“Puppetry and Computer Graphics” by Masson, Sherman, Barclay, Hayes, Stokes, et al. …
Description:
Pioneering artists such as Jim Henson and Phil Tippett, and many other puppeteers, have been experimenting with computer graphics from the beginning.
Jim Henson’s early CG puppets, Waldo C. Graphic and Tizzy the Bee, led to development of the Henson Digital Performance Studio, and, more recently, CG versions of Kermit the Frog and Gonzo the Great. Tippet’s Digital Input Device first gave CG animation access to additional stop-motion animators working on “Jurassic Park” and “Starship Troopers.” Virtual CG sets of “The Jim Henson Hour” and “The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss” also added a broader freedom to the medium.
This special session reviews the history, advantages, and future of CG in puppetry, and it presents many personal stories from the puppeteers’ perspective.