Firebringer

        'The technique of stop motion is unavoidably part of the film, but it shouldn't be what the film is about. It has to be the tool that is the most appropriate way to tell a particular story, and that story must contain elements that could not be realised any other way.'

- Barry Purves

        Before beginning work on the design and construction of a puppet, I need to choose a story, not only so I can understand the character and personality of the puppet, but so I know what movement it ill be required to perform. From my research of theatrical puppetry, it seems that certain styles of puppet are better suited to certain tones and genres. For example, glove puppets are generally better suited to comedy than shadow puppets. However, given the right design and skilled performance, a puppet can adapt, and transcend the boundaries of genre, in much the same way that stop motion animation is associated with both off kilter and disturbing stories, and at the same time animations for very young children.

        To fit in with the aims of my essay (investigating the relationship between theatrical, stop motion and special effects puppetry) the story and character would also need to be well suited to each of the media. The solution to this seemed to be a story with a prominent animal character, such as War Horse or King Kong. Obviously, in a theatrical setting it would be impractical to use a live animal, and while cinema has made use of animal actors to varying degrees of success, a puppet (either practical or digital) provides more opportunity for a nuanced and expressive performance. Also, working with a four legged creature will provide a new challenge for me, as the armatures and puppets which I created last year were bipedal, and constructed to the specifications provided with the armature kit. To build an animal, I will have to use my own design and construction initiative.

        Although in my first tutorial I had discussed with my tutor the possibility of anthropomorphism, this would perhaps negate the idea of avoiding a humanoid character. I also enjoy watching how animators and performers manage to tease such emotive performances from animal characters without the benefit of the usual body language, picking up on the behavioural traits which are recognisable in spite of the species divide, and making use of the animals' anatomy in creative ways. Consequently, I was looking for a story where the animals behaved in a realistic fashion, but this is not to say they could not have a more human level of consciousness.

        While there are many fairy and folk tales which have animal characters (Firebird and Little Brother, Little Sister were among the first to spring to mind for me, for their wolf and stag characters respectively) the story I chose is Firebringer, a complex story which I previously contemplated for the Title Sequence project in first year. Set in the ancient Scottish highlands, with the cast of characters predominantly red deer, it could be viewed as an allegory for fascism and the rise and terror of the Nazi party. The animal characters, and fantasy elements, act as a device to make these complex themes more approachable to the reader (it is a children's story), and perhaps more acceptable. It is a strange quirk of animation and puppetry that it is at greater liberty to address difficult and sensitive subjects, separated as it is from the harshness of reality.

'Often a visual metaphor is simply stronger and more appealing than the cold hard truth; something Aesop, Hans Anderson and others knew all too well. Imagine how less interesting it would have been had Orwell not put his politics into the mouths of pigs in Animal Farm...These metaphors also remove much of the clutter associated with more realistic, complex human characters, while also giving storytellers the opportunity to make witty comparisons. Most fables and fairy tales have animals centre stage. In truth, most have little to do with animals but are using the animals to say something selective about the human condition.'

- Barry Purves

Triangulation & Referencing

        Before our first tutorial, we were given the task of writing 500 words which demonstrated triangulation or theories or debate within our area of practice. This exercise would also demonstrate our ability to write in the formal style expected for our essay. Although initially quite daunted, as I feel like there is far more I need to learn about the world of puppetry, it was encouraging to begin writing down the ideas and acknowledge some of the debates which will form the core of my project.

           There is a great deal of debate amongst practitioners and theorists as to what constitutes a puppet. In its most basic form, a ‘puppet’, like its French equivalent ‘the marionette’, could be described as a vessel, either figurative or abstract, into which a player, manipulator or actor imbues a sense of character, life and animation. While ‘marionette’ has come to mean one specific style of puppet, that which is operated by a number of strings, puppetry manifests in numerous forms, from rod to shadow puppet, from silhouette to glove. All of these are traditionally recognised techniques that conform to the definition of puppetry as ‘a representation and distillation of a character…brought to imagined life through the agency of a human player who inspires it and controls it directly. The control may be through corporeal contact…or via strings, wires, wooden or metal rods’ (Francis, 2012, p.13). Meanwhile, A. R. Philpott looks beyond the physicality or indeed mechanics of the puppet to consider its purpose: ‘it is not a “doll”…Dolls are for personal play: puppets are essentially theatrical in function’ (Philpott, 1969, p.209).

                  Francis’ definition would seem to focus upon figures manipulated before an audience in real time, which would call into question the validity of numerous contemporary incarnations of the puppet. Cinema of the past 50 years has drawn upon the influence of puppet theatre, with practitioners including Jim Henson bringing to life fantastical fables such as The Dark Crystal through the use of elaborate puppets manipulated on set by puppeteers, in much the same way as they would be viewed on stage. However, as audience expectations and technology have evolved, so too have the means by which the ‘theatre of the impossible’ (Vella and Rickards, 1989) is portrayed on screen. In this medium, puppetry has gone through an evolutionary process, encompassing stop motion animation, animatronics and CGI.

                  The potential for all these forms of animation to be included in the realms of puppetry is acknowledged by Steve Tillis, who argues that ‘[if] the signification of life can be created by people, then the site of that signification is to be considered a puppet’ (Tillis, 2001, p.175). This revolutionary definition would not only welcome the aforementioned art forms, but also allow discussion on whether cell animation may also qualify as a branch of puppetry. After all, each method relies upon the manipulation of a figure by a skilled human controller. In describing the process by which a CGI character is brought to life, Tillis draws undeniable parallels with puppetry, contending that ‘the creation of both involves the construction of a figure imbued with articulation points that is then given surface design features. Both, in short, are artificial human constructs designed for manipulation (of one sort or another) by people’ (Tillis, 2001, p.178-179).

CoP3 Updated Proposal

        After presenting our initial progress to the group and receiving suggestions and feedback, we were given an opportunity to revisit our proposals and make and last minute changes before finalising our ideas with our tutor. 

        Over the summer I had become a little sidetracked, as the majority of the books I was reading focused upon puppetry in a purely theatrical context. While this is no bad thing, and I will indeed need to be aware of puppetry's theatrical history as part of my exploration of the mediums origins, it was helpful for me to revisit my initial proposal. Not only was I able to make alterations based upon how my ideas may have progressed, but also rediscover my aims and intentions for this projects, which had become a little lost…

        In short, I didn't make too many changes from my initial plan, to explore the connection between puppetry, stop motion animation and special effects. I added some additional sources to my bibliography (which will no doubt continue to grow) and slightly refined my practical proposal, although this is still quite vague.

Aim and/or objective of your proposed COP3 project:

To investigate the role of puppets and puppetry in contemporary theatre, stop motion animation, and film, perhaps even touching upon CGI. Can stop motion, CGI character and creature animation(digital puppets?) and other forms of practical effects seen in cinema (such as the creature effects created by practitioners including Phil Tippett, Jim Henson, Rick Baker and Stan Winston) be considered the next step in the evolution of puppet theatre, another method to depict the ‘theatre of the impossible’?

1What research needs to be undertaken into the general and specific contexts of your practice? Research the histories of puppetry, stop motion and cinematic effects, and whether the evolution of techniques and materials used in the realm of puppet theatre have paved the way for what we see today in film and animation. It may also be useful to investigate the reason for the enduring appeal of puppetry (War Horse’s extreme popularity) and the current resurgence in stop motion animation (led by Laika and Tim Burton) amidst the digital age, particularly given the link between puppets of all kinds and Freud’s theory of ‘the uncanny’. What is the purpose of puppetry? Is it predominantly a means of bringing to the stage and screen characters which would otherwise be impossible to portray (as seems to be the case in cinema), or is it the puppet’s innate alien quality and ‘otherness’ which gives them an enduring place in the world?

2What approach(es) will you take and what processes, methods, materials and tools are to be involved in research into your practice? I hope to experiment with some of the key puppet making materials and techniques uncovered during the course of my research, using these new methods to build upon the foundation of skills I have already gathered throughout my time on the course. It would be interesting to produce a ‘traditional’ puppet, a stop motion puppet and a digital puppet (if CGI creatures/characters can be classed as such), all of the same character and understand how different materials and methods impact upon the ‘character’ of a puppet. However, another avenue of exploration could be to investigate the similarities between traditional puppet construction, stop motion armatures and digital rigged characters.

3What preparation or investigations do you need to undertake for your creative practice to take place? I will need to investigate and understand the range of materials and techniques used to create puppets, for theatre, film and animation, particularly the techniques used to articulate joints. Also, if I do undertake a digital element within my creative practice, I will most likely require assistance in learning the basic tools and abilities of new software, such as Mudbox, and possibly some refresher workshops with Maya. Throughout my research, I will come to understand what it is that gives a puppet, theatrical or stop motion, its appeal and will be able to incorporate these features into my creative practice. Are audiences still willing to accept puppets and animatronics in cinema, or has CGI created and expectation of photorealism, confining the puppet to the theatre stage?

4What research do you need to undertake regarding who your creativity is for? My investigation could potentially be aimed towards the film and television production sector, as a reminder that in the midst of the digital revolution there remains a place for more traditional techniques. However, my audience is more likely to be those who share my interest in stop motion and puppetry, practitioners in the animation or theatre industry.  This investigation could form a part of my portfolio, to be shown to such practitioners to demonstrate my interest and knowledge. Consequently, I need to strike the right tone between formal and passionate, demonstrate that I have researched thoroughly, and have a well-informed knowledge of the subject.

Primary sources of information:

Skipton Puppet Festival

Stan Winston School Tutorials & Workshops

Interviews with practitioners?

Secondary sources of information:

Bacon, M. (1997) No Strings Attached: The Inside Story of Jim Henson’s Creature Workshop, London: Macmillan.

Bell, J. (ed) (2001) Puppets, Masks , and Performing Objects, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.

Bicat, Tina. (2007) Puppets and Performing Objects: A Practical Guide, Ramsbury: Crowood Press.

Blumenthal, E. (2005) Puppetry and Puppets: An Illustrated World Survey, London: Thames and Hudson.

Currell, D. (1999) Puppets and Puppet Theatre, Marlborough:  Crowood Press.

Duignan, P R. (1996) Industrial Light and Magic: Into the Digital Realm, London: Virgin Publishing.

Francis, P. (2012) Puppetry: A Reader In Theatre Practice, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Freud, S. (2003) The Uncanny, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.

Gross, K. (2011) Puppet: An Essay on Uncanny Life, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Latshaw, G. (2000) The Complete Book of Puppetry, New York: Dover.

Payne, C. (1996) The Encyclopedia of Modelmaking Techniques, London: Headline Book Publishing.

Purves, B. (2008) Stop Motion: Passion, Process and Performance, Oxford: Focal Press.

Purves, B. (2010) Basics Animation: Stop Motion, London: Fairchild Books AVA

Salisbury, M. and Hedgcock, A. (1994) Behind the Mask: The Secrets of Hollywood’s Monster Makers, London: Titan Books.

From Puppets to Pixels in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) Directed by George Lucas. DVD.

The Making of Jurassic Park in Jurassic Park (1993) Directed by Steven Spielberg. DVD.

Pinewood: 80 Years of Movie Magic (6^th June 2015) BBC2

Handspring Puppet Co.: The Genius Puppetry Behind War Horse (2011) Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/handpring_puppet_co_the_genius_puppetry_behind_war_horse?language=en#t-94310 (Accessed 1 October 2015)

http://www.warhorseonstage.com/learning/puppets/ (Various Videos)

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. The materials required for my practical response may also prove to be quite costly. 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.

Tutorial 1 & Presentation Feedback

        As a way of keeping everyone informed on how our individual projects have been progressing over summer, we each prepared a brief presentation outlining our aims, intentions, initial research and any practical work we may have undertaken. This also provided an opportunity for the class to share ideas, and provide suggestions and sources to help on another advance, and for our tutors to identify any themes or common practices which could help form us into small 'research clusters' (in which we can pool resources, share knowledge, and perhaps even organise mutually beneficial workshops or inductions).

My initial aim for this project is to explore the link between puppetry, stop motion animation, practical creature effects, and possibly even CGI, and whether each of these creative arts has evolved from puppet theatre, as a means to express and depict the 'theatre of the impossible' - impossible in the sense that a flesh and blood performer would be 'constrained by the weight and frailty of their physicality and by gravity'.

My first step was to try and define what a puppet actually can be, aside from the stereotypical marionette. As noted here, the precise definition as a puppet is tricky, with many theorists and artists differing in what they deem acceptable.

In this definition, the defining attribute of a puppet is that the controller must be present, by implication influencing the performance of the puppet in real time, which would seemingly discount even stop motion puppets, as although manipulated directly by a human performer (unlike an automaton) the result is not 'real time'.

However this definition is more open, proposing that all forms of animation could be included within the realms of puppetry. The author goes on to draw similarities between CGI figures and puppets, with the creation of both involving 'the construction of a figure imbued with articulation points that is then given surface design features. Both, in short, are artificial human constructs designed for manipulation (of one sort or another) by people.   

Whether or not animation is a form of puppetry, what puppetry and animation undoubtedly have in common is animism: the belief in and attribution of life to all objects. While this belief may not be as deep rooted now as it once was, when an object looks or behaves like a living creature or entity, that belief is awakened and we are willing to suspend disbelief that a horse-shaped cane skeleton...

...or an animatronic dinosaur are real, living, breathing creatures. Aside from researching the history and theories of theatre puppetry, I have also begun to watch 'makings-of' for films which utilise both practical and digital effects. So far I have been looking at Jurassic Park (which was initially going to use stop motion animated dinosaurs), and Star Wars, both of which are franchises that illustrate the evolution of cinematic creature effects. I also aim to look at the work of Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

One aspect which stood out to me from these films was the Dinosaur Input Device, which allowed experienced stop motion animators to transition to CGI animation, manipulating a mechanical dinosaur 'puppet' to produce computer generated results.

What has become apparent from my research thus far is the emphasis placed on performance, both in puppetry and animation. Both the puppeteers and animators are likened to actors, and while their methods may differ, the success of their work depends upon their ability to enter the head space of and become the character or creature they are attempting to depict.

        Although I was slightly disappointed with the feedback I received from my presentation (everyone was positive about my ideas and development so far, but I wasn't given many suggestions or ideas on how to progress further), my first tutorial was more encouraging. I expressed my concerns regarding the practical artefact, and although not yet completely resolved, I have a clear idea of how my project needs to progress before the next tutorial in two weeks time:

• Choose a story upon which I can base my puppet character. This could be a fable or a fairytale (although ideally one which is more obscure, perhaps of Russian or Scandinavian influence). As the focus of my project is on puppetry design, construction and performance, it would be unnecessary for me to spend valuable time writing my own story.
• As I want my character to be a creature, as opposed to humanesque, my tutor suggested the possibility of anthropomorphising an inanimate object, like the magic carpet of Aladdin. However, I think I would rather produce an animal, either real or fictional (of which there are many in fables and fairytales).
• Having chosen my character and story, I can then begin to flesh out some design ideas. These need not be greatly in depth...just thumbnails to show initial ideas, direction and development. 
• To maintain a link between the different aspects of my practical artifact (stop motion, traditional and possibly CG puppets) I could consider looking at the commonalities...how they may influence each other and whether any of the skills and techniques I learn from the construction of the one could help in the creation of the others.
• There is a performance by Odd Doll (Rebekah Caputo's company) called Red Rust, which may be useful to attend, both as research and a chance to network and ask questions.

War Horse & Hanspring Puppet Company

        As may have been made apparent already, War Horse and Handspring Puppet Company's puppets will be a major influence upon this project. Having harboured a secret fear of puppets for many years (as a result of uncanny mannequins and ventriloquists dummies), these were the examples which changed my mind, and showed me just what a puppet is capable of. While the work of Jim Henson too has produced some wonderful creature puppetry in cinema, Handspring's work is at the forefront of theatre puppetry. On both occassions I have seen the show, there has been a sense of quite awe among the audience as a thousand people ate all transfixed by the tiniest movement of an artificial horse. I want to investigate how it is that a modern audience so demanding when it come to special effects (CGI has long since usurped stop motion effects, and even today audience expectations increase film by film) can accept and invest in a puppet whose mechanism and operators are so clearly on display.

        The fact that the construction of the puppet is so visible is of benefit to me. While it will be beyond my capabilities to produce such a well engineered puppet, I can take inspiration from Handspring's work. Whether by bulkheads or a wire and cane skeleton, all or their puppets are strong yet as lightweight as possible, for ease of performance. And while more functional than ostentatious, they are beautifully sculptural, meaning it is not difficult for them to hold the audience's attention.

        Aside from the below video, I have also used the National Theatre's own Making Of War Horse, which offers a wealth of interviews with the puppet makers, designers, puppeteers and the actors and directors who must work with them. Overall, a deeply informative introduction to the world of puppetry.

Skipton Puppet Festival

        Having never before attended a puppet festival I was unsure what to expect from Skipton Puppet Festival. Unfortunately, I was only able to attend on the last day of the event, but was still able to watch a couple of performances and witness the parade in which a number of large scale puppets circled the town centre, followed by a number of children with the puppets they had constructed in workshops across the weekend.

        The performances which I attended happened to demonstrate a broad range of different puppetry styles and techniques. The first, Metamorphosis, was a one man show, with no dialogue, only musical and vocal accompaniment and sound effects, often used to comic effect. There were a variety of puppets, ranging from a beautifully carved and constructed but unadorned string marionette, to more decorative rod puppets with hair and costumes. Yet many were simply the puppeteer's hands, with wooden spheres for heads and his fingers forming limbs. Rather than one continuous narrative, these puppets were employed to bring to life a number of short vignettes.

        Contrary to my expectations, it was a predominantly adult audience, with few children. This was perhaps for the best, as some of the vignettes had decidedly adult moments (in one, a groom undressed his bride on their wedding night, and later helped her to give birth). Perhaps the puppets' abstract nature (hands, rather than a more descriptive marionette) the children present saw only what they wanted to see. There was a wonderfully magical atmosphere among the audience, as so many adults suspended disbelief and invested in the stories woven by these animated objects.

        A number of the performances in Metamorphosis were to some degree self aware. The wooden marionette (beautifully fluid and skillfully manipulated. The puppeteer used every part of his body to pull the strings, even his mouth. The puppet's movement was highly natural, with lots of subtle gestures and well directed 'looks' more than compensating for the lack of dialogue) is slowly brought to life, testing his legs by walking hesitantly across the stage, before becoming aware of his puppeteer and attempting to pull away (the puppeteer was somehow able to give the puppet tension as he clung to the stage while his strings pulled him in the opposite direction) and take control of his own strings.

        Another puppet stood out for her simplicity. Constructed from a piece of silky, gauzy fabric, with a plain, wooden ball head with woolen hair, and hands. Her strings were attached to the shirt of the puppeteer, and as he animatedly played the flute, raising his arms and elbows, the puppet moved and danced with a hypnotic elegance and beauty.

        A rod puppet with a head control, which I assumed to be an angel, or perhaps even God (although the carved face seemed female, with white blonde woolen hair and a simple gown) reverently brought forth a globe, from which the creation story was told with a number of cut out shapes which rotated around the globe, depicting the Sun, the Moon, flowers, animals, Adam and Eve, and the tree with the forbidden fruit. One by one, the figures are folded away, leaving only Adam, Eve and the tree, stripped of its greenery. The two human figures are folded back, and eventually the dead tree too sinks beneath the horizon.

        A witch was brought to life, using only a sheet of red fabric, a face made of the puppeteers fist, with a pair of round eyes clasped between the fingers, and a hole in her cloak to allow the puppeteer's other hand to be a part of the witch. She makes several potions to try to improve her appearance, with unsuccessful results; her nose becomes an outstretched finger after the first attempt.

        A great sense of anticipation comes from watching as the puppeteer unveils his next set of props, materials or puppet. A sense of wonder...what is he going to create next? A spaceship/alien from a glow in the dark ball, and humerous boop-beep-boop vocal sound effects. A tale of a loving mother protecting and nurturing her growing child, until the child becomes the adult, repeating many of the gestures shown to her, as she cares for her aging mother. These two 'puppets' are a single swathe of fabric, with several different masks, each of which the puppeteer holds through the fabric. The masks depict the aging process. What stood out was how the presence of the puppeteer was not a distraction. Dressed in black, he performed on stage alongside his puppets, or indeed was a part of them. Yet this did not detract from the fascination and enjoyment of the audience. 

        The show second, also one man performance (with several puppets) of Aladdin was far more in keeping with what I imagine many associate with a puppet show. More child centric, the energetic Bulgarian performer seemed to be highly enjoying himself, taking on the role of the genie alongside rod puppets whose only movement was in their heads. This conceit worked well, as the character of the genie is larger than life and otherworldly, so it only makes sense that he is not a rod puppet too. Also, the genie is the driving frce behind the story, by granting wishes he controls characters' fates, just as the puppeteer controls the puppets. The set was an elaborately painted box, which could be folded and turned every which way form a new location

This skeletal dragon puppet embraces the artifice inherent in all forms of puppetry.
By revealing the structure and the control mechanism, we can clearly see that it is a trick,
that it being alive is only illusion. But there is an undeniable magic in seeing it move,
and breathe fire.

        Despite only seeing these two performances, I feel that my perception of puppetry has been radically broadened.

A small selection of puppets were on display in the local
museum, as part of the festival.