Tuesday, June 24, 2014

"Grover and Chelsea YES NO" - Children's Television Workshop (date unknown)



In my experience, animators often create their work in isolation. We are rarely able to view our work with a full, unbiased audience until the project is finished. Only then do we really know if our gags have worked, or even if our intentions have been understood.

Puppeteers, on the other hand, enjoy instant feedback whilst they are performing. If the audience is bored, they will fidget or, even worse, talk amongst themselves. If the gags don't work, there are no laughs.

Just as importantly, performing live allows the normal to-and-fro of human interaction to take place over and above the scripted material. Ad-lib dialogue, subtle emotional responses, and realistic timing can evolve, adding to the piece's entertainment value.

The clip I've posted here shows us how strong this interaction can be. The performance seems to be quite fresh and unstructured, with Grover and the child feeding off one another for their lines and timing. Enjoy!

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