Ruben
[3rd Year Animation Student]
Furchester Hotel (2/10/14)
On the evening on the 2nd October i had the pleasure of attenting an event in honor the lanch of the new Cbeebies show Furchester Hotel.
What is Furchester Hotel?
"The Furchester Hotel is a show made by CBeebies and Sesame Workshop about an 'almost' world-class hotel run by a close-knit family of cheerfully chaotic puppet monsters. The proprietors are Funella Furchester, the welcoming monster owner, her loving husband, Furgus Fuzz, and their daughter, the unflappable Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz. The Furchester family is joined at the hotel by two original Sesame Street characters who many children and grown-ups will already know and love; Elmo who is on an extended stay at the hotel and Cookie Monster, who has landed his dream job as room service and dining-room waiter. There’s also Isabel, a furry bell monster - guests won’t get any attention until she dings to announce their arrival!
The family bend over backwards and forwards and sideways (only occasionally tipping over) to be sure that the needs of every guest are met whether animal, vegetable, mineral or monster. The Furchester Hotel aims to promote and build creative problem-solving skills for its young audience. As the Furchester family scrambles to meet the needs of its guests, the monsters use their thinking skills to brainstorm possible solutions to problems. Even when it looks like they have tried all the possibilities, their perseverance prevails because their family motto is, “A Furchester never gives up!” The daily mishaps and mix-ups at The Furchester Hotel give many opportunities for the characters to model the ways pre-schoolers’ natural curiosity and creativity can be harnessed to collaborate and solve problems."
 Hacker t dog & Dodge |  basil brush |
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 strange hill high |  victor and frankenweenie |
 bagpuss |  playdays |
 blue peter tracey island |  clangers |
 teletubbies |  |
 rastamouse |  sooty and sweep |
This was by far one of the best events i've ever attented, featuring a fantastic panal including the likes of: Tony Reed, Sarah Burgess, Julia Frost, Andrew Spooner, Ian Mackionnon, Phil Chalk, Phil Flecher and Warwick Brownlow-Pikeit. This event really opened up my eyes the other opportunities available to me as an animator.
Puppetry is something thats always been something that ive had a key interest in since i was a child, Ive wanted to be a puppeteer for longer than i've wanted to be an animator but just assumed that something like this wouldn't have opportunities available within the uk, especially with a company as big as Sesame Workshop. Amazing.
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I was inspired!
After attending this event i was hell bent on learning how to make muppets.
After spending hours online trying to find the simplest and most cost effect techniques i came across a few video on youtube posted years ago.
Click here for link to the first video - Head video
Click here for link to second video - Body video
Admittly i changed alot of things materal wise, for example i used alot thinner and cheaper foam sheet to make the head and body.
It took me around 7 hours to make and for a first attempt at something like this im thrilled with the out come, he's more than good enough for what i need him for right now and it only cost me around £1.20 to produce.