A puppet shoot is the special effects production that no one saw coming. How do you capture a quality performance when your star is literally a pile of fleece and fur that can’t do anything on its own? With puppeteers of course! But how do you hide the puppeteers? How do you frame your shots? How do the puppeteers see what they are doing, and why do they even need to?
In this tutorial you will learn practical advice that you that you can use on your next puppet shoot. We’ll also give you information about the basic equipment you’ll need. Whether your using puppets for a movie, television commercial, streaming series, or YouTube video. These tips will demystify the puppet filming process and help you stay on schedule and on budget.
At Swazzle we’ve built and performed puppets for projects of all sizes. For the purpose of this video we’ll be talking about moving mouth puppets with rod hands or live hands.
PUPPETEERS
Let’s start by talking about the job of the puppeteer. Puppeteers are actors who bring inanimate objects to life. One way to guarantee your shoot is successful is to bring on puppeteers who have experience performing puppets on camera. The most expensive time for a puppeteer to learn their craft is when cameras are rolling. You can find skilled puppeteers by holding casting auditions, reviewing demo reels or scheduling training workshops ahead of your shoot.
The number of puppeteers required for your production will be based on the number of puppets that will be performed and what those puppets need to do. For hero shots we recommend two puppeteers per puppet. One puppeteer performs the head and body while the other puppeteer performs one or both hands. For shots that include lots of puppets you’ll need at least one puppeteer per puppet.
PUPPET CAPTAIN
For more complex shots involving lots of puppets and puppeteers you will need a puppet captain. The puppet captain’s job is to communicate with production and the puppeteers. They attend production meetings, review schedules, assign rolls and help trouble shoot intricate set ups.
MONITORS
Puppeteers perform puppets from off camera, usually over their heads. Therefore the most important piece of equipment for your puppet shoot is a video monitor with a live feed from the camera with no delay for the puppeteer to use. A monitor will also save your production time and money while allowing the puppeteer to deliver a quality performance. By using a dedicated monitor a puppeteer can keep their head out of shot, insure the puppet is in the correct position and maintain the proper eyeline all while delivering a nuanced performance.
The monitor will also allow the director to communicate their needs with the puppeteer. Because the puppeteer is seeing the same image the director is seeing, notes can be easily understood and acted upon.
We recommend at least one monitor per puppeteer. More may be required depending upon what you are shooting. For example, if you are filming a complicated scene with lots of action multiple monitors should be put at different locations around the set. Monitors are usually placed on theground. When puppeteers look down at the monitors it helps them keep their heads out of shot. If you’re shooting a scene with multiple cameras the puppeteer will need to see the feed from each camera on their monitor.
PUPPET WRANGLER
One of the most valuable members of any puppet production team is the puppet wrangler. The puppet wrangler’s job is to prepare the puppets for each shot and care for the puppets during the production. Think of them as hair, makeup, costumes and first aid for the puppets. The puppet wrangler will need a dedicated table near the set to do their work. A puppet wrangler will bring a fully stocked set kit that will include everything they’ll need to rig and repair the puppets.
STORYBOARDS
When it comes to shooting puppets good communication is the best way to guarantee that everyone is prepared and no one is taken by surprise. One way to communicate your ideas with multiple departments and team members is with storyboards. Storyboards are drawings of what you plan to shoot, sort of like a comic. They can be fully detailed illustrations or simple sketches, as long as they clearly translate the actions required in any given shot.
CAMERA PLACEMENT
One way to create the illusion that your puppet is a living character is with camera placement. There are lots of ways to hide puppeteers but the simpelest way is to frame them out. Puppet sets can be elevated three or four feet above the ground allowing the puppeteers to walk freely while performing the puppets. An elevated set will require the camera to be elevated as well. That way the puppets can be filmed in a more natural way.
If an elevated set isn’t practical or you’re filming on location the puppeteers can sit or even lay down to stay out of the shot. Whether the puppeteers are standing, sitting or lying down it’s generally best not to point the camera down at the puppets. When a camera looks down at a puppet it becomes very difficult to hide the puppeteers.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT
In addition to puppeteer monitors some other equipment you will need are rollers, apple boxes and C-stands. In order to get the puppet to reach to proper height for the shot the puppeteer may need to sit or stand on apple boxes. Apple Boxes are wooden boxes that come in different sizes and are common on most film sets.
Rolling dollies are a good option if a puppeteer is required to sit but the puppet needs to move throughout the frame. Rolling dollies come in all shapes and sizes, the best ones have quiet wheels and adjustable seats.
When it comes time to light the puppets we recommend putting the puppets on a C stand. This will allow your crew to do their work more effectively.
SCHEDULE A CONsulation
We hope you found these tips helpful. If you have specific questions about your puppet shoot feel free to schedule a consultation with us.We can answer your questions and provide our professional recommendations. To schedule a consultation send an email to contact@swazzle.com and we’ll get back to you with our rates and availability.
