Forget your spacebook and myface, there’s a new network for puppetmakers, puppeteers or just fans of puppetry.

A lot of the usual faces are already there but it looks like it could be good place to make some new contacts and learn some new things, why not pop along.

Visit Puppet Hub

The film is called Agent Crush and it looks very interesting.  The puppets are very reminiscent of Team America, but it seems that the movie is not intended to be as silly of a comedy (but I may be wrong).  I have always been interested in the use of puppetry in dramatic or adventure film and video projects. 

To read more about it please go to their website here.  You can also see the trailer along with behind the scenes video here.

I have said it before and I will say it again, I am a big fan of fellow Canadian Mathieu René and his company called Créaturiste.  The thing that people may not know is that he has several blogs that he posts on and he is very generous with his discoveries and ideas.

I am putting this plug (which he knows nothing about) out for his online workshop that he is offering and to encourage others to go and see his newly posted online portfolio.  It is beautiful.

While you are there poke around and check out more of his stuff including this cool little puppet he built (among other things).

I am all for puppetry clubs, especialy when they are Canadian.  I was contacted by Neil Noble-Pattinson who is trying to organize a puppetry club in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA.  So far he has started a website (unfinished) and has posted a couple of videos on Youtube.  If you are in the Calgary area and are interested in being a part of the club then feel free to contact him for more details.

Here is a great Youtube video of lipsyncing to a song by hip hop artist D-Sisive.  I love the song, and the puppeteering is very refreshing to watch.  A little note is that the cute little green puppet is build by local Toronto puppet builder/puppeteer Joel Brubacher.  If you want one you can visit his website here.

There has been a good amount of buzz (here, here and here) about this new online series called Apollo’s Pad.  I recently had the opportunity to visit the set and see first hand some of the amazing puppets and puppeteering that goes into each episode.  The concept is simple and there is really only one set.  So how is it so interesting?  Amazing characters.

 Too often puppeteers seem to focus on technique at the expense of a great character.  The truth is that Ed The Sock and, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog are not amazingly puppeteered, but they are amazing characters.  If you haven’t seen Apollo’s Pad yet please do check it out.  Also, it is a great time to watch as these characters evolve.  Admittedly the puppeteers are still  getting a sense of who each character is and it makes for a very interesting study. 

You can also view the episodes on Youtube here.

*Please note it is grown up puppetry and contains mature themes and course language.

I am a fan of lots of different forms of puppetry and Bunraku is a form that interests me greatly.  Here is a great video of a Toronto based group called Unraku.  They performed this at a local puppet slam.  Enjoy.

 Thanks to Joel for the link.

The following is from News 14 in Carolina

Duke University’s Center for Child and Family Policy and the Hart Leadership Program welcomed Gary Knell, the president and CEO of Sesame Workshop.

Knell spoke at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy in a program called “Muppet Diplomacy: How Sesame Street is Changing Our World.” He talked about how the television show addressed current social issues in kids’ lives and provided teachers another outlet to help students learn.

“The Electric Company is coming back and in a new version, we will have hip-hop kind of culture promoting literacy,” Knell said. “The literacy crisis in this country is still huge.”

The workshop now produces more than 30 international co-productions of Sesame Street.

Watch News 14 Coverage HERE

Jason Segel has revealed to the world that he is in Pre-Production of a new Muppet movie- here is the latest interview from/film!

When we reported last week that Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nick Stoller and writer/star Jason Segel had signed on to develop the next Muppet movie, I speculated that these would be the guys to get it right (”The early Muppet films were absolutely genius, but the last few failed due to an attempt to dumb down the plot/jokes to appeal to young viewers”). Segel spoke with MTV, and his views seemed to mirror my early thoughts.

“I’ve just grown a little disappointed with ‘Muppets in the Old West,’ ‘Muppets Under Water,’ and all these weird concept movies. I just want to go take it back to the early 80’s, when it was about the Muppets trying to put on a show. That’s what I’m trying to bring back,” said Segel, who also wants to bring back the big name cameos of the earlier films. “All of our friends that I’ve brought it up to are pretty excited by the prospect of it. Everyone loves the Muppets; they’ve got a warm place in most people’s hearts. We want a lot of cameos. You look back at Charles Grodin, Charles Durning, there were just such great performances in those movies.” “We’ve got a great plot. I think if we can execute it right, it will be terrific. But I can’t tell you more - it’s top secret.

When asked if he plans to star as the lead human role in the new film, Segel admitted “We haven’t figured that out yet. Right now, we’re just focused on trying to turn in an amazing script.” Segel would only say that the plot would focus on Kermit the Frog (duh). And if Segel has not yet convinced you that he might have the vision to make the next big muppet film, I think this next quote will:

“I remember thinking that Kermit was the original Tom Hanks - he was the everyman for a kid. I remember watching Kermit and thinking ‘That’s what I want to do when I grow up.’ I don’t think I realized he was a puppet.”

One of the fey factors of the original muppet movies was that the muppets were treated like normal people in the real world, and I think Jason gets that. The later films focused on Muppets being part of these magical fantasy worlds (be it Pirates, Oz, or Treasure Island).

Calgary’s indie-rocking chanteuse, Leslie Feist, is home this week creating her next music video with fellow-Calgary artists, The Old Trout Puppet Workshop.

Feist is combining with them to create her next video, which will be directed by Anthony Seck.

This isn’t Feist’s first experience working with puppets.

“I’ve always been fascinated by puppetry,” says the Calgary native who once worked as a singer/dancer/rapper/sock puppeteer with singer Peaches.