The following is a video of Freud that I made while trying to learn how to use a monitor… they’re tricky things, which is why Freud doesn’t seem so fluid – it’s not stage fright, it’s just the man downstairs trying to make sure Freud doesn’t veer off into the distance while going through the song!
It’s been a fall-long project, but the effort was worth the wait, I’d say! The Sigmund Freud puppet has finally been completed; and not only that but he’s since completed a secret operation (Codename: Avengers Initiative). Actually, I’m really excited to be able to disclose what all the fuss was about!
Freud's shark hat that we used in a bit!
Completed Freud
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Dr. P, my advisor, had written a textbook and was approached by the publishing company to do a DVD/Video companion piece that would help guide students through the text. He then recruited his research group (we’re called the Avengers, hence the project codename) to tap our inner drama geeks and act in the project! Actually he allowed us to make it into this great collaborative effort where we could brainstorm sketch ideas, discuss script issues, etc. Our bimonthly lab meetings became part research, part screenwriting – and it was awesome! When I was in high school, a secret part of me always wanted to be in the school plays, but I was too chicken to try out for them (plus they ate up a lot of your time and really, I was more interested in being at the school library.) Dr. P didn’t want this video to be like your standard textbook accompaniment – dry and tedious. Instead, we wanted to make it a bit more like Alton Brown’s Good Eats, entertaining but informative. We joked around about how having Freud be in the video would be hilarious, and it was at that point that I mentioned how I kind of make puppets in my spare time. The Avengers loved the idea, and from there, the Freud build began.
Dr. P & M. practice a scene between takes (Courtesy of emilyaugust.com)
We shot the video on Thursday – it was an all day event! Actually, it was an all day Wednesday and Thursday event, but Thursday was just the bits with we Avengers in it. We were nervous, but excited, and I got to experience probably the closest thing ever to being on a real film set! While I did get to be silly and act in some sketches, my favorite part of the day was when we filmed the puppet scenes. Freud and my rat-friend, Fluffy had their debuts, and I had my first real, legitimate puppeteering experience. It was everything and nothing like what I expected!
Freud and Dr. P!
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I knew that puppeteers are often called to be contortionists for the sake of a good shot (I read a lot of blogs, watch a lot of puppetry documentaries) so I was bracing for having to twist and squirm a bit. In actuality, I had to twist and squirm a LOT! Professional puppeteers must be pros at Pilates, because you basically contort into a pretzel and then HOLD. I was positioned behind a kitchen island, sat on my hip, extended my right arm up with the puppets, my left arm worked the rods, I used my head and neck as leverage against the counter to get the puppet up and keep my arm high, and sort of sprawled out my legs in a kind of “ballet meets yoga” sort of position.
Running through my lines with Freud... (Courtesy of emilyaugust.com)
The other thing that I expected was a monitor. See, professional puppeteers, in order to make sure that their puppets are making appropriate eye contact with the camera and are in frame, use television monitors to ensure they’re doing their job well. I figured there would be something of that sort, so I practiced at home for a few days with my laptop connected to my TV to get ready. Now, this sounds easy, but it’s not, because the monitor is essentially a mirror-image of what you’re doing; you go left, the puppet goes right. You look right, the puppet looks left. It’s incredibly disorienting and VERY difficult to adjust to if you’ve never done it before! (I made a music video with Freud to practice, which is why in it, he’s kind of stiff).
Turns out, I didn’t need to practice with the monitor because the film crew had me flying blind – no monitors, nothing – just me, a counter and a general sense that I needed to be looking in… that direction. I was incredibly nervous. The last thing I wanted was for Freud and the rat to be looking off into the distance the whole shoot and ruin the scenes. Miraculously, it worked out pretty well in spite of the flying blind thing… I did a lot of looking up at the puppets from behind the counter and I think that helped a fair bit. At any rate, I’ve sprinkled some photos (some courtesy of emilyaugust.com to give you an idea of what working with Freud was like!)
And that's a wrap! The Avengers have a go at a goofy shot, and all of the ladies are too classy to do it... (Courtesy of emilyaugust.com)
the kids keep asking to watch the puppet singing!! They love it!
Aw thanks so much – the highest praise is a kid’s enjoyment
Awesome!!!! Awesome!!!! Awesome!!!!