Maybe I Can Tell You How to Get to Sesame Street!

                I have been blessed with a magnificent opportunity!  The Sesame Workshop recently called for aspiring puppeteers to submit videos of their talents for the chance to hone their skills under the guidance of Martin P. Robinson and Matt Vogel, a couple of the best professionals in the business.  The requirements were:

              Make a short video (3 minutes MAX) showcasing your talents as a puppeteer following these guidelines:

·         Introduce the video as yourself.

·         Enter and exit frame with your puppet (it’s helpful if the puppet you use has good eye focus).

·         Show a variety of character voices (3-4 minimum).  Please note: we want to see your original character voices, not your imitation of existing Sesame Street character voices.

·         Finish your video with a short song…we would like to hear you sing!

            Not long after submitting my video, I received a response stating that I had been offered a slot in their workshop!  I’m very excited and eager to apply what I learn to my skillset!  The workshop will take place during the first week of February and focus on:

·         Precise lip syncing

·         Bold characters

·         The ability to perform with a standard monitor

I’ll be sure to give an account of my experience here on my blog later! 

Stay tuned for more updates!

-Brittany L. Reid

THE WORD, IS BIG BIRD!

-By: Brittany L. Reid

       
          It looks like the “Bird is the Word” for the 2012-2013 season.  Big Bird, one of Sesame Street’s mascots, recently garnered national attention when Republican Governor Mitt Romney mentioned cutting government funding to PBS as part of his fiscal plan to help manage the debt crisis.  The social media world went insane with YouTube videos, Memes, and even fake Twitter accounts expressing their opinions on Romney’s statement.

            But the six-year-old bird remained as innocent as a child when he responded to the issue on an October 7, 2012 Saturday Night Live skit.  “I feel like I’m famous now,” he said.  “It’s so weird to think that just a few days ago, I could just blend in like every other perfectly normal 8-foot tall talking bird!”  If Big-Bird is feeling the publicity now, he’ll feel even more famous next year.  Or at least…his Muppeteer will.

            The man behind Big Bird, Caroll Spinney, has been providing the voice and motion for the walking puppet since Sesame Street’s debut in 1969, and he’s still going strong.  The 78-year-old Muppeteer will give insight to his life as the lovable, yellow fowl in a documentary set for release some time in 2013.  The film is titled, “I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story,” and is produced by Copper Pot Pictures.  The film comes following the success of the 2011 documentary “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,” which chronicled the life of Elmo’s puppeteer Kevin Clash and was Directed & Produced by Constance Marks.

          For more information about Caroll Spinney's upcoming documentary, visit Copper Pot Pictures' website at www.iambigbird.com.