Video: How to make a puppet stand
Different puppet types require different display/storage systems. A muppet-type puppet, sock or mouth puppet will require a stand - usually a vertical pole or piece of wood, housed in a heavy base. Some puppet makers even use microphone stands for their puppets! In this video, I show you how to make a stand for muppet-type puppets (or sock puppets). The video includes a list of materials and tools. The following will cost you about $15 in materials and take you less than 20 minutes to make.
Generally speaking a puppet stand is a vertical piece of wood, attached to a horizontal one at the bottom. The horizontal piece is the base, and the vertical piece can be inserted into the body or head of the puppet; offering stabilisation for the puppet. The base can be weighted down with sandbags, books, or whatever is handy and heavy.
You may also wish to read the old tutorial [link to be added] on using a doll stand (for Barbies and such) for a modified stand for muppet-type/sock puppets, which has the handy function of being able to close the puppet’s mouth for good promo pics. Something I didn’t include in this particular tutorial is how to attach a mechanism for closing the puppet’s mouth. This is mainly due to my use of the stand for other reasons (this is really part one of making a gallows), but you may wish to adhere a bulldog clip or something similar to the top of the stand; the clip will fit into the puppet’s mouth (inside the head) and grip strongly enough to keep the puppet’s mouth closed during photo sessions. Some nails or tacks will keep the clip in place.
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| Examples of the stand: use for muppet-types, sock or mouth puppets, or even shadow or rod puppets! |
This post AKA puppet stand plans, AKA how to build a puppet stand, AKA how to build a simple wooden puppet stand, AKA how to make simple easy puppet stands
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There's an interesting review at the Sydney Morning Herald on it, by the way. They also praised Banas, and slammed Butel. But they were clearly uneducated on puppetry, merely noting, that Butel, "Pulled focus more often than Princeton did". I'm in the same boat, know no puppetry, but did note that Banas was more compelling as her characters. So it seems that more than a few people noted the problems you did, but couldn't put their finger on them!
... Sean Riley on Review: Avenue Q, Australian tour