Join Puppeteer Steve Whitmire for a casual conversation about his life under the fleece & foam of characters he brought to life, such as Kermit the Frog, Rizzo The Rat, Bean Bunny, & Wembley Fraggle.
Description:
Steve Whitmire was afforded a unique opportunity--to grow up watching the Muppets, & then to come of age as part of the Muppeteer family during the golden age. Listen to a casual conversation with Steve, as he recalls his career, playing some of the most memorable characters from movies & television, followed by a brief Q & A.
Learn how to build your own basic shoulder puppet. Andy Swisher will cover design, construction & manipulation of a shoulder companion.
Description:
Shoulder puppets have been a staple in Ren Fairs for many years now. But have you ever wondered how they work? How they move & come to life, just like magic? Well in this seminar you will learn how to build your very own from start to finish. It will cover designing, constructing, & manipulation of the puppet. Materials will be discussed as well as shown during this class. By the end you'll walk away with the knowledge you need to make a basic shoulder companion who can attend GenCon with you for years to come.
How to design dynamic characters and creatures, with a focus on hand/rod puppetry.
Description:
Puppeteer, Noah Ginex, will guide you through designing a dynamic character. With a degree in animation and art, Ginex will teach you what makes a dynamic character/creature. While the focus is on hand/rod puppets, these techniques can be applied to glove puppets, marionettes, or illustrated characters.
From his early beginnings in puppetry to what comes next for Steve Whitmire, come learn about the magic & wonder that Mr. Whitmire puts into all of his characters: old, new, & maybe even a debut!
Description:
Steve Whitmire has taken an amazing journey with a bit of fleece & foam on the end of his arm. Learn where he's gone, & where he'll go in this lovely hour-long talk with Steve.
Carroll Spinney is the man who brought Oscar the Grouch & Big Bird to life. Please join us in honoring him with your stories of what his work means to you. This is your opportunity to say thank you.
Description:
With a career spanning more than 50 years, Carroll Spinney's work has touched nearly every person over the age of 2. It's rare that we're able to tell our heroes exactly what they mean to us, but this one-in-a-lifetime event gives us all an opportunity to do so. If you would like a brief story or memory read aloud at the event, please email us, & your story may be selected for the event. All submissions, regardless of selection will be hand delivered to Mr. Spinney to be read by him. You'll be given the email address in the message to registered players when you sign up for the event.
I Married Big Bird: Stories from Debbie Spinney with special guest, Carroll Spinney
Summary:
Debra Gilroy Spinney has been married to Big Bird (aka Carroll Spinney) for nearly 39 years. Learn about their love story & some of their adventures, as she shares her memories & love for Carroll.
Description:
Debra Gilroy Spinney has been married to Big Bird (aka Carroll Spinney) for nearly 40 years. Many of us know her from the documentary I Am Big Bird, in which she delights us with her love & cherishing of the man we know to be the biggest, most lovable yellow bird, & at the same time, the grumpiest grouch on the street. Listen as she recounts her life & adventures with this wonderful man, who will be there as her special guest of honor.
Andrew Young of Unraku takes you step-by-step through the process of creating professional looking puppet films so you can learn to create your very own.
Description:
This in-depth seminar will provide a step by step overview from script to screen of how to make your own puppet movie. Topics covered will include writing, storyboarding, puppet design, performing & filming puppets on camera & special effects. You'll also be shown lots of examples of puppet films & commercials & learn how to do it yourself using something as simple as the phone in your pocket. A handout with lots of tips & information will be provided, but please bring a notebook or portable device to take your own notes!
Gordon Smuder of The Puppet Forge reveals all his professional puppet building secrets.
Description:
Want to know more about building high-quality professional puppets similar to your favorite tv characters? Professional puppet builder Gordon Smuder of the Puppet Forge brings it full force, revealing updated construction techniques, specialty materials, resources and design basics. You'll receive a handout of critical stuff, but bring your notepad. With only 1 hour, the info will be coming at light speed.
Attendees will learn how to fabricate two simple eye mechanisms that can be used in a Muppet style (hand & rod) puppet.
Description:
During this seminar attendees will learn how to construct two basic eye mechanics that can be used in a Muppet style (hand & rod) puppets. We will cover working with the material used to build the mechanics and attendees will be able to see & handle both the materials & the demonstration eye mechs that will be on hand.(Pun intended)
Kids & their parents will learn to make puppets out of every day house hold items. Creature maker Andy Swisher will teach you how to go beyond socks & paper bags to create memorable characters.
Description:
Do your kids have an interest in puppets but you are not sure where and what to start with? Then this seminar is just for you and your children! During this class you will learn how to construct a puppet out of every day items you may have laying around the house. This will not just cover socks and paper bags. You and your kids will learn other tips and tricks to add fun and creative details to help bring these playful characters to life.