Sunday Puppet Awesomeness

I'm going to do this every Sunday. Just a video of some great puppteering. 

Ma nah ma nah.

This a great example of how simple a puppet can be to be unbelievably funny. I love the way they are designed to move, it's something I've been looking into a lot. I've written a list of movements I want my characters to be able to do. 

Firstly they have to be able to face palm:

Then they have to be able to do a big sigh:

(it's the moment at 0:15 that slays me every time.)

Then they have to be able to do a funny dance:

(Turn the sound off first if you are easily offended by shrill pop)

So the way I create them has to reflect these things. I feel the video above (The Muppets, not the GIANT Japanese cat.)  is one of many great examples of designing a puppet specifically for movement.

Let's Start At The Nerdy Beginning, a Very Good Place To Start....

So here we go kids. I've already put a lot of work into the ideas I've been coming up with for this. So maybe I should start by telling you how my little brain decided to do this.

My & the other half were watching Beavis & Butthead. I got sad because I used to be an MTV kid when that meant something good.

 

Does anyone else remember 120 minutes?

I started talking about shows that poke fun at things, in a nice affectionate & knowledgeable way, then it hit me. That's what I should do. I wrote down a list (Oh god I love lists, srsly. I write several a day & sometimes even lists of the lists I need to write. I do sometimes even get things done.) of the best commentators of pop culture, or anything.

Here is my list, or Inspiration Ground Zero:

Statler & Waldorf. 

Cranky, obnoxious & hilarious. (I was going to use a classic clip, but this one seemed to fit so much better.) I will talk A LOT more on Mr. Henson when I start making the puppets. But I'll keep this short & sweet for now.  

Mystery Science Theatre 

 

I chose this picture because it has a cat in a dress. I don't need anymore reason than that.

The pure guenius of just the silhouettes, it was as if you were watching it with your friends, if your friends were actually that funny. See also Rifftrax by the same guys. The twilight one is predictably awesome.

And Finally, of course.....

Beavis & Butthead.

I always liked it when they liked a video:

So I'm starting off with these three, as obvious influences but I'd also like to mention:

(For more Comics: There's a link on the right, click it.)

Also: Charlie Brooker. 

Here he is talking about The Wire ages before everyone else decided they liked it. (This means he is cooler than you.)

Whilst he is best known for scathing, scathing reviews of how just awful telly is,
(The Entirety of Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe & Charlie Brooker's Gameswipe.)in particular his piece on the media coverage of Jade Goody is incredible, but sometimes he talks about stuff he likes. This piece on Oliver Postgate makes me cry everytime I watch it.



I also include this as Mr. Postgate's beautiful simple work & DIY ethos of simplicity and just plain loveliness is also engrained in me & my heart & a big part of what I'm doing.

 

What a wonderful, wonderful man.

Speaking of DIY awesomeness but on a lighter note:

The Adam & Joe Show 

Star Wars Crystal Maze (It won't embed, but it does link to Adam Buxton's channel, which is A Good Thing). 

 

Set in a fake bedroom & made with toys &....Oh fuckticks, just go & buy the DVD, if I have to tell you about this, you shouldn't be reading this, you'll hate anything I make. BUY IT! If I can make one person as happy as I was when I first watched this, then I don't care if I never make a penny from this.

I will never be as good as these guys, but they cover a pretty wide range of humour whilst all doing the esentially the same thing I'd like to do. Thought you should know what set my little brain ticking.