and the Uncanny (Freud) go hand in hand, so his may be an interesting subject to read about.
• Phil Tippet is an interesting practitioner to research, as his Go-Motion technique, used in many of ILM's films (e.g. Star Wars) shows an overlap between stop motion and animatronics.
• Jim Henson's Creature Shop would be an important studio to research (particularly films like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth), as they were pioneers in animatronics, but also began to explore digital puppets in the early 90s (WALDO system).
• It may be useful to improve my software skills, and perhaps learn to use Autodesk Mudbox (which works like digital clay), which could be a good tool to conceptualise a 3D character.
• Watch From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in Episode II. A documentary from the Star Wars DVDs.

        This is just some of the feedback. I now feel more confident in my idea, yet am still worried about the sheer amount of research that needs to be done. As I am passionate about this project, it will be easy to become sidetracked whilst exploring one avenue of investigation and become swamped with reading. It is crucial to try and identify which are the key texts and practitioners I need to investigate and read into, and focus on these first. 

CoP3 Initial Proposal

        Before the Summer break, we were introduced to our final Context of Practice module. Unlike previous years, where we have had guidance as to topics we may wish to write an essay on, in our third year we have been given greater freedom to choose our own subject. However, it should relate to our own creative practice, as we will be required to produce a practical outcome which strongly relates to the 6,000-9,000 word essay, with strong synthesis between the two. The essay should deepen our understanding of our creative practice.

        To encourage us to begin contemplating what topics we may wish to study, we were asked to fill out an initial project proposal, and to begin gathering sources of research over the summer. Completing this all the way back in May/June allowed us the Summer to start reading about our subjects, and if necessary have the chance to re evaluate or chosen topic.

        My first instinct was that I wanted my project to centre around stop motion animation, and in particular the puppets. However, puppets have a long history before the advent of stop motion, while there are also parallels to be drawn (in my opinion) between puppets, animatronic and CGI creatures. After all, they all serve a similar purpose: to depict and bring to life the weird and wonderful creations which the human mind dreams up.

Subjects of contextual study already undertaken:

‘An Investigation into the Role of Animation in Addressing Issues of Female Representation and the Gaze’

For the practical piece of work supporting this essay, I undertook to design a female character conforming to the stereotypical, objectified, ‘ideal’, representation of women in many animations. Had I had more time I would have attempted to design another character which subverted these stereotypes, and developed both into stop motion puppets.

Aim and/or objective of your proposed COP3 project:

To investigate the role of puppets and puppetry in contemporary animation, film (practical special effects, e.g. Jim Henson, Jurassic Park, Gremlins, Rick Baker and Stan Winston) and theatre, including animatronics, and perhaps even extending to CGI characters and creatures (can these be classed as digital puppets? Or does digital puppetry solely refer to ‘performance animation and Machinima?). I hope to research the history of puppets and puppet theatre, the different materials and styles used to make puppets, with a particular focus on stop motion maquettes and animatronics.

1.       What research needs to be undertaken into the general and specific contexts of your practice? 

      Research into the history of puppetry and puppet theatre, and how the materials used and styles of puppets has evolved and advanced, paving the way for what we see today in animation, film and theatre (Are animatronics and stop motion animation the next step in puppet theatre?). Investigate the resurgence in the popularity of puppets (Warhorse – would it have been so popular without Handspring’s creations?) and stop motion animation (Laika, and Tim Burton, bringing more stop motion features to mainstream cinema). What is the appeal of puppets, especially when for some they are objects of fear (uncanny valley). Is puppetry a form of animation? Are CGI creatures a new breed of puppet? Have technological advances resulted in a decline in the popularity of puppetry? Who are the key practitioners in the world of puppetry and stop motion, not just contemporary figures, but historically as well.

2.       What approach(es) will you take and what processes, methods, materials and tools are to be involved in research into your practice? Experiment with some key puppet/stop motion puppet making techniques. How have new materials and methods enabled greater expression and movement from inanimate objects? Potentially investigate how digital modelling (Maya) is an extension of traditional puppets, offering greater flexibility and natural movement. Is digital puppetry any more adept at imitating life than other forms of puppetry? 

3.       What preparation or investigations do you need to undertake for your creative practice to take place? Investigate and understand the materials and techniques used to make puppets, both marionette and stop motion. Are audiences still willing to accept puppets and animatronics in cinema, now that photorealistic CGI is the norm? Some instances of practical FX still stand up today…so could we not do even better. CG often dates whereas Jurassic Park et al show the durability of well used puppetry. What ARE audience’s opinions of puppets (all forms)? What is the public opinion of stop motion vs CG? Or practical FX vs CG? Could I undertake a survey or opinion poll?

4.       What research do you need to undertake regarding who your creativity is for? Potentially my investigation could be targeted at the film and television production sector, to remind them that in the midst of the digital revolution there is still a place for more traditional techniques of bringing the fantastical to life. How do you address this sector? Need to strike the right balance between professional and passionate. More than likely however, the audience for my proposed project would be those with a similar interest in puppetry and stop motion as myself, most likely those working in the animation/theatre industry (who are these people? How old are they? I will need to build up an audience profile, so I know the best tone to strike). Consequently it is important that my research is thorough, so as to demonstrate a well-informed knowledge of the subject.

Primary sources of information:

Skipton Puppet Festival

Bristol Festival of Puppetry

Stan Winston School Tutorials & Workshops

Secondary sources of information:

Puppetry: A Reader In Theatre Practice, by Penny Francis (2012)

Puppets, Masks , and Performing Objects, edited by John Bell (2001)

The Complete Book of Puppetry, by George Latshaw (1978)

Puppets and Puppet Theatre, by David Currell (1999)

The Encyclopedia of Modelmaking Techniques, by Christopher Payne (1996)

Puppetry and Puppets: An Illustrated World Survey, by Eileen Blumenthal (2005)

Basics Animation: Stop Motion, by Barry Purves (2010, Fairchild Books AVA, London)

Perceived Problems or Difficulties

The cost of the Stan Winston tutorials is quite high, particularly as there are several which look as though they would be of use. However, I perceive no ethical, legal or moral complications with my proposed area of study, and all other areas of research I currently plan to undertake are realistic, both in terms of cost and travel.