My Visit to the Sesame Workshop

Tremors shivered up and down my spine and butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I clutched the phone tightly in my hand. It rang and then I heard my mother’s voice on the other end.
“Hello?”
“Hi, where are you?”
“Driving with your Memama.  We’re about to do some Christmas shopping.”
“Okay, well you might want to pull over or something.”
“Why?”
“I’ve got some big news.  Do you have me on speaker?  Put me on speaker!”
“Hold on. ……Okay, you’re on speaker,” my mom says.  Then, after my grandmother gives me her hello, I take a breath,
“Hi! Well, it looks like I’m heading to Sesame Street!”
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That’s how I broke the news to my family after I received an e-mail stating that my submission for the 2014 Sesame Puppeteer Workshop had been accepted back in December. Immediately there were exclamations of joy from my mother and grandmother, and we soon shared the news with other members of the family.

The Count, Telly, and Me!

I’ve loved the Muppets ever since I was a kid. I mean, who hasn’t? Their characters are hilarious and timeless, heartfelt, and imaginatively realistic. Since their debut, they’ve practically been a part of everyone’s family, for every generation. But my love of puppetry extended beyond the Muppets. As a child, I had puppets of Charlie Horse, Lamb Chop, and Hush Puppy whom I often lifted up to the TV as I tried to mimic the performances I saw on “Lamb Chop’s Play Along.” I even took an interest in ventriloquism when I was about 9, and did shows for my local church and local school.

My love only grew as I became intricately interested in not just the performances, but the foundations of the stories and lessons that the puppets conveyed to their audiences.  By the time I was 11, I knew that I wanted to be part of a movement that had a great, positive impact on today’s generation. I knew I wanted that impact to be educational and entertaining.

Before long, I had written and illustrated my first children’s book, Quack-a-Doodle-Doo: Do it Like Dave.  After its success, I immediately began formulating a plan to incorporate my puppetry into my hobby of writing. I had done a few on-camera puppetry performances already. But I thought,

“Who better to help me hone my educationally-entertaining puppetry skills than the masters at the Sesame Workshop, a corporation who has breathed life into the edu-tainment industry since my parents were kids?”

With that in mind, when I heard about the open-call for puppeteers to send in their videos to the Sesame Workshop, I knew I had to take my shot. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and there was a one-in-a-million chance that I’d get in. But at least if I entered, I’d have a chance.

The video  that I sent in for my submission can be viewed below:

As I shot the video, I recorded my part first. Then, I recorded my Muppet’s part. When I went in to edit, I merged the two scenes together, utilizing skills I’d learn from the Video Production courses I’d taken at the University of West Georgia.

Needless to say, when I informed my family that my application had been accepted, they were thrilled and gave me their full support…(and when I say full support, I mean FULL). Before I knew it, I had two aunts and a grandmother exclaiming that they, “wanted to go to New York too!” I practically had an entourage geared up to travel with me to The Big Apple.

---

My family and I decided to travel by car. It was a long trip, but we entertained ourselves with several movies we had brought along for the ride. By the time we reached Maryland, we realized that a pretty heavy snow storm would be coming along our path. So we decided to bunk at an Inn for the night. We woke up early the next morning, and pulled out around 9 AM to finish up the rest of the drive. We ended up reaching NYC around noon, giving us plenty of time to check in to our hotel. I then made sure I had my materials ready before heading on over to the workshop, which began early that afternoon.

Walking into the workshop, I was surrounded by pops of color and the kid inside me was giddy with excitement! As I turned the corner into the meeting room, I met some of my fellow puppeteers. Before long more people began to trickle in. We all signed in, put on our name tags, and all chatted for a while as we eagerly waited for our mentors.

It wasn’t long before…they entered.

There was an air of cheeriness and positivity surrounding all three of them: Martin P. Robinson, Peter Linz, and Matt Vogel.

Everyone was beaming ear to ear as a bubbling wave of eagerness washed over the room. We all went around and introduced ourselves. Then, after we were given a rundown of what the workshop would entail, we were split up into our groups for the day.

Overall, the workshop focused on the basics such as eye focus and bold characterization. We did several exercises to help enhance our individual strengths and techniques throughout the workshop. There was also a great deal of versatility, both in terms of our groups and the puppets that we worked with. In the end, it all culminated into several fun skits that we did to gauge how much we had learned over the course of the workshop.

On the last day, we all make sure that we gathered each other’s contact information. My family ended up leaving NYC at about 4 AM after the last day, and we made it back home by that night.

I took away a lot; but one of the greatest aspects of this experience was the fact that I got to meet a lot of fabulous puppeteers, whom I hope to work with again at some point in the future.

I wouldn’t trade my experience at the Sesame Workshop for anything. I feel like a part of me is still in NYC; it all ended way too soon.

But it will definitely be marked as one of the best experiences of my life!

Me with my mentors: (left) Matt Vogel, (center) Peter Linz, (right) Martin P. Robi

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

YouTube's Contest before Permanent Shutdown! (...April Fools!)

With the rise of Social Media, there also comes the expansion of connectivity that allows practically everyone to participate in worldwide campaigns.  These digital mediums have garnered support by the millions for movements such as Bully-Prevention, Natural Disasters Recovery, Cleaning the Earth Initiatives, and more.  The ability to easily bring so many people together has also opened the path for multiple cultures to share in the celebration of various holidays.  For example, we can always depend on Google to modify the design of its homepage in conjunction with a multitude of events throughout the year: from the birthdays of famous people like Jim Henson and Dr Seuss, to more popular dates like Valentine's Day and Christmas.  This year it was YouTube, one of the more world-renowned branches of Google, who rang in April Fool’s Day with perhaps the most creative prank on the internet.  

 YouTube's administrators released a video stating that the website’s launch in 2005 was all part of a contest to find the “Best Video” in the world.  After reviewing every video ever uploaded, they would narrow down the nominees before deleting everything and shutting down the website for good.  The winner of the contest would be announced years later in 2023, when the website would re-launch with a remarkable depletion in content, save for one…special….video.

Needless to say, YouTube users were quite aware that this announcement was obviously a ruse.  Still, the sheer amount of realism and effort that went into crafting the joke is enough to give the website high accolades for being a Master-Prankster this year.

UWG Alpha Lambda Delta Newsletter- 2008

   
     Below is a link to one of the issues of the Alpha Lambda Delta newsletter that I was in charge of editing, publishing, and distributing to the organization's members when I was a student at the University of West Georgia.  At the time, I served as the Chief Editor of the newsletter, and was also the Secretary of the organization.  My responsibilities included ensuring that members were informed of our meetings-schedule, upcoming events, and meetings minutes via our electronic list-serve.

 

*Click the picture below to view the full 2-Page File*

Pedal Pushing Pooches (Dogs can Drive)!

            
-By: Brittany Reid

Dogs have been man’s best friends for centuries.  They have operated as hunters, security guards, and service dogs for those who are handicapped.  So, what’s the next step for our canine companions?  How about seeing these furry, four-legged creatures driving next to us on the highway?  Well, it’s highly possible!  According to recent studies conducted just this week, it has been proven that dogs have the ability to drive! 

            New Zealand’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) recently rescued three abandoned pups and spent two months training them on how to operate buttons and gear shifts similar to that of a car.  Monty (an 18-month-old giant schnauzer), Porter (a 10-month-old beardie cross), and Ginny (a 1-year-old whippets cross), were the lucky pups chosen to take part in this experiment.  After mastering the control of various buttons and levers, the animals were put behind the wheel of a specially designed test vehicle to practice what they had learned during training.  Then, the dogs were taken to a wide field for a rehearsal run.  There, they garnered worldwide recognition when footage of the rehearsal made headline news on renowned networks like CNN.  This Monday, the dogs were taken to the racetracks for their official solo performances.  Monty and Porter’s successful test runs were broadcasted live on New Zealand’s 3 News TV station.  Ginny’s test was not aired.

(Highlights of Porter's test shown below)

            The purpose behind this experiment was to increase promotion for adopting dogs from rescue shelters by showing that they are highly capable of being trained and tamed.  Many people opt to purchase well-bred dogs when the rescued ones are in need of a home too.  All it takes is a lot of Tender Loving Care, along with patience, and they can do anything (like drive a stick-shift)!  But the possibilities of how this could directly affect our society are endless!  Dogs already aid humans by performing duties such as leading the blind and sniffing out drugs for law enforcement.  Could you imagine them driving around the visually impaired or taking part in a high-speed chase alongside their human police-partners? …okay, so maybe that is a stretch.  But hey, after Mishka the Talking Husky went viral showing that dogs can imitate human sound, just about anything is possible!  The world may be “going to the dogs” a lot sooner than we think!
            So the next time you’re training your pooch to “sit,” “speak,” “roll-over,” or “play-dead,” you may want to start adding the phrases “drive,” “turn,” “put it in neutral,” and “park,” to your list of dog-commands!


For more information about the SPCA and their efforts to encourage the adoption of abandoned canines, visit their Facebook page here: DrivingDogs.

DEXTER’S RUDE REMOVAL: THE LOST EPISODE…FOUND!

By: Brittany L. Reid

“Enter at your own peril, past the vaulted door where impossible things may happen that the world’s never seen before!”


            You know this infamous phrase.  This is the first line to the ending theme for Cartoon Network's classic animated series, Dexter's Laboratory.  But, did you know there is an episode of this cartoon that showcases Dexter and his sister, Dee Dee, as you've NEVER seen them before....LITERALLY?!  Recently there has been a bevy of activity online about an unaired, “lost episode” of Dexter’s Laboratory entitled, “Dexter’s Rude Removal.”  But “rude” would be putting it lightly.  Apparently this episode is so vulgar that it would make a sailor blush.
            Research indicates that the episode features Dexter performing an experiment that goes horribly wrong due to Dee-Dee’s interference (so what else is new, right)?  The result is the creation of devilish personalities who cause chaos, and whose language rivals that of South Park!  This particular cartoon was created to be viewed by those who were 18 years of age or older at special events.  There are accounts that the episode once aired at a Californian comic convention in the late 90s.  However, this was the only time that the taboo episode ever went public…until now!
            In October, there was an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Reddit.com that was hosted by Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of Dexter’s Laboratory.  During the session, someone made a post questioning if “Dexter’s Rude Removal would ever see the light of day again.  Mr. Tartakovsky (account name- iamgenndytartakovsky) confirmed its existence, and there was an online movement via Tumblr, Twitter, and a multitude of other social media sites urging for a public release of this episode.  It wasn’t long before Adult Swim, the late night programming block on Cartoon Network, picked up on the fans’ pleas.
            The block went to work updating its viewers on progress with obtaining the episode and somehow getting it to air.  Their hard work paid off!  According to one of the network’s recent late night bumps (title cards shown between commercials), they will be broadcasting Dexter’s “lost” episode on the Internet sometime this week.  The announcement that Adult Swim aired is shown below.

 So adult fans of the show should keep a sharp eye out for this debut!  

…But, make sure you keep your kiddies or little siblings out of the room!  Needless to say, “viewer discretion is advised.”

Can you Afford a Ford....Stock?

-By: Brittany L. Reid

Considering the recent recession, one may wonder if taking interest in the Ford Stock Price is a wise investment.  The Ford Stock Price is the price or value of stock in the Ford Motor Company.  Before one can consider investing in this automotive corporation, it is important to have a basic understanding of the stock market and how it affects one’s finances. 

                  In the stock market, people buy shares of a company so that when the value of the company rises, investors receive a profit.  When the stock prices continue to increase over a long period of time, buyers refer to this as a Bull market.  When the stock prices decrease, it is a Bear Market.  So now, the question is whether or not the current economy has resulted in the Ford Stock Price being a Bear Market, or a Bull Market.

                  The cause for the current state of Ford’s stocks can be traced back about eight years.  In 2004, Alan Mullaly was brought into the Ford family.  He made wise decisions concerning the financial aspects of the company while simultaneously brainstorming to reconstruct some crucial areas of the corporation.  In the early stages of the recession, Mullaly opted to drive Ford down a different route than its competitors by providing the company with billions in finances as a safety net.  Chrysler and General Motors, in contrast, gassed up their engines by accepting federal bailouts, which ended up giving them car trouble.  Alan Mullaly was later appointed as the chief executive and president of the Ford Motor Company in September, 2006.  Since then, the Ford Stock Price has continued to maintain fairly high value.  This can be attributed to the company analyzing various benefits of smaller, more energy-efficient vehicles, as well as investigating various methods of cost reduction.  The company’s Ford Motor Credit branch is also a top contractor of auto-financing.  However, comparing Ford’s business in the United States to its global competition highlights other defining factors for whether or not it is a good investment.  China, South America, and Europe are just a few of the leading contenders that serve as healthy competition for the company. 

                  In conclusion, the Ford Stock Price has had relatively moderate to strong buys over the past few months.  One might say that the stock is in the green zone.  It’s not a Bear Market, but it is not quite a Bull Market either.  In the end, when it comes to the stock market, whether or not one decides to invest in a company depends on the stock buyer’s personal research and analysis of the corporation.

FOX- 25 YEARS AND COUNTING

-By: Brittany L. Reid
        
           It began with a new television station's struggle to find just the right type of entertainment to bait its audience hook, line, and sinker.  Who would've thought that the wrong content would be what they were looking for....or perhaps we should say the most unorthodox content?  The year was 1987 when FOX, a novice network practically out of the womb, premiered a show about a family of underdogs that would slowly begin winning the hearts of Americans.  A shoe-salesman, his fashion-forward wife, his ditzy daughter, and his wannabe-player son would spend the next few years taking the television audience on a journey of the rarely acknowledged every day life of the unconventional family.
            The context of this show, “Married…with Children,” would begin a tradition that seemed to be the key for future hit shows on FOX.  The network would go on to syndicate programs with the pitch of the "underdogs struggling to achieve."  FOX would utilize real life scenarios in both factual and fictional settings, and play on the opinions and sympathies of America to debut the oddest elements of television programming, from attacking animals, to focusing on taboo subjects like drugs, sex, sexual orientation, and more.  The network would become renowned for cultivating shows like “The Simpsons” (following a similar foundation of “Married…with Children,” but in an animated format), “Beverly Hills 90210,” “In Living Color,” “Malcom in the Middle”, “American Idol,” and more.  From reality competitions, to pushing the patience of the FCC, the network became its own type of Underdog, one that would go on to even make fun of itself in the programs it featured throughout the years.
            While it's only been a quarter of a century since the debut of this network, there is no doubt that FOX has become an integral part of the American family, simply because everyone has someone in their family with that same attitude as FOX: the reckless, over-dramatic, leap before you look type of relative who takes chances and somehow, always seems to still come out on top.  Now, at the brink of young adulthood, the network celebrated its 25th Anniversary on Sunday, April 22, 2012, with a look at its history.  Such a nostalgic sendoff allowed the audience to see how it has grown with FOX over the years.  It is only natural to wonder just what the next 25 years will have in store for the underdog that always seems to be.....as Charlie Sheen would put it, “WINNING!!!!!”  

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.