- * - George Harrison lifesize Marionette creation - * -

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Hi Everyone!

This is not CEC or RAE related, but since it does relate to animation/puppetry in general i thought it would be well worth sharing here.

This is my latest creation, a LIFESIZE Marionette creation of George Harrison. Being a big fan of his work, it was only a matter of time before i tried to capture him in some type of form.

Here is the first in a series of YouTube videos i will be presenting of his performances. The premeire is here -

Presenting a unique performance of 'Any Road', George plays his favorite ukulele ( a banjolele) for your veiwing pleasure....

ENJOY!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPAc_UB70d4


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeHarrisonmarionettepic1-SMALL.jpg

This puppet creation i made over a 6 month period, starting in January of 09'. He was quite a challange to get together but it was a joy none the less. Here are some more photographs of him with some additonal comments to provide further insight.

Enjoy!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeHarrisonmationettewithhandsSM.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeshandswithUkeSMALL.jpg

Here is a closeup of George's ukulele. It is entirely made out of paper, posterbord, and foamcore with a few small peices of wood and metal used in the smaller details. Nylon strings were added for a realistic touch. It is a exact reproduction of George's own favourite Banjolele, the only difference being i added a custom headstock logo. This is a wry spoof of the originals' actual logo...and a nod to the namesakes original owner.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgesUkecloseupSMALL.jpg

Here is a closeup of the Uke itself. The silver areas look like metal, but it is actually just painted posterboard. Despite the somewhat fragile building materials, this 'instrument' is quite durable. George plays it by a connecting string that runs thru the body of the Uke. Without this addition, he would not be able to correctly 'strum' it.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgewithhisBanjolele.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/GeorgeHarrisononFormbyUkelarge.jpg

Two photos i used for reference showing George with his real Banjolele.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/GeorgeHarrisonstripedcoat89.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgeinterviewpicinstudiocloseup93.jpg

These are just two of the MANY reference photos i used to try to capture the right 'look' for George from this particular time period ( late 80's /early 90s's period). I chose this era as it opened up the chance for him to perform not only his solo material, but any Wilbury era material.

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[Shiney Happy Jenn]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgewithJennportraitSMALL.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeandJennwideshotSMALL.jpg

These two photos give you a better sense of how HUGE George is. Lifesize indeed! He is so tall, the only way he can properly perform is by being seated in a chair.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeHarrisonmationettefrontclipsh.jpg

A closer view of that famous smile of his....

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeHarrisonmarionettehandscrosse.jpg

This photo shows a alternative angle, showing a nice view of his hands. There were created to correct scale by using the famous 'handprint' image from the cover of George's album 'Living in the Material World'. They were soft-sculpted out of nylon fabric with a styrofoam base. Hard bendable wire was used to insure his fingers could be posed for correct playing

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[Shiney Happy Jenn]

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeHarrisonmarionettehandcloseup.jpg

Here is a closeup view of George's hand. Details such as hand palm lines, mounds, knuckles, and fingernails were added for a sense of realisim. The ring was made out of painted posterboard and molding dough. The black 'stone' is a rounded peice of aquarium glass. This ring is a recreation of the one George wore during the time period ( late 80's/ early 90's) and several photos were used for reference. I call it the 'Scarab' Ring as the sun motifs and Egyptian Scarab beetle motives are clearly visable of both the real ring, and this recreation.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Photos%20on%20Forums%20Album/GeorgeHarrisonmarionettepic2SMALL.jpg

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to 'George'. In the future i will be producing more videos of his performances, as he also does a lovely version of 'Picses Fish' and 'Devil in the Deep Blue Sea'.

I will update here when that time comes.

IN the meantime...ENJOY the 1st video!

- * - * - PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS LINK and these PHOTOS with other websites. - * - * -

SPREAD THE LOVE of GEORGE and his WONDERFUL MUSIC!

This project was done to give some joy and fun to George's many admirers, and the more of them out there that see this the better! This project was not done for my benefit, it was done solely as a interesting and entertaining way to introduce, re-introduce, and enchance in a creative way George's wonderful persona and musical messages.


I am also accepting any song requests you would like to see him perform in future video performances. These must be GH/Beatles/ Traveling Wilbury related ONLY please. Feel free to post them here, or PM in private.



:D

[VegaNova]

Damn Jenn.... this is really impressive. Seriously.

I mean I was always a fan of the Looney puppet but this is up more than a few notches from that! The banjo is probably what impresses me the most because it looks like it's something you bought somewhere off the shelf as an accessory.

Wow. :D

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Well shucks...thanks Travis!

I WISH i could have just bought it 'off the shelf', as it would have saved me about 4 weeks of work, but it is very rare model that George owns. Not too many exsist from what i have gathered in my pursuit for reference photos ( the two i pictured are the only ones i had of George with it). Most folks are not aware of what a HUGE uke fan he was...

At some point in the future ( after a long rest..lol..) i plan on making a recreation of a small acoustic guitar he had custom made. It is smaller then the normal guitar size, so it is perfect for this. This will enable me to have him perform a much wider selection of songs. Right now i am covering the few ukulele tunes he has done ( 3 to date..) so at some point he will be able to play another instrument.

[Charon the Sabercat]

(totally floored)

I... I could barely read the words, I just kept looking at the puppet and going "thatiscreepyAsHELLHOLYCRAPILOVEIT!" over and over again in my head! He's gorgeous! Look at all the love put into this piece! And all the research involved fills my scientific brain with much joy. You didn't miss a one detail, no ma'am-ee-bob!

Excuse me while I watch the videos and gush. (scootches away)

[raebigc]

too awesome for words.

[Fatz Geronimo]

Oh wow, why didn't I see this sooner?!

Oh he's beautiful Jenn, the likeness is extremely, profoundly uncanny...he looks as though he might very well spring to life, and start singing in that strikingly unique and rich voice of his.

I've actually been quite immersed in his music lately, least his 'Cloud 9' album...I know that sort of deviates from his original solo records, but it really features some of my favorite songs by him.

Beautiful though, absolutely beautiful...

[MMBBfan327]

Terrific job, Jenn! Absolutley amazing! Next I think you should attempt a marionette of the late Freddie Mercury. :D

[NickRyder]

Although you know what the logical next step would be to do... somehow get an animatronic kit inside of him so he can be synced up to a showtape LOL

I bet Aaron Fechter would have loved to have this next to his "Private Paul" ;)

Great work Jenn, that is amazing and I have to admit, that really looks like a labor of love. So why did you pick such a daunting project in the first place?

[Harmony Howlette]

WOAH. That is amazing!!

ETA: Hahaha I just watched the video. HE BLINKS. Wow. What the heck did you make this out of?
Also, seconding MMBBfan, a Mercury puppet would be awesome!

[Harmony Howlette]

WOAH. That is amazing!!

ETA: Hahaha I just watched the video. HE BLINKS. Wow. What the heck did you make this out of?
Also, seconding MMBBfan, a Mercury puppet would be awesome!
Ahh scratch that, I saw where you mentioned the styrafoam. I'm really impressed!

[Mr Munch88]

I got to drive George to his 1st official concert a week ago. I even have his "seat belt" and am now accepting bids on it starting at $10=))
(its a peice of curling ribbon)

[dheineCECfan]

Nice George Harrison marrionette, will there be other marionettes of the other Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr)? That would make a Beatles marionette show with them lip-synching to a Beatles CD (but not unlikely a CECPTT Beagles showtape).

[Charon the Sabercat]

I showed this to my Mom a few hours ago. She's a puppetry fan, Muppets specifically, and 10 seconds into the video of him in action, she linked all her Facebook friends to it so they could watch in amazement.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

......

I've actually been quite immersed in his music lately, least his 'Cloud 9' album...I know that sort of deviates from his original solo records, but it really features some of my favorite songs by him.

Beautiful though, absolutely beautiful...

'Cloud Nine' is actually one of my fave albums. It was the one that 'introduced' me to George proper ( as himself, not a bug-named bandmember..) and i also enjoy a LOT of the material on that one.

Thanks for the kind comments!

I am thrilled that he seems to have found an audience. I wish you guys could see him in person though...the scope of this does not translate fully via a tiny on-screen video.

Feel free to ask any questions if anyone is curious about he he 'works'.

[Fatz Geronimo]

'Cloud Nine' is actually one of my fave albums. It was the one that 'introduced' me to George proper ( as himself, not a bug-named bandmember..) and i also enjoy a LOT of the material on that one.

Thanks for the kind comments!

I am thrilled that he seems to have found an audience. I wish you guys could see him in person though...the scope of this does not translate fully via a tiny on-screen video.

Feel free to ask any questions if anyone is curious about he he 'works'.

Oh really? Wonderful! I actually felt a little bad since at first, listening to albums that pre-dated his Cloud 9 one (records my mom mostly got at garage sales) I didn't really care for some of it. Was a few years later, can't remember when, around the time his last album, 'Brainwashed' came out that I sort of grew more into his music...sometimes this stuff has to grow on me. But I enjoy alot of his stuff even more then some of the other Beatles solo stuff.

I have to go back and listen to some of that stuff again though, been ages...

But my rambling aside, I do have some curiosities...not sure if you covered them yet and I missed it, and I apologize if I make you repeat yourself. I was watching your video of him in motion, and I'm absolutely amazed with how fluid his motions are. Especially the face is that...well, pretty much would be like an actual ventriloquist doll, or something else? Because he looks as if his facial features are moved from right behind him, not through an arm slot through his body or the like.

Another thing if either is the case; I'm having difficulty even comprehending the scope of HOW you would construct something like that to do all the movements. It's absolutely fascinating, I know his arm and such move with strings, and you can't even see them which is equally impressive too...that video was so expertly done I felt as if he was moving of his own free will like an animatronic character! :cec_thumbs:

[Harmony Howlette]

I showed this to my Mom a few hours ago. She's a puppetry fan, Muppets specifically, and 10 seconds into the video of him in action, she linked all her Facebook friends to it so they could watch in amazement.
Haha I showed this to my mom too and she was stunned, even though she's always been more of a 'John girl' :) She couldn't get over how uncanny the resemblance is!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Although you know what the logical next step would be to do... somehow get an animatronic kit inside of him so he can be synced up to a showtape LOL

I bet Aaron Fechter would have loved to have this next to his "Private Paul" ;)

Great work Jenn, that is amazing and I have to admit, that really looks like a labor of love. So why did you pick such a daunting project in the first place?

Thanks Nick, and Air has seen and likes George too!

Regarding your question, 'Why did you pick such a daunting project in the first place?'

Well, like any artist, you are always interested in tackling a new creative project for the sheer challange of it. You are also usually looking for ways to 'top yourself'..or at least top your last project.

I have been designing and building my own marionette characters for the past 30+ years, and after 100+ figures you get a broad spectrum of experiences and all sorts of different offerings. Every character made after the one previous is always made a bit better, or sports a neat new feature..etc...etc. You learn by doing...and every creation brings something new to light and you end up learning how to do the act better from experience. A example would be my Looney Bird puppet known here via the Dvd programs J and I produce. I made him about 4 years ago, and George is what you could call the 'follow up' model. The eyes are similar in how they operate, for example, but George's are far more realistic and better executed.

The drawings i was doing of George just were not 'enough' to capture this personality. As a big fan, i wanted to do something MORE..something exciting and something different to capture his character. The only real way to do this is through his music, and the way he would perform it....thus the idea was born to make a marionette of him. It seemed a logical choice.

The challanges that appealed to me and made we want to tackle the challange were these-


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* - A realistic representation of the man, but not done in a overly 'cartoony/satirish' way. The goal was 'sculpture' not 'characture'. A big challange was to try to make the figure really look like him...but not in a frightening way. Several photos were used as reference.

* - The best realistic eyes i could create, with matching realistic movements...exspecially for the lids ( no seams or gaps). Extremely difficult challange, but George lived up to all the expectations..and then some.

* - A realistic and believable performance with smooth, fluid movements. This appealed to the animator in me big time..this was NOT to be a typical 'puppet'. No quick 'puppety' movements were allowed. It took some extra training for me to adjust to the slower movements of George when compared to the more fast and excited movements of my other characters.

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A pretty tall order to fill....but i was excited by the fact that i had never tried to accomplish these in a serious manner. Well, now was the time.


How George came to be -

I remember it very well - what started it all. In late November of last year i heard his final album "Brainwashed" for the first time. The first song on the album is 'Any Road' and i immediately loved it. It represented everything i enjoyed about George as it all shone though clearly in this tune. I was standing at the bus stop after work one day listening to this song over and over on my walkman ( with tapes...yes,,,tapes!) and imagined a little George standing on a stage strumming his little ukulele singing this tune. It made me laugh as it fit perfectly with not only the song, but with George's famous wry sense of humour. The moment passed but everytime i heard the song i would see him playing it in puppet form in my head.

In early January i went to Walt Disney World ( my yearly pilgrimidge) and came back highly inspired. I saw things there that reminded me of little marionette George, and the desire started to burn brightly to make a figure that could play this tune 'live'. I knew it would be a huge commitment, as the several step required to build such a complicated figure would require non-stop dedication over a several month period. I spent the next month drawing several plans for construction, with every possible aspect of him and his controls, to his Ukulele, to it's layout. In the end over 60 drawings were made detailing everything.

Originally he was going to be small...only about 3ft maximum. The original plan was to build him to be transportable like all my other characters, so i could fit him in a carry on bag and take him places. I imagined myself taking him to the huge BeatleFest convention to play 'live' in front of a audience that would appreciate it fully, and enter him in their annual Art Show. I knew they would love to see him...but all those plans went out the window when it started to become clear he was going to be a LOT larger the expected. His lifesize head made it clear he needed a body to match, as i was not happy in imagining him with a huge head and a tiny stick body. I wanted to stay away from those 'cartoony' styles as this was being treated as a serious 'real person' effort.

He is difficult to move from place to place, but once there enjoys sitting in a chair to play or just relax. He certainly has a presence all his own, which i enjoy actually.

So long story short......

... it was the song 'Any Road' that really inspired this project. That image in my head of seeing himplaying his little Uke and singing was hilarious to me at the time, and i felt a need to capture that and share it with others. Later i took it on as a serious 'sculpture' and thought it would be a excellent way to introduce his music to many people who are probably totally unfamiliar with the great solo work he has done. In the end the goal was to create a believable performance that would do the man honour, but also entertain and perhaps inspire his fans as well.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

I showed this to my Mom a few hours ago. She's a puppetry fan, Muppets specifically, and 10 seconds into the video of him in action, she linked all her Facebook friends to it so they could watch in amazement.

Thank her for this Charon, from me, as i would like to get it 'out there' for people just like her to see!

Please feel free to share the link and all photos with anyone you feel would appreciate it. You know what they say- ' The More the Merrier'!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

WOAH. That is amazing!!

ETA: Hahaha I just watched the video. HE BLINKS. Wow. What the heck did you make this out of?
Also, seconding MMBBfan, a Mercury puppet would be awesome!

Thanks for the comments Harm. I actually made both a Freddie and a Brian May ( Queen's guitarist) many years ago as giant poseable dolls. I have photos if you would like to see them.

They were not puppets per say...as they could not move....but were more like display figures. A more appropriate answer would be 'giant soft bodied poseable figures'. I made these to bring to the main US Queen Convention in the 90's and they were a big hit. They are currently in storage, though the model posterboard version of Brian's 'Red Special' guitar hangs on my bedroom wall to this day.

Getting back to George, you asked what he is made of.

Styrofoam base carved and sculpted to shape, with a soft-sculpted molding of polyester fiber-fill under nylon fabric 'skin'. So George has 'real' skin in a sense. The styrofoam peices i cut and shaped as if sculpting a statue. Muscle tone, elbow and knees bumps, torso shaping, arm bulges, and other embellishments were made before covering over with fabric. He even has veins in certain locatons for added realisim ( inner arms, wrists, and back of hands). He was designed to be enjoyed not only from a distance, but also close up veiwing.

His hands are made the same way, with stiff wiring used in the fingers so they can be accuratly posed into playing position. Details added include palm lines and mounds, knuckle bulges, finger tapering, fingernails, tendon lines, and fingernails. The final touch was a recreation of his ring, made from painted posterboard and a black aquarium stone.

Any more question feel free to ask!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

But my rambling aside, I do have some curiosities...not sure if you covered them yet and I missed it, and I apologize if I make you repeat yourself. I was watching your video of him in motion, and I'm absolutely amazed with how fluid his motions are. Especially the face is that...well, pretty much would be like an actual ventriloquist doll, or something else? Because he looks as if his facial features are moved from right behind him, not through an arm slot through his body or the like.

Another thing if either is the case; I'm having difficulty even comprehending the scope of HOW you would construct something like that to do all the movements. It's absolutely fascinating, I know his arm and such move with strings, and you can't even see them which is equally impressive too...that video was so expertly done I felt as if he was moving of his own free will like an animatronic character! :cec_thumbs:


Great questions....

George is a marionette, which means all of his animations are controlled by pulling strings from above him. There are NO electronics or electrical tricks used to animate him...he is totally 'hand powered'. I control all of his movement with two wooden crossbar controls from above him. Think of two peices of dowel fastened together in the rough shape of a 'cross' and you get the idea.

I actually had to go back a few days after i posted George's performance video and add to the description that he was not 'electronically enhanced'....as after watching it , it dawned on me someone might make the mistake of thinking this. He is string-powered only!


George requires TWO control bars for his animations:

One very large one is used just to control his arms/hands. The fluid movement of his strum and arm raise seen in the video is the result of this. I hold this in my LEFT hand to keep the timing of his Uke strum on the mark. This is actually the single most difficult movement with him..keeping that strum going at a steady pace, but randomizing it enough to keep the performance beleivable. . Just seeing his hand move up and down in a static motion would ruin the effect.

His head/facial movements are controlled by a seperate smaller crossbar control. This i hold in my RIGHT hand and have complete contol over head tilts, ups and downs, eye blinks, eye lid close, eye movements, and the all important mouth movements.

By operating BOTH of these crossbar controls, George comes to life. It takes 14 strings to keep him 'under control' so to speak..and when he is playing his Ukulele as seen in the video, you have to ad one more. His Uke has it's own set of strings attached to it to insure George can correctly strum it and alter his hand angles to create better motions.

His Uke has the all important 'Strum String' which runs from his larger 'Arm/Hand' crossbar control down through the body of the Uke, out of the base of the fretboard, and attaches to George's ring finger via a small bendable wire. This enables him to keep his hand in the position it needs to be in for playing this type of instrument, as well as enabling me to better control the angles his hand can be moved into at any given time. This is why i had to make a reproduction of a actual instrument, as it would be impossible for George to play a 'real' wooden one due to the weight and also lack of this all important playing string.

The strings i use are thin grade nylon fishing line. I have always used this, as it made a lot of practical sense to me since it solved a lot of problems. I was never keen on those ugly black waxed strings most marionettes seemed to have. That may have been nice for when you were only using black backdrops with your shows, but i used my characters EVERYWHERE and the nylon blended into all possible backdrops. It also holds up extremely well under heavy weight or pressure...and they have a nice 'snap' to them which i think helps in my lip-synch animation. In the video you can see a little relection of the strings in the lighting i needed to use, but otherwise they are barely visable and blend in to any backdrop with ease.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

For Fatz-

Some GREAT Harrison albums to re-listen to-

'George Harrison' ( self titled, 1979)

'Gone Troppo' ( 1982)

' All Things Must Pass' ( considered his masterpeice, 1970)

'33 1/3' ( 1976)

'Cloud Nine' ( 1987)

:D

[Harmony Howlette]

Thanks for the comments Harm. I actually made both a Freddie and a Brian May ( Queen's guitarist) many years ago as giant poseable dolls. I have photos if you would like to see them.

They were not puppets per say...as they could not move....but were more like display figures. A more appropriate answer would be 'giant soft bodied poseable figures'. I made these to bring to the main US Queen Convention in the 90's and they were a big hit. They are currently in storage, though the model posterboard version of Brian's 'Red Special' guitar hangs on my bedroom wall to this day.

Getting back to George, you asked what he is made of.

Styrofoam base carved and sculpted to shape, with a soft-sculpted molding of polyester fiber-fill under nylon fabric 'skin'. So George has 'real' skin in a sense. The styrofoam peices i cut and shaped as if sculpting a statue. Muscle tone, elbow and knees bumps, torso shaping, arm bulges, and other embellishments were made before covering over with fabric. He even has veins in certain locatons for added realisim ( inner arms, wrists, and back of hands). He was designed to be enjoyed not only from a distance, but also close up veiwing.

His hands are made the same way, with stiff wiring used in the fingers so they can be accuratly posed into playing position. Details added include palm lines and mounds, knuckle bulges, finger tapering, fingernails, tendon lines, and fingernails. The final touch was a recreation of his ring, made from painted posterboard and a black aquarium stone.

Any more question feel free to ask!
Wow. Very impressive. I've been wanting to make a puppet for a long time (something simple, with a rod-guided hand), so this is incredibly fascinating to me. I'd love to see those Queen dolls when you get a chance...how many puppets have you made, anyways? I know you've done Looney & that old school Rat-Chuck marionette...but you really should set up some kind of gallery on flickr or something, I'd love to see all of your projects!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Harm, i DO have a 'gallery' of many past projects up on Facebook. Just search for my real name and it should come up....:)

Regarding how many puppet characters i have made, gosh, it's well over 100+ now. I would say about 70% are in storage with the remaining filling two small bedrooms.

The range in size from the smallest ( Shacorera the Sandpiper - 7 inches tall) to the middle range ( average 'Stage Size' is 20 to 25 inches) to huge 'Walkaround' sizes ( such as Doolie Dragon, who is 3ft+). George is by far the largest, at over 6 ft.

I have also made many famous cartoon , movie, and Disney stars in marionette form.

A sampling-

Sebastian the Crab from 'The Little Mermaid'
Bugs Bunny ( in 50th Anniversary Tux)
Gizmo the Mogwai and Stripe the Gremlin ( from 'Gremlins)
Wembley Fraggle ( life size..er..Fraggle size)
Roger Rabbit ( a personal favorite..)
Various Care Bears and Cousins characters
Mickey and Minnie Mouse
Sir Didymus and The Firey from the film 'Labyrinth' ( full size, just like in the film)
ALF ( from the 80's tv series) - Full size
Fievel Mousekewitz
Raphel ( TMNT's )
A Ewok
Barney the dinosuar
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ( with glowing nose my Dad made for me!)
E. T. ( with glowing finger my Dad made as well)
Edward Scissorhands ( one of the few rare human characters i had done)


Too many more to list. This does not include the dozens of original characters i have made over the years mind you that star in the Circus Showplace Marionette Shows. Leo Lion, Lemon Drop the ostrich, The Crazy Pup, Roy Orangeson, The Tookie Bird..Kitrina Kittie...the list goes on!

[Harmony Howlette]

Harm, i DO have a 'gallery' of many past projects up on Facebook. Just search for my real name and it should come up....:)

Regarding how many puppet characters i have made, gosh, it's well over 100+ now. I would say about 70% are in storage with the remaining filling two small bedrooms.

The range in size from the smallest ( Shacorera the Sandpiper - 7 inches tall) to the middle range ( average 'Stage Size' is 20 to 25 inches) to huge 'Walkaround' sizes ( such as Doolie Dragon, who is 3ft+). George is by far the largest, at over 6 ft.

I have also made many famous cartoon , movie, and Disney stars in marionette form.

A sampling-

Sebastian the Crab from 'The Little Mermaid'
Bugs Bunny ( in 50th Anniversary Tux)
Gizmo the Mogwai and Stripe the Gremlin ( from 'Gremlins)
Wembley Fraggle ( life size..er..Fraggle size)
Roger Rabbit ( a personal favorite..)
Various Care Bears and Cousins characters
Mickey and Minnie Mouse
Sir Didymus and The Firey from the film 'Labyrinth' ( full size, just like in the film)
ALF ( from the 80's tv series) - Full size
Fievel Mousekewitz
Raphel ( TMNT's )
A Ewok
Barney the dinosuar
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ( with glowing nose my Dad made for me!)
E. T. ( with glowing finger my Dad made as well)
Edward Scissorhands ( one of the few rare human characters i had done)


Too many more to list. This does not include the dozens of original characters i have made over the years mind you that star in the Circus Showplace Marionette Shows. Leo Lion, Lemon Drop the ostrich, The Crazy Pup, Roy Orangeson, The Tookie Bird..Kitrina Kittie...the list goes on!
Oh, awesome. I'll add you on FB, I wanna see!

[Mr Munch88]

Too many more to list. This does not include the dozens of original characters i have made over the years mind you that star in the Circus Showplace Marionette Shows. Leo Lion, Lemon Drop the ostrich, The Crazy Pup, Roy Orangeson, The Tookie Bird..Kitrina Kittie...the list goes on!

YAY.....The Crazy Pup!!!!!!!!!!!! My personal favorite(besides Morris the Moose) Pup even spent the night at my place once long ago.....
Pup once received a joke book as a gift from me for Christmas, long ago.
Mr Munch88 signing off , laffin and scratching at ya...

[Charon the Sabercat]

You've made one of the Firebirds from Labyrinth? Kick awesome! How does it move in comparison to the originals? I'd think it'd be hard to capture the bunrakku style in marionette format.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

...Yes....they are my favorite part of the movie!

I made one of the Fireys back in 86' when the film first came out in theatres and he looks pretty cool! He is about 2 1/2 ft tall and is one of my larger characters ( pre-George of course!) I used to have him come out after my regular stage show act and visit people in the audience. He was large enough for this, and was specially built to be able to handle the 'rough' handling he would be subjected to by less then appreciative kids. He is operated with one small crossbar control, with 10 strings to control his movements.

He moves like most of my characters in that he can move quickly when need be. He can walk around, flick his tail, flap his ears, open and close his mouth, move his arms and hands, and dances rather decently to their theme song from the film 'Chilly Down' . He is one of my favorite characters to work with as he can do a lot since he has so many animations and looks freaky. He is very brightly colored and these days i use him around Halloween time to suprise people.

Below is a pic of The Firey ..wearing his party gear. He looks better from the side, i need to re-photograph him someday as the front veiw does not show off his wacky smile.


On the right is a pic of another large marionette character i made called 'Doolie Dragon' He was a original character i created, and at 3ft tall he was until recently my largest marionette. Doolie was one of the first of my characters to have blinking eyes. Like the Firey, he is controlled by one crossbar control from above, in Doolie's case he has 10 strings as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/CSTheFireyandDollieDragonSMALL.jpg

[Harmony Howlette]

...Yes....they are my favorite part of the movie!

I made one of the Fireys back in 86' when the film first came out in theatres and he looks pretty cool! He is about 2 1/2 ft tall and is one of my larger characters ( pre-George of course!) I used to have him come out after my regular stage show act and visit people in the audience. He was large enough for this, and was specially built to be able to handle the 'rough' handling he would be subjected to by less then appreciative kids. He is operated with one small crossbar control, with 10 strings to control his movements.

He moves like most of my characters in that he can move quickly when need be. He can walk around, flick his tail, flap his ears, open and close his mouth, move his arms and hands, and dances rather decently to their theme song from the film 'Chilly Down' . He is one of my favorite characters to work with as he can do a lot since he has so many animations and looks freaky. He is very brightly colored and these days i use him around Halloween time to suprise people.

Below is a pic of The Firey ..wearing his party gear. He looks better from the side, i need to re-photograph him someday as the front veiw does not show off his wacky smile.


On the right is a pic of another large marionette character i made called 'Doolie Dragon' He was a original character i created, and at 3ft tall he was until recently my largest marionette. Doolie was one of the first of my characters to have blinking eyes. Like the Firey, he is controlled by one crossbar control from above, in Doolie's case he has 10 strings as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/CSTheFireyandDollieDragonSMALL.jpg
Freakin' rad. Same building technique as the George puppet, I'm assuming?

[Rockafirecheese]

Absolutely fantastic! A true work of art! Great job Jenn!!!
=D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

[Fatz Geronimo]

Oh thank you Jenn for that wonderful, descriptive explanation, gives me a better better scope of understanding about how these things work. As it is I have barely any understanding of animatronics (probably never will) but as far as Marionettes go that breakdown into how he functions will hopefully stick with me...

I still could never have any hope of actually doing something like that myself, but it's still nice to have learned how something like that works! So again, thank you so much for going into that.

Oh as well thank you for the album suggestions, I did some research and one of the albums you suggested was actually one of the records I'd listened too, the self titled one. I can't remember how old I was when last I listened to it but I probably need to refresh my memory so I can appreciate it a bit more.

Oh and not to continue rambling on or anything, but lovely work o the firebird...as anyone who appreciates the imagination and fantasy of the 80's, I absolutely adore that movie! I only wish a bit more merchandise had been made around it...I want desperately to find that original 'Ludo' plush, but he's next to near impossible. There is a newer one though which I hope to get to tide me over. The same company that made that actually made a Bowie 'Goblin King' figure which is absolutely extraordinary, I managed to get that. All this new stuff, while wonderful to have is incredibly expensive...love that movie though; despite vintage items being hard to secure I have been fortunate to find a storybook as well as a movie clipbook, narrated by the goblins.

Awesome work though, he looks like he sneaked right off of the movie set…

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Freakin' rad. Same building technique as the George puppet, I'm assuming?

In a basic sense, yes...but in George's case i changed and reconsidered some applications to insure he would remain LIGHT in weight. This was very important since he was SO large. Heavy puppets can do very little, and the lighter they are the more comfortable it is for the puppeteer to perform them. This is why almost all the Muppet characters are made out of foam. Since George is over 6ft tall when standing, keeping him light was a major focus when planning construction.

A prime example of the difference in building technique i had to do for George would be that he was entirely sculpted from styrofoam instead of the usual 'soft bodied' approach. Up until i made George, allmost all of my figures had poly-stuffed limbs ( arms, legs, etc.) This adds shape and also the needed weight for the smaller stage size marionettes so they can move their small limbs around well. For George, this was not needed..in fact it was very important to keep the stuffed pieces to the bare minimum to keep him light. So very little of him is actually poly-stuffed. What i would normally stuff was instead fully scultpted out of styrofoam to insure correct shaping and hardly any weight. It made construction far more time consuming, but it also enabled me to create realistic details i could have never have done if he was mearly soft-bodied. Muscle tone, bone bulges, vien lines, and more could be scultped in to add fabulous eye candy.


Since this made him quite light in the limbs, i had to add weights ( metal washers) in key spots to insure correct movements. His elbows in particular needed this. His body is carved from a huge block of sty, as well as his arms and legs. The only parts i stuffed fully were his feet. His hand palms, knuckles, and fingers were also partially stuffed with a inner base made of sty to support the 'bone structure' of his poseable fingers. His head has some poly-stuffing as well, mostly to fill out his features. Cheeks, his forehead, and his chin all sport some filling.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Just came across this nice picture of George that looks a lot like my marionette....

Small but neat!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/avatar-Georgein90ssuit-1.jpg

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[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Filming will be starting on George's next video performance soon.

The title of the song is 'Pisces Fish' and i am considering doing a different style of video. Depending on how my technology holds up, i might take a jump and make a edited video with multi cuts to bring the viewer some closer views.

I will post more info when i reach a point near it's completion.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Some good happenings lately -


Over the past 3 days i have been filming NEW VIDEO PERFORMANCES of my George Harrison marionette. SIX new videos of 'George' in action were made, and the first of the new series will be up on YouTube sometime next week. I will of course post all links here as soon as they are live and ready for sharing. I think a couple of them are a step up from 'Any Road' which is currently up to 900+ views in a months time. THANK YOU to everyone who watched and shared! MORE are coming next week!

I may not release all of these at once...at this point i am not entirely sure. When i rewatch them i will decide then when the time to upload comes. There is one i am still on the fence about releasing ( due to a performance standpoint) so i may re-film it at a later date.

The other big news related to all of this is that i have discovered while experimenting around with 'George' during filming is that he can play REAL guitars! This was a wonderful surprise, for now i do not have to make special 'foamboard' models for him to use. This ALSO is a great discovery as it opens up George's ENTIRE catalog of songs now for play. I cannot express in mere words how stunning a realisation this all was. So in the forthcoming videos, you will see 'George' play REAL guitars..both acoustic AND electric. I have to say he looked mighty proper holding a old 50's Gibson model...It was a surreal 'Harrison Experience' moment. One neat thing is that if his hand is operated correctly, 'George' can actually strike the strings and create notes. Now THAT was rather surreal. I suppose i should not be so surprised, i mean, it's George Harrison for cryin' out loud..of COURSE he can play 'real guitars'!!

So a very exciting week on my end.


The new performance videos are:

* - "Pisces Fish" - My new fave...the song lends itself extremely well to 'George's' movements, plus some cool lighting is used.

* - "The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea' - 'George' is in fine form as he plays his Uke along to this favored tune.

* - 'If Not For You" - I filmed this just for fun, as i love the song and i was so amazed that 'George' could now play my real acoustic.

* - "Jai Sri Krishna' - Something i filmed exspecially for the spriritually enclined, 'George' blisses out in the garden.

* - 'That's The Way It Goes' - Another video i shot just for the fun of it, as 'George' plays a old Gibson. I may reshoot this at a later date, so i am not entirely sure if this will be released at this point.

* - I also had a friend film me performing 'George' so folks that are curious can see how i operate him. 'Devil and The Deep Blue Sea' was reshot in this form, so viewers can get a 'Behind the Scenes' ( or in this case 'Strings'!) look at what i do to bring 'George' to life.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Came across these today, and thought it would be of interest to include them in this thread.

Here are some of the 60 or so preliminary drawings i did to plan out every feature realted to the ' George Harrison ' marionette.

Much of what you will see was changed during his creation, particularly the crossbar controls and his visual appearence. Most of the internal workings and sculpted diagram ideas were used and executed almost exactly as originally drawn.

I will make notes where there is something that might be of special interest.

First up, one of the first full sheets of doodles i did to get out onto paper what had been in my head for about a month to see if this was feasable.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgemarionetteworkart1SMALL.jpg



^ At this early stage 'George' was sporting his half-shaven 80's appearence. The main focus at this early stage was plotting out how the different animations would work in the context of his facial layout. In simple terms, would all i wanted him to do actually be able to happen internally in this figure. 'George' was originally planned to be a small marionette..much like your standard sized puppet figure...that would be operated on a tabletop and walk around. This changed later on as will be shown.

-


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgemarionetteworkart2SMALL.jpg

^ Another early set of drawings, this time focusing on how the different facial animations will actually be tackled and built. All of the concepts here were actually used, with only very slight changes.

-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgemarionetteworkart3SMALL.jpg


^ This page represents what ideas i had for creating various aspects of his body, specifically his outer clothing and various limb details. Several pages were drawn outlining ideas for how his body should be made, but i chose this page to share as it has more variety ( and hopefully more interest!) Note the three figures on the top of the page- these are the three different clothing choices i was pondering over while construction was underway.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Continuing now with the initial sketches that led to 'George's' creation.....


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgemarionetteworkart4SMALL.jpg

^ During the time i was working on sculpting his head, i did a series of sketches outlining ideas for how his arms and hands should appear and what they should be made from. This picture above shows a series of images covering all aspects of how he should strum his ukulele. Everything was considered, from posture, finger pose, appearence in general ( tendon lines, knuckles, fingernails, etc.) to help create a sense of realisim. The bottom half of this page shows the complex 'slide bar' i originally planned on making to enable 'George' to move his left hand to 'hold chord notes' on his uke when playing. This was never made primarily because when it became obvious this figure was turning out much larger then expected, this animation would have proved troublesome and difficult to operate. There was so much else to be mindful of when performing 'George' you would need another person to just operate his 'slide' hand. Another image of interest- in the bottom right hand side you can see the spoof i did of the banjolele's brand label. The original 'CN' was changed to a similarly styled 'GH' in honour of George.

-


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgemarionetteworkart5SMALL.jpg

^ One of several napkins i drew on with ideas and planned strategies for how 'George' should be operated. Since he is a marionette, the strings were to be positioned to reflect where the various animations were to happen. The layout of the strings, and the shape of the crossbar controls, varies greatly from figure to figure. No two are ever the same really...as each character is usually of different size, weight, and has a different number of features or animations to control. Almost all of the charactersi had made up until this point were single-hand operated figures. 'George' had a far more complex array of animations, and required very careful considerations and planning to acheive the correct string layout and more importantly crossbar control layout. You can build the coolest puppet in the world, but it is really useless and a wasted effort if it cannot perform! So the top part of this early stage of development shows the string placement for both the head and body. At this point i knew 'George' was huge and would probably always perform seated..thus we see the string layout for his arms. The bottom half shows a few of the insane multitude of variations i made in trying to come up with a proper set of control bars. I must have gone through at least 30 different variations before reaching one that fit his needs perfectly. These shown were never used.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgemarionetteworkart6SMALL.jpg


^ Here is a very early napkin drawing i did to clarify what i had in my mind at that early stage for the controls for 'George'. The two control bars shown were a must, as one controls his head animations while the larger one handled the arm and hand animations. These two sets of animation needed to be seperated as the timing would be seriously off on both the lip sych animations and the hand strumming motion if melded together. Also, due to 'George' being lifesize, there was no way my stubby fingers could handle pulling all those strings together! So the 'splitting up' was always planned right from the start.
In the end, this layout was not used. The actual control bars came out looking like a reverse version of this, with no interlocking hook used. No back string or shoulder strings were used in the end, as they were not needed. The actual controls i ended up making ended up looking 'backwards' when compared to this early version...the strum string is now where the back string was to be shown above. The very bottom shows a pattened stripe that was to be used to decorate the control bars '..for a touch of George..' as the scrawled lettering says in the bottom right hand edge. The final controls were indeed decorated - strips of Indian/Nepalense patternwork designs and a small 'Dark Horse' image were smoothed into various decorative points within the wood.

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/Georgemarionetteworkart7SMALL.jpg

^ Another napkin drawing, this time showing the correct animation sequence for 'George' to strum his uke. At this point i was near completion and most of the project was finished. This was drawn out just to give me a sense of what needed to happen when i finally strung the uke and placed it in George's hands. The black triangles show in which direction each string needs to be going in to create the illusion of actually strumming the instrument. It takes seven strings for 'George' to strum. If i had added the 'slide' feature, it would have been eight. The various angles and smooth movements are achieved by the combination of rocking back and forth between the seven, with the primarily 'strum string' attached through his guitar(s) being the key component.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into what went into making 'George'. When i finally get the new batch of performance videos up, you will get to see him in action with me at the controls.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Fantastic news everyone...

I have been able to get the latest performance videos uploaded of 'George'. Woo Hoo!

On October 1st, "Uke Happens" yet again when i officially launch them. I will post direct links here for all five new additions...so get ready!

:)

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * -


Ladies and Gents...the moment you have all been waiting for...

Here now for your enjoyment is the ALL NEW collection of 'George Harrison' Marionette performance videos!


Now enjoy FIVE new videos - four songs performed by 'George' along with one special 'Behind the Strings' segement giving viewers a peek into how he is brought to life.

Direct links -

"Pisces Fish" -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nWkM6ll7y4

"Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWskGzt91f4

Behind the Strings segment -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-66P7i0erXE

"That's The Way It Goes" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUeeGgGaUlE

"Jai Sri Krishna" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LNsoDPvHgM

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- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * -

-

[mitzirocks]

Great work Jenn! Your Marionette(and the real George Harrison) Kick's ass!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Thanks! I am glad to hear you like him!

Here are some recent photos i just finally had developed ( yes, i use FILM..!)

Enjoy!

These are from the various video shoots i did over the Summer.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/GeorgeHarrisonmarionette-withflower.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/GeorgeHarrisonmarionette-withAcoust.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/GeorgeHarrisonmarionette-withWrapSM.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/GeorgeHarrisonmarionette-withElectr.jpg

[captslappy]

Back then long time ago when grass was green
Woke up in a daze
Arrived like stangers in the night
Fab - long time ago when we was fab
Fab - back when income tax was all we had

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

So Captain,. is this your fave HarriSong then?

B-)

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Not sure if this will be of any interest, but if so...here it is....

'George' now his his own Facebook Page!

You can check it out by doing a search for 'George Harrison Marionette'

[dook97]

The owners of this are EXCELLENT puppeters.

[rockafirefan4ever]

I saw and LOVE the videos... I even told her that I could almost feel his spirit when watching them... She is a master of magic by bringing him to life in puppet form....

[captslappy]

So Captain,. is this your fave HarriSong then?

B-)

Solowise, arguably I'd say "Fab" is. I don't know if it's my favorite one he did out of everything when you consider the Traveling Wilburys and the Beatles but it's close. I really like the Wilburys though. That was such a great group. It wasn't the same after Roy died and now that George is gone too there will never be anymore work from that group again sadly.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Many thanks for the kind comments everyone....it is appreciated knowing 'George' is welcome here.

He seems to really bring out two views in people - Folks either think he is a the coolest thing since strings were put on a wooden stick, or they are absolutely terrified of him! I recenly had some 'drama' over on another website where it was surprisingly viewed as something quite negative....and this was on a fan forum dedicated to George's son! It was a happy ending though.....and perhaps it caught some eyes...

Glad folks here seem to dig him....

There are plans to film TWO more videos this summer. I plan on shooting them in a different style ( perhaps slightly edited) so they will be visually different then the other six currently showing.

Two songs are being seriously considered - 'If Not For You' ( from his 1st solo album ' All Things Must Pass') and also 'Life Itself' ( from his 1981' album 'Somewhere In England). One other tune is being considered...possibly 'That's What It Takes' ( from 1987's 'Cloud Nine'). It will probably be tried out to see how it look and feels before deciding if it will become a choice. More news when that becomes more firm.

As noted earlier, i actually already filmed a performance of 'George' doing 'If Not For You' last year during the time i was shooting the first effort 'Any Road'. I did not release it however as i was not entirely happy with the performance. Also, the video looked too similar to the others previously filmed.....so i decided to hold off and maybe try it again in the future.

Over the past month there seems to be some interest in this project again ( based on the reactions i am recieving from various sources and websites) so i feel a little more motivated to create some new performances. George Harrison has plentty of musical material to choose from...it is just a matter of deciding what songs will translate best into puppet performances.

Tunes that are too 'complicated' in the audio department ( many layers of tracks of different instruments) tend not to translate as well. It is a bit awkward seeing 'George' sit there struming just a guitar when in the background you are hearing what sounds like a 200 peice orchestra blasting away. So i have to choose carefully. I also want to choose material that fits the time period i chose to represent 'George' in ( late 80s/ early 90s). Having him do a lot of 70s material would not really 'fit'. So a lot of thought goes into the song choices.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

All new photos of 'George' , photographed last month.
More will be forthcoming as in the coming weeks work starts on the latest batch of new performance videos.

Enjoy these in the meantime!

-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/d1978742.jpg

'George' poses for the camera with his favourite ukulele
-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/340eaeb0.jpg

When the mood strikes him, 'George' is known to pick up his uke and do a improptu performance...much to the delight of onlookers.
-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/1dbd01cb.jpg

A experimental photograph, done for artistic purposes.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/babff46c.jpg

The play of light on 'George's' face makes a nice image. The tiny turquoise 'Dark Horse Records' lapel pin he wears can be seen in this closer view.

[RetroGirl]

That is truly amazing!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Latest news- Work has begun in earnest on filming the NEW collection of 'George' videos! Finally...after many months, cameras are rolling on four new offerings.


Filming is now complete for the first new addition to the Performance Video collection.
"That's What It Takes" is now in post-production and about to be edited into it's final form, in preperation for release. If all goes to plan, it should be ready for viewing in a couple of weeks. The target date for release is August 1st.


Three more video shoots will be taking place for three more songs...two already have very clear ideas about how they will look, which as any filmaker knows is half the battle. Things are looking good so far..with some dashes of random humour tossed in to keep in theme with George's preferences.





This new collection will be made in a slightly different style, with some different views of 'George' so viewers can see him in greater detail. Close ups, various angles, and alternative views will be put together to give viewers a better look at him and what he can do. Some slight editing is planned to enhance the veiwing experience and give each new video it's own distintive look and 'feel'. I purposely avoided using any cutaways or editing in the previous collection as i wanted viewers to better be able to concentrate on 'George's actual performance....hard to do if the picture is changing every few minutes!

Now that viewers have seen what he can do, it is time to step things up a notch creatively. The new collection will have a more visual feel, and also inject some of GH's wry humour into the settings. This combo should be both a joy to capture on film on my end, and hopefully a delight to view on your end!

More info will be shared here as progress goes along.

[menutia]

I was granted a special personal meeting with Marionette George last month and he is truly amazing. It's hard to tell from the videos but the detail work on him is spectacular. The details on the face and hands is better than anything Disney or Madame Tussuad's could do.
Jenn has a wonderful prize in him and I hope he can be on display for everyone someday. It's a shame that he cannot get out on tour for everyone to see.

[Beach Bear]

Your sculpting or whatever you had to do is amazing! You followed the shape of his face like EXACTLY. Actually, I think this is better looking then a lot of profession big companies that makes cosmetics and stuff.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Aww guys...your kind words mean a lot to me to hear.
Yes tis' true - Our own Menutia was able to visit with 'George' last month. He is one of only a very small handful of people to have been able to see him in person..as 'George' sadly does not get out much. He is a bit of a recluse ....and has only performed live in front of a audience once last Summer. This i would like to change...as he really is quite a sight to see perform in person!

The new batch of videos i am currently working on are being designed to better show some of 'George's' details. Close ups as well as some interesting angles will hopefully bring him closer to his viewers. A videocamera can only capture so much...and the lighting sometimes bleaches the details out. Careful consideration is being taken this time around to show more of him in greater detail.

I am pretty excited about what i have filmed already..which is only ONE videos' worth of material at this point, but the quality is good in a artistic way. I like a lot of the material ...and hope to put it together in a entertaining way. There are some humourous surprises i worked in...for a nice unexpected laugh...and a sly tip of the hat to the man himself.

The latest updates i will post here soon. This week should be interesting..!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

The past few days have been intense...in many respects. The focus, performance quality, and the very intense heat during filming has had me in a whirlwind of activity. Nothing like filming outside in the 96 degree heat of humid Summer weather dressed in black...ieee!

Filming is now complete on "If Not For You" and i have to say that this one looks to be something very special. It has a definate 'feel' to it...very homey and comfortable. Think of yourself visiting George Harrison at home..at Friar Park...and getting to spend a Summer afternoon with him enjoying the grounds. Yeah...THAT kind of 'feel' to it visually. Bliss.

Today i spent some time reviewing all the footage for the first two new videos - "That's What It Takes" and "If Not For You". I was VERY pleased with the results...and some of the veiws of 'George' are stunning. There was even a shot or two where it gave me a little chill, as it reminded me so much of the man himself. It actually kind of freaked me out...but in a really nice way.

Filming wrapped for "That's What It Takes" last week...and reviewing it's footage today shows a good performance segment with a very funny last minute additon that brings it to a whole new level. I think George himself would be laughing at this little bit...it is SO 'him' ....a random bit of hilarity that is both Python-like and a nice nod to...well, wait n' see!

'George' is being filmed from various angles, with many close ups. Now folks will be able to better see the detailing of his face, his hands, and guitar stumming/plucking. He can do some decent 'solos' believe it or not. Several takes involve him singing and playing in a way that makes you feel like you are right there watching him in person. A lot more to be seen now then just the usual standard 'facing forward' strumming position as the previous six videos in the collection have already shown.

These two new additons are a absolute step up in a major way from the original collection. When these are finished in the way i hope to accomplish, it will blow the others' in the collection currently showing out of the water.

I have a really good feeling about these....now the serious work begins in getting these assembled and cut together into a completed presentation.

More news as production continues along !

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Today sees the release of TWO NEW 'George Harrison Marionette' Performance Videos. Both are done differently from my previous videos of 'George', and these new additons are made more in the style of a actual music video. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Although these are still very much 'homemade' efforts and in no way 'professionally' filmed, I think they are a nice step up from how the previous videos were handled. You get to see more of what 'George' can do, from different angles and situations, and from a closer view. There are also some bits of humour slipped in and other details sharp eyed viewers may spot.

Despite some dissapointments i personally have in the final uploaded picture quality, i think viewers will find them entertaining. I feel a little dissapointed that my master tape looks 10 times better then these digitized versions, and i was not able to get better end results. Hopefully this will not take away too much from the viewing experience.

A note about the audio - You will need to turn it up all the way as for some reason the upload diminished the volume of the original soundtrack.

Here are the links...hope you enjoy!

------------------

"That's What It Takes"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGZKlgt8htE

------------------

"If Not For You"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOsWzjSQwTs


-

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

The feedback i have been recieving on other websites for the two newest 'George' videos have been overwhelmingly positive. These seem to be big hits with those people who have seen them, although the other additons to the collection continue to rack up some impressive numbers still after over a year + in release. It's nice to know people are digging them.

There seems to be enough interest there for more, so two future videos are being planned. One is ready for filming, while the other is still in the very early stages of development.

Enjoy the vids....and feel free to make song suggestions for the future. George Solo works only, though, please!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Hi Friends...

Hope you have been enjoying the two latest editions to the 'George Harrison' Performance Video collection currantly showing on YouTube.

A update now....with the latest happenings related to the next pair of releases...

Two NEW videos are in the works...

'Life Itself' is still in Pre-Production and will be ready to go before the camera soon. It was ready last month, but a new idea regarding it's overall visual 'look' is leading to some further prep work. This will be a rather spiritual video somewhat ( much more so then 'Jai Sri Krishna' was) and a lot of care is being taken to capture that etheral vibe. The beautiful song deserves special treatment...it should be quite nice when work is complete.

The second video looks to be the fullfillment of many viewers' desires. For the past year, the #1 request i have recieved from viewers is to see 'George' perform a tune from The Traveling Wilburys. Up until now it was not looking promising, as the 'problem' was that most of the Wilbury material has many of the vocalists taking turns singing within the track iself. This does not really translate well visually when you only have ONE character performing...so i have had to shy away from covering this material.

After some rethinking, i remembered my absolute favourite Wilbury Era tune...and eureka.....it was plain as day as to what it could be done. So this particular song is now being developed into a Performance Video for 'George'.

Great news for those of you who were wanting to see 'George' do some Wilbury stuff!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Work is progressing ahead on the next two videos.

Pre-Production work has been going on for a couple of months now, and some neat ideas have come to light that have made me to decide to dedicate some extra time to working on two specific visual elements related to the videos.


'Life Itself' was ready to be filmed last month, but filming was put on hold until work was complete on a seperate project that was needed for the shoot. That project is now complete, and the way is clear to start filming.

Here is a peek at a scene from the upcoming 'Life Itself' -

This image is of one frame of a animated sequence that will be featured during one of the instrumental segements.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/ee4a95a7.jpg

'George' will also be sporting a new look in this video as well....to fit in with the mood. 'Life Itself' is one of Mr. Harrison's most spiritual compositions and extra effort is being taken to insure that translates into the overall visual look and 'feel' of the videotaped performance. Special considerations are being made on the lighting effects used, as well as some interesting scenes that invoke his peaceful residence.

The follow up to 'Life Itself' will be the Traveling Wilbury selection.

Probably the most exciting thing about the 'Wilbury' tune being performed is that it will require some additonal work in making something to be included in the presentation. A 'cameo' appearence is in the works....and it will be a fun addtion to the tune. Watch for more regarding that...in the future.

[TheRealBMcD]

Great work, but I'm going to be having nightmares.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Today i found some new photos of 'George'....ones i had initially passed over when looking over images i have to date.

Enjoy!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/74eb0738.jpg
^ ^ Contemplating something....


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/63602385.jpg
^ ^ Full of Krishna's light!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/591d16d3.jpg
^ ^ Although blurred, i like the setting and lighting.


-

Work continues on the next Performance Video "Life Itself" and when the time is right it will be ready to be filmed. A lot of thought has been put into the overall 'look' of this one, as this is one of George's more spiritual tunes. Several lighting options were explored, from candles to tiny string lighting, from large spots to in-camera effects with light levels. All of this will bring just the right ambience to 'George's performance.

One of the nice ideas to come out of all the brainstorming over the last few months is that the video will be divided into two distinct sections - a 'Dark' half, and a 'Light' half. It will visually tell a story, in a abstract way that relates to the song. It should fit well..and make for a interesting viewing experience.

:)

[TheRealBMcD]

Wonderfully done, but I have to ask.......am I not the only one who is ooged out by this thing?

[Partyhog]

Amazing Jenn, keep em' coming!

Different things have different effects on different people. This is something you get or you dont. Kind of like CEC, except, well CEC is not handmade...

[TheRealBMcD]

I'm just afraid that I'll wake up one night and he'll be sitting in a chair in my room. The moonlight softly reflecting on his face.

[PaulKTF]

Looks fantastic, Jenn. I think George himself would've loved it!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-
Thanks for the compliments gang..glad you enjoyed the 'lost' photos.

'George' can have a effect on people in a 'scary' way, as thanks to a lot of past horror movies puppets or large doll-like figures have a reputation in such films of being creepy little troublemakers. 'George', being lifesized can magnify that for some people. I assure you though, he has not a harmful ounce in him!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Today saw the dawning of a new creative age, as i have finally succeeded in converting my own videotaped productions into digital files.

This is HUGE ....absolutely huge on my end, as this is something i have been puzzled over for years on how to do and have always had to rely on others to convert and then post up my stuff. Today however, it looks very promising and if things continue to go well, i have a whole menu of things to share with everyone! I am thrilled at the success of the two small experimentations i did today converting some videotaped footage into actual files. THANK YOU J for letting me borrow your converter toy!

I have created a short Instrumental video featuring 'George' that i compiled from some of the outtakes of a previous video shoot. Basiclaly, it was a test to see if i could get my computer to do all the tasks asked of it, and created my first ever digitally edited video. It was quite a experience, and completely different then what i am used to doing to put these videos together, but the experiment left me feeling excited about what else could be done. After about 5 hours of figuring things out, uploading footage, editing bits, and adding a audio track....i have a neat minute and a half clip! Once it is availible for sharing, i will do so here.

So things are coming together nicely as far as future productions go.

This means there will be much more forthcoming regarding the 'George Harrison Marionette' project, for now i can film and then convert, edit, and upload in a more immediate way. Production of the forthcoming Performance Videos will be much more streamlined and there will be more opportunities to take advange of sudden bursts of creativity. It really is a big door being opened here....

Besides all of this, i also now have the ability to share many more photos of 'George' which will please those interested in this project. There is a treasure trove of nice poses but until now the process to convert them was a slow one.

Here are two new images ...from the recently created 'Instrumental' video.

Enjoy!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/bd64e825.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/8b725967.jpg

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

The new short instrumental video with 'George' is ready for release. Watch for a link soon!

Over 30 or so new photos of 'George' will be hitting his Facebook Page over the course of the next few days for those interested. Lots of fun things to see, and some currant portraits.

Link to the 'George Harrison Marionette' page : http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/George-Harrison-Marionette/108744329145003

Here are a few of the many recent photos. Enjoy !

-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/cd0fa70b.jpg

^^ A charming portrait of a leg-end...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/9fd392af.jpg

^^ 'George' enjoying his recently aquired Hawaiian Uke kindly donated by a fan...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/7def6a44.jpg

^^ Shooting a video segment ...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/55a5f2b7.jpg

^^ 'George' cannot resist a little self-promotion for 'All Things Must Pass'...!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

More great news in the creative department....!

Today i experimented around some more with the video making program, and created a new experimental video with 'George'. Here is a screen shot of the finished video for 'Someplace Else'

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/81a0ff1c.jpg

'Someplace Else' was filmed two years ago back when i shot the videos for "Thats The Way It Goes" and ''Devil and The Deep Blue Sea' . Between shooting those, i 'played around' with a couple of other songs, one being 'Jai Sri Krishna' which was eventually released....and this take of 'Someplace Else'. Up until now i really did'nt feel it was worth releasing, as it looked far too similar to the previous three videos. Thanks to the recent discovery of being able to convert my tapes into digital files..that has now changed.

I took the footage and used the program to enhance the visual look of it a little, giving it a different feel. This makes it stand out a little from the others. 'George' performs it in a mellow mood...and with the added sepia tone and slight camera move in, the once passed over performance now has a unexpected new life.

This will be released soon, as it is ready to go.

The brief 'Instrumental' video i mentioned previously will also be released. This minute or so clip was also a experiment and has some nice images of 'George' doing various things that have yet to be seen.

And where is 'Life Itself' you ask? Still awaiting filming. All this recent experimentation is going to insure a even better end result for the next Performance Video.

Stay tuned!

:)

[misskleo]

Wow, that is crazy amazing! Jenn, you are definitely a person of many talents. I wanted to be a puppeteer when I was younger, but my hand-eye coordination is just terrible, so it obviously didn't work out. :( In any case, the films are really cool! And it's neat that you chose George... He (along with Ringo) seemed to be overlooked quite a bit, even though I loved a lot of his contributions to the Beatles ("Within You Without You" is one of my top favorite Beatles songs, and that's saying a lot).

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Thanks for the compliment MissKleo. I love 'Within You Without You' as well....one of George's masterpeices, and he was so young when he wrote it! He already had the important things in life figured out...:->

-

Now for some great news folks!

Today the new short 'Instrumental' video featuring 'George' was released.

It is a brief but fun clip i put together with the new production system i have been experimenting around with these past couple of weeks.


It is a special treat for those regular readers who visit the 'George Harrison Marionette' Facebook Page, but anyone who stops by to visit can have a look at the new video!


Here is where to go -
http://www.facebook.com/georgeharrison#!/pages/George-Harrison-Marionette/108744329145003


Everything anyone would want to know about this project is on that page, with numerous photos.
The link below will take you to one album featuring photos of 'George' in various poses for the interested or curious. Over 30+ photos were added recently.


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.108753762477393.13085.108744329145003


ENJOY!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/c6e67efb.jpg

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

-
Today sees a new 'George' video debut!

Just released the latest video featuring 'George'....exclusively on the 'George Harrison Marionette' Facebook Page.

It is the first of two videos of him performing the wonderful tune "Someplace Else".

Here is where to go -
http://www.facebook.com/pages/George-Harrison-Marionette/108744329145003?ref=hnav

Named the 'sepia tone version' due to the nostalgic graphic look of the video, it was one of the first i created with the new post-production process. It was originally shot two years ago, but was not released due to it looking too visually similar to the other 'George' Marionette videos that were made at that time. Thanks to the new post-production process, the old footage took on its own unique look to set it apart.
'George's' guitar playing movements are particularly nice in this video...so enjoy!

The second video for "Someplace Else", named 'full colour version' , will see release very soon.
This will have a wide release, so it will be easy to find on YouTube when the time comes.
:)

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Brand spankin' new 'George Harrison Marionette' Performance Video was released today!

"Someplace Else" ( colour version)

Video link via YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEuWbjvAI74

Hope you enjoy...!

I think this is one of the better videos in this collection thus far, with a nice look to it and a charming performance by 'George'.

The picture quality is a step up from some of the previous efforts i think, with viewers able to get a better look at the Gardner in action. I went back and actually compared it to a couple earlier efforts, and the difference in quality is embarrassing in some cases. As i add more videos to the list, i just may have to go back and 'unlist' a few of the earlier efforts. I guess every performer or artist feels that way when they look back at their earlier works.

Let me know what you think of the new video....and if this is something you would like to see more of.

A couple of photos from the video shoot...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/d70488c1.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/f37d2440.jpg


" Life Itself " is still on track for release, and filming is scheduled within the next couple of weeks.

-

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

'George' waves a friendly hello to everyone....


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/dbcba853.jpg

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Great news folks!

Filming is FINALLY underway for the long awaited "Life Itself" Performance Video featuring 'George'!

The past two days have been active, with half of the shots now complete. In the coming days the last half will be filmed, and then the real fun begins.

This will be done in a 'edited' style, with several different scenes peiced together to create a finished video. All the details can be found on the 'George Harrison Marionette' Facebook Page which has production notes now posted in the 'Discussion' section.

Stop on over and have a read...and watch out for new photos coming soon.

For those not on Facebook, i will post more info about the video here as it gets closer to completion.

I am glad to finally see some movement on this video....it seems like it has taken ages to get all the pre-production work done and have the availble chunk of time to actually film it.

[PaulKTF]

Jenn,

Do you take requests? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vXZPztcGaY

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Yes, i am open to song suggestions as long as they are GH solo works only ( no Beatles material, please ).
Some time ago i was asking for requests, and received a few.

Latest update now.....

-
Filming is now complete for "Life Itself" ..and it has been a intense few days.
Working with this music is effecting me on a deeper level and it is definately welcome.
I think this will be one of the better 'George' Performance Videos to date.

The footage is being overviewed before the editing process, as there are several different takes to look at before deciding on what is best for the final video. What i have looked at so far appears to be very nice.
Many of the scenes involving the lighting effects came away looking really neat, with some delightful surprises.
'George' was enjoying himself...and the finished video will reflect this.

Folks will get to see him play his guitar(s) in greater detail...and some spiritual elements are present in keeping with the reflected theme of the song.

Here is the first of a series of photos from the video....more to follow soon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/8c05c4ca.jpg

-

[PaulKTF]

So when will we see a video to one of the tracks on Electronic Sound? :) (Just kidding).

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Probably once i finally get this album...!

-

Fantastic news....

A very special short PREVIEW of the latest 'George' video "Life Itself" will be taking place exclusively on the 'George Harrison Marionette' Facebook Page on Monday, August 15th!

This special video showcases a few clips from the finished video, and will give readers there a peek at what is to come.

The FULL version of the "Life Itself" Performance Video will be released very soon....watch out!



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/7564ed96.jpg

-

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Today is the day folks...

The special preview of the new "Life Itself" video is now up exclusively on the 'George Harrison Marionette' Facebook Page.
Stop on by and check it out, as it is a neat peek into what is to come!

Link to the Page : http://www.facebook.com/pages/George-Harrison-Marionette/108744329145003



Some more photos from the video - Enjoy!



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/979ea53e.jpg

-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/e9a8c11a.jpg

-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/a1508eeb.jpg

-

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Hope those who took a peek enjoyed the Preview of "'Life Itself".

The recent editing session was a success and the FULL final version the "Life Itself" Performance Video is now complete and ready for release!

Monday, August 29th will see the full version of "Life Itself" released. 'George' turns in a wonderful performance...perhaps his best to date.

I am so pleased to finally see this video completed.
It has been a very long road ...almost a year now since the first ideas came about for how to approach this particular song. I never thought it would take all this time to finish it, but the delay most certainly made the final video far better then it would have been if it had been completed earlier this year. The new tools i have availible have had a very positive effect on the final release.
After all the preperation, considerations, and actual production work...at last it is finished and ready to be shared!

Watch for the link here on Monday!

:)

Two more photos from the video....


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/754270db.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/aca31ba5.jpg

-

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Today is the day folks....

The latest Performance Video featuring 'George' sees release!

Check it out here -

"Life Itself"

George Harrison Marionette - " Life Itself " (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTG3y4Q786g#)


Enjoy!

:)

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

-

Some new photos of 'George' to share....as he recently dressed in some attire more befitting for the weather.

A moody shot....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/756b1d96.jpg

...and a nicer portrait.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/deacy1/George%20Harrison/122ca355.jpg




:)