JOE'S CRAB SHACK

A couple of weeks ago we were hired to create an "authentic" looking crab puppet for a new commercial for "Joe's Crab Shack." We were told to go right up to that cartoon line, but not to cross it.
This was a very challenging and exciting assignment. By the time we got to the set (on location at a beach house in Westhampton), we had animated it so all eight legs moved, the arms folded and opened, and the claws snapped. We also animated the EYES! The crab had to grab a pair of tongs from the live-action guy, turn the tables and threaten him. All in real time. It took Olga and me to do the precise, coordinated puppetry.
All very surreal, and ably handled by a talented director named Christopher Bean. Here then is PINCHY THE CRAB:

A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR(s)

A big THANK YOU! to all our clients through the years.

IN A SOUPY MOOD

Five or six years ago I pitched the head of creative @ J Walter Thompson the idea of using our SOUPY SALES puppets & marionettes for a series of televison commercials. I'm not sure why but I chose BUBBLICIOUS GUM as the showcase product. I drew up the boards and pitched it, and while he laughed outloud, he said it would never get passed committee. "All the spontaneity and fun has gone out of generating the ideas for commercials" he said. Below are the (clickable)boards. . .

Weird Old Puppet Commercial

Our friend, puppet-maker, stop-motion afficianado and all around mensch SAL DENARO, sent us this very very piece of puppet weirdness:

Sal thinks Lou Bunin (Alice In Wonderland) may have created it, but I don't know. Any ideas?

YOU'LL WANT TO WRITE DOWN THIS ADDRESS

Bil at his Bairdiest

Absolute LOVE . . .

(thanx to Doug Preis for finding this!)

WORLD'S FUNNIEST

Our Tide Talking Stain was voted the Funniest Office Commercial in the World on TBS World's Funniest Office Commercials. You can see it here: http://www.flexitoon.com/comm.php3