Boy did I find some wisdom! Man--this guy (also named Andrew, coincidentally) has some great advice for budding puppetteers, budding puppet podcasters and just humans in general. Holy cats!
First up, in [http://puppetvision.blogspot.com/2006/05/new-podcasting-legal-guide-released.html|a May 8, 2006 post] Andrew points us to the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Welcome_To_The_Podcasting_Legal_Guide|Podcasting Legal Guide] which is a great resource from the fine folks at CreativeCommons.Org (check out [http://creativecommons.org/weblog/|their blog]). Even if you're not puppet podcasting, obviously this thing is a good idea to read if you're podcasting at all. Needless to say, I'll have to check it out. He also posted a couple of other links that I found of particular note.
If you're a video podcaster, you should check out [http://www.dvguru.com/2006/04/07/ten-video-sharing-services-compared/|an April 7, 2006 post] at DVguru.com that does the pro/con routine on ten different video hosting sites. A good thing for any podcaster to check out.
Another link he posted was to a blog of extreme interest to animators and animation fans--it's the blog of the infamous/famous John K. He's the guy who created Ren & Stimpy and is very likely responsible for the renaisance the field of American animation experienced in the 1990s. He posts all sorts of great stuff about animation--a must-check-out for anyone like me. :)
Next up, we have Andrew's more wisdomy posts. In [http://puppetvision.blogspot.com/2006/04/twelve-questions-for-puppeteers.html|Andrew's post entitled "Twelve Questions for Puppetteers"] he asks, well, 12 questions puppetteers should ask themselves. However, I found that most of these questions are good for actors/performers of any kind. Here are 6 of the 12 to get you started:
4. Is the puppet acting as if there is something going on in their mind?
5. Does the puppet appear to be doing something on their own?
6. Can the audience tell what the puppet is thinking?
7. How does what the puppet is doing effect what the audience is thinking?
8. Is the puppet appealing?
9. Is the puppet passionate? Is it expressing emotion in a real, genuine, not forced manner?
Hell, those are good questions to ask if you're human! Just replace the phrase with "is the puppet" with "are you" and I think you'll be doing some serious soul searching. Of course, not all of the questions make sense that way, but some do and if you're a performer of any kind I bet all of them will make sense. The same goes for another post from Andrew--this one entitled "[http://puppetvision.blogspot.com/2006/04/six-more-things-for-puppeteers-to.html|Six More Things for Puppetteers]." Here's a clip:
1. What's your objective? Puppeteers must understand what their character is doing, or trying to do, in any given scene. They must also understand the through line that connects the beats in the story together and pushes their character forward in the narrative. If you don't understand what I'm talking about, go read up on the Stanislavski System and Method Acting.
2. Why? Good puppetry is about why something moves, not how. What is the story you're trying to tell? What is the character's motivation? What is their emotional state? Why are they moving? Answer those questions for yourself before you begin performing.
3. Create a thinking character. I touched on this with my "12 Questions" post. John Lasseter (the director of Toy Story and this summer's upcoming Cars) has said that in animation every movement, every action must exist for a reason. The same is equally true for puppetry. Puppeteers give life to a puppet by connecting its actions with a thought process.
Again, good things to think about as a human being, in my mind (and obviously good for artists of any kind).
In yet [http://puppetvision.blogspot.com/2006/05/rules-for-puppet-revolutionaries.html|another post], Andrew has us thinking about how we're going to be Puppet Revolutionaries--though, once again, I think these points are great for anyone who wants to change the world on any level--even the smallest. Check it out:
1. Dare to Mess with the Status Quo
All revolutionaries challenge the status quo and rarely accept things the way they are. Tony Sarg broke the secretive, centuries-old guild system by publishing the first serious, publicly available "how-to" book on puppetry. Jim Henson reinvented the way puppetry was staged and filmed on TV. Folkmanis dared to create a better plush puppet. What are you going to do that's new, different or radical?
2. Go with Your Gut
Rely on your intuition, even if your ideas don't catch fire right away. When Diane Dupuy wanted to start a black light puppetry troupe made of developmentally handicapped adults in 1974 that would some day perform in Las Vegas all the experts she consulted told her that she was crazy and that it was going to be a "freak show". Three decades, two Broadway shows and thousands of performances around the world later the Famous PEOPLE Players have smashed stereotypes about the capabilities of the disabled and helped to change the world in the process.
6. Ignore the Haters
There will always be haters telling you why your ideas won't work. In fact, the more successful (and revolutionary) you are, the more there will be. While it's always important to consider constructive criticism, you have to ignore those who are always being negative and down on you and your ideas. Surround yourself with positive people instead!
No, Andrew knows how to count--I just wanted to include my favorite of the six he offers up, though you should definitely check out the others at his site. Regardless, more good advice for puppetteers, actors, performers and really anyone.
So, check out PuppetVision.BlogSpot.Com and see what wisdom you'll find. Not every post is as profound as the ones I've listed here. Most of his posts regard puppetry-related news on other puppet sites, podcasts, videos at YouTube.Com and other stuff puppetry-related stuff. Still worth checking out, I'm sure you'll agree.
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