Seren Dibble

🦋She/They🦋 21 🎬Puppet Maker🎬 Writer

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Short Film BTS - Love Blossoms

This was the very film film I worked on that required puppetry work, which turned out so much better than I could have ever imagined!

For this film I worked as both production designer as well as a puppet-maker and puppeteer, which was an exciting new experience for me as a film maker. This is realistically where my passion for puppets has taken off, getting to make 3 gorgeous plant puppets for this wonderful film!

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Short Film BTS - Paper Weight

I had the most wonderful experience working as both Production Designer and Puppet Maker for Paper Weight

It was such a rewarding experience getting to design and create sets, as well as making puppets that I performed with!

This wouldn't have been possible without this incredible crew. I cannot wait to see the final product come together!

(P.s. You'll get to see the puppet eventually ✨)

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Here's some labyrinth fan art I made a while ago but just never got around to finishing. Maybe one day I'll complete it and add Jareth, all depends on what life is like post-grad lol.

I would also like to think my work has improved since then, but I don't post often enough to really see if that theory is correct (maybe one day I'll be active!) Either way, I really liked how this turned out at the time and absolutely love this movie!

[cellspex]

Normalize this response

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Chappell Rodent

This has been an exciting week to be a Chappell Roan fan! With the announcement of her upcoming album, her SNL performance as well as getting a new song which is to DIE for, why not celebrate with a cutesy new design?

Chappel Rodent is here for your enjoyment, and you can purchase her here:

For or the chappell roan fans who have a soft spot for rodents too

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Character Concepts - George and Hermia + Commissions

Had these two in my head for years and I'm finding the time to develop them as characters. So have this rough concept art for two original characters of mine, George and Hermia. Their story isn't complete but its unfolding and I cannot wait to see where it leads!

I am also offering these type of sketches for commissions for those who want simple character references, perfect for those who have original characters. You can find this on my Ko-Fi page at the link in my bio :)

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Concept Art for a 70s Bedroom

I worked as 'Production Designer' for a short film called 'Violets' which I also wrote. This is the very first set I have designed and created.

This was the concept I created for the protagonist's room. Set in the 70s, it follows a young woman's journey in discovering herself through her religion as well as her sexuality as she falls in love with a vampire. I wanted to show her innocence and show a room where she had a place to develop as a person.

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Here's some cute rats inspired by the flags of the LGBTQ+ community! You can find these on my Redbubble shop (ThePopcornRat) if you wish to support me! Feel free to suggest any rats you'd like as I'm looking to expand this collection

I also take commissions on Ko-fi if you wish to directly support me and the work i do :)

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A Filmmaker's Blog

The Creative Process and Risk Taking

Creativity is something deep and meaningful and can be expressed in thousands of ways, but putting your work on display for everyone to judge and criticise can be extremely vulnerable.

Early in my second semester of university we were given a lecture on creativity and failure. As students I think we’re desperate to be the best that we can be but forget we’re still students. There is so much we don’t already know, and part of the process is try, fail, and try again. Within this lecture we looked at Erik Kessels, particularly his book, ‘Failed It!’ (2016) where he talks about how perfection isn’t a good starting point. If you have nothing to improve, then what’s the point in creating? Nothing will instantly be perfect, and it's human nature to fail. To quote Kessels, “Avoiding mistakes and playing it safe results in shining swirling works of meh.”

In Austin Kleon’s book (2012), ‘Steal Like an Artist’ he compares ideas to genetics. Rather than coming up with something totally original, you draw ideas from your inspiration, evolving the ideas into something more personal. This is because everything has already been made, and a lot of creatives feel this pressure to be completely original, including myself, when it’s almost impossible. Instead of trying to put this unattainable goal in our way, we should be ‘shaped and fashioned by the things we love.’ (Goethe) It allows us to create new, equally inspiring pieces that also serve as love letters to those who inspire you. There is a reason these ideas inspire you, if there is a connection, pursue it.

Around 2012, the Jim Henson Company wanted to create a project based on ‘The Dark Crystal.’ There were many stages of trial and error that lead to the final product. Initially the idea for the show was to create a blend of practical and CGI effects, the Skeksis being puppets, and the Gelfling CGI. The team created a test to see whether this concept would work, and sure enough it didn’t quite have the right look. Instead of cutting the CGI effects altogether, they went all in, creating an entire series filled with nothing but puppetry, but also utilising CGI to add more lifelike movements to their faces, allowing the characters to fully express themselves beyond what puppetry could. Without these tests and failures, the show wouldn’t have worked nearly as well. A product inspired by the creativity of many artists and filmmakers and their creative risks.

Learning as a creative can be vulnerable, but regular feedback, a willingness to improve with inspiration and influence is crucial to your development. It’s important to keep creating, no matter how small or imaginative the projects are, as long as you’re learning with each creation and listening to those who are willing to help, you will gain the confidence within your skills and ideas. Testing ideas and adapting from what works and what doesn’t is what makes you creative.

Working With Actors

Actors are such a crucial element of films. Without actors, there would be a limit on the stories we could tell and how they’re told. I have found that it is essential to build your relationship with actors to develop your best work.

During a workshop held with a couple of actors, we were able to walk through the process of auditions and how they work. As a child actor myself, I am no stranger to the process of auditions and just how intimidating they are. It can be vulnerable having your performance scrutinised in front of an audience. Helping us to understand the anxiety of actors during auditions, we put ourselves in their shoes. We walked through a simulated audition with a ‘Director’ and ‘Camera Assistant’ who would judge us based on our skill. Despite having acting experience, I still found it difficult and felt nervous during the exercise, especially when it came to receiving feedback. What did help, however, was the attitude of the ‘Director’.  

Sally Porter (2014) emphasizes the importance of the relationship between actors and directors, helping your actors feel as comfortable as possible throughout the process. During an audition, actors' nerves are at their highest. Porter suggests turning an audition into something more engaging rather than a brief performance, creating an environment where you converse with your actor, creating a small exercise that opens them up. It allows you to see more than just the performance, but rather the person and their potential beyond the nerves. After an audition, its courteous to thank them, and always get back to them. They’re still people, and even if they weren't the fit for this job, they may be perfect for another.

Director Greta Gerwig has gained a lot of recent attention, and when looking at how she works with her actors it’s no surprise as to why. Gerwig’s work on Ladybird, as seen in the film’s DVD special features (Lorem 2023), Greta holds a close relationship with each actor. Instead of taking full control of each decision they make, she offers them resources that she believes helps add  depth to the characters, and lets them decide whether they want to take that on board. I also love how she encourages actors to incorporate parts of themselves into their work by drawing elements of their personalities and adding it to their characters. I find this helps to immerse an actor and work together to create an authentic performance.

Take the time to get to know your actors. It can be just as, if not more nervous for them when presenting their work, especially if their performance is emotional or challenging, so making sure they’re comfortable is incredibly important. Actors are your colleagues, and the industry runs on collaboration, so work together to create the project all of you are passionate about. There is a difference between constructive criticism and being rude and unhelpful, and we should always be mindful of this.

Group Dynamics

Working in any industry requires a high standard of communication and teamwork, especially in TV and Film. This is due to how collaborative everyone should be, merging all their skills and creativity to make a film that flows and achieves the vision of the director. All departments must work together and communicate clearly for the final product to work, not without great challenges, of course.

During a workshop, we were given an example of how much a lack of communication can cause a production to deteriorate. We were separated into groups and given different roles, each with our own motivations, complaints, and how we need our individual issues to be resolved. Our issues ranged from disagreements with colleagues, wanting to do our jobs to the best of our abilities, budgeting concerns, and even the consideration of firing people within our group. As a result, our film wasn’t in the best shape. Thus began our diplomatic conversations to resolve our problems for the sake of the film. I worked as a sound designer who was dissatisfied with the conditions on set, as there were too many extras, meaning the sound came across as echoey and too loud. I wanted to get the producer fired for hiring too many people. I discussed my thoughts with the director as well as my producer on my feelings and how these issues had been affecting my work, and each of us tried to work around the conditions of the task.

In the end we ran out of time before we could come to an agreement, however it was such a beneficial exercise, and put into perspective how communication is the backbone of any project or working environment. A lot of the issues we were given in the scenario were almost entirely a result of our ‘characters’ poor communication, resulting in petty disputes between departments, leading to major incidents that affected the quality of work. Honthaner (2013) says that ‘efforts made to collaborate on shared common objectives, enhanced by a mutual respect for one another, will inspire the cooperation and loyalty of the cast and crew, will be helpful in promoting a pleasant working environment and will favorably influence your schedule and budget.’

Film is an art form, as well as a business. It’s impossible to expect production to run smoothly without communication. Similarly to how film production works, Digital Theatre+ (2023) explains how an audience sees the final product, the result of work made by a team of collaborators. It takes the work of many departments to provide all the elements needed, such as costumes, lighting, makeup, cameras, set design, props, sound, acting, and so on. Working with a team is a way to create something you could not create on your own (Digital Theatre+, 2023). It’s vital to listen to what everyone has to say and engage with ideas that arise instead of dismissing them. There is no role that is expendable.

Bibliography:

Blog 1

Kessels, E. (2016) Failed it! : how to turn mistakes into ideas and other advice for successfully screwing up. London: Phaidon Press.

Kleon, A. (2012) Steal like an artist : 10 things nobody told you about being creative. New York: Workman Publishing Company.

The Crystal Calls- Making the Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019) Directed by Randall Lobb [Feature film]. United Kingdom: Netflix.

Blog 2

Lorem (2023) Lady Bird (2017) - DVD Special Features (Greta Gerwig) Available at : https://youtu.be/7d42LCnIIvo?si=JVWAUleXZtEV0i7J (Accessed May 12 2024)

Potter, S. (2014) Naked cinema : working with actors. London: Faber & Faber.

Blog 3

Digital Theatre+ (2023) Unlocking Community: Teamwork and Collaboration. [Place of publication not identified]: Digital Theatre+. Available at: https://edu-digitaltheatreplus-com.glos.idm.oclc.org/content/workshops/unlocking-community-teamwork-and-collaboration

Honthaner, E.L. (2013) The Complete Film Production Handbook. 4 ed. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Available at: http://site.ebrary.com/id/10382849 (Accessed: May 10, 2024).