The marionette whispered it had to stretch it’s strings. The Diva demanded to perform. Being a slave to it’s will I obliged with the help of The Grand Negress Godiva. I must admit I was morbidly curious to see what would happen when one manipulates a life-sized marionette to sing songs of a queer, classically trained falsetto-singing transvestite from New York.
The rouster of assistants to bring the marionette to life was as impressively motley as the opera singers credentials. I enlisted the help of puppet-master Lynn K. of Behind the Couch Productions to be head puppeteer. Also in attendance were Craig M. Production Facilitator extrodinare of the WACMC, Andrea M., a film school graduate student and her partner Eric.
The dowel does not afford enough support for the entire body. Damnation! It started tearing through the plaster once the weight was applied. I’ve changed the dowel to a length of 1/4 inch board.
The pelvic area must be able to support the weight of the entire lower half of the puppet. The following structure will be placed along the coronal plane at the top of the closed pelvis structure.
It will bear the weight of the lower body and act as anchor for the thigh pieces.
Currently listening to:
Son House
At Home: Complete 1969 Recordings
Low down, dirty, deep in the Delta, real Southern blues. Son’s blue’s come from a deep hard blue somewhere most of us will never go.
On second thought, the original pulley system is too complicated. Line does not glide smoothly through the pulleys. There is too much friction. This design, although not as visually interesting, works a lot better.
An internal structure is needed to support the entire weight of the puppet. Since all weight is supported at the shoulders I need to distribute the weight throughout the thoracic cavity. Two rods will act as a spine. They attach at the clavicle and the upper pelvis. Once installed the system adds a much needed rigidity. Once flooded with expanding foam insulation it will be as solid as an Olympic athlete.
Currently listening to Beirut The Flying Cup Club
Imagine you are watching a balloon race in 1910 Paris…
The brunt of body weight will be carried by a dowel running through the coronal plane of the shoulders. It is anchored by two u-bolts which work double duty by also acting as external string attachment points. The coronal dowel also anchors neck and arm attachment points.
Currently Listening to: Deerhunter
Cryptograms
Sounds a lot like Atlas Sound (probably because they are both projects headed by Bradford Cox.) The album cover is a warning cryptogram. You will be sucked into a never-ending space spiral of trip-punk sounds.
Feet must move toward the ground. Other directions will cause disorientation. Fifteen cents in the tip of your boots will do the trick.
Anchors, foam and time will make the feet steadfast. It’s important to have a solid base.
Currently Listening To: Atlas Sound Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
This album opens a window into some strange and haunted
distorted world populated by little more than wind and emotional ghosts.
Spectacular!
Hell’s Bells Ring Triumphant
Beirut
