Website and Special Puppet Project Updates
I have started using my new NewMediaMingle.com website for most of my business, video, entertainment, marketing, and media posts. I am redefining how I use my different websites. I plan to use AndrewLedford.com to post what I think are some of my most interesting social posts as well as more personal news. What I think are my most interesting posts are not always my most popular posts. My personal site will give me a place to highlight undervalued posts. I may also mention posts from some of my other sites as well.
Special project websites
This post could have gone on the NewMediaMingle.com but I thought it more appropriate here.
I will also start 1 maybe 2 new websites for my special puppet project. One site will be for the puppet performances and shows. The second possible site will incorporate the puppet but will primarily be a directory site to promote Long Beach Business, Tourism, and the Arts. I am waiting on a new website theme to start the second site.
On The Road With Andrew rebranded
I plan to re-brand or co-brand the On The Road With Andrew site. The new plan is to develop Our On The Road as the primary consumer media brand and eventually a food brand as well. I think it will be easier to retire or have partners if my name is not part of the main brand. I do plan on continuing to use On The Road With Andrew when I go back into production with that show. However, I may not have time to produce additional original content for the site.
Puppet Project News
Made the nose and a part for the body mount.
I am getting much closer to having my special puppet project in a functional state. The plan is to be producing a performance soon. I believe I will be doing test performances by the end of the month. I do have the January scrip done and partially memorized. I still need to work on the script for February. There is a February script concept but have not researched or written the script.
I think I have the puppet mouth working. Last week I spent a day making a new mouth mechanism and a modification to both the head mount and a mounting system for the body.
Making Body Mount For Special Puppet Project
After creating the part for the body mount modification I decided that I am not going to use it to hold the puppet for performances. The body mount modification got re-appropriated to provide an important support element for the new mouth mechanism. But the new mouth design ended up not working the way I wanted. However, the new head mount made for the new mouth will improve the performance of the old mouth mechanism. Now the body mount is going to be used for the display stand used between performances. The part and its position has stayed the same but its purpose has evolved with the project.
Making The Body Mount Modification For My Special Puppet Project
The shorter item is the one I bought. It did not work at all, so I needed to make my own. With this project I have found that off the shelf products often don’t perform as expected. I buy a needed part only to have it not work. Then it’s time to make some modifications or make the part from scratch.
On Saturday night a few days before Google Plus made us all move to their new UI I worked on the nose.
I will need to make a few changes before I mount the nose because of mission creep. When I first started the project it had a much narrower purpose. It still may only be used for local performances, but I want to be ready to do a bit more with it.
I will need to see how it turns out. So far I am a little disappointed in how my new puppet looks.
Special Puppet Project Nose
The next step is to finish skinning the mouth. I have not yet made a final decision on the artistic design of this part. I think I may try a few different looks to see which I like the best. I am expecting to run into 2 or 3 technical problems with this part, but I think I have a few solutions as well.
The hat will also need to be finished. I believe modifying the hat will be fairly straightforward. However, it has some important design elements that make it more than a simple head covering. There could be one technical challenge with the hat that I think I have the answer to.
Along with the hat I plan on adding eyebrows before I do a very short test/teaser video to introduce everyone to something I have been working on longer than I had planned. This project will mingle some very old fashioned entertainment with new media in a grand experiment of promotion and human behavior.
The eyes that I introduce the project with on Google Plus will need to wait until I have a little experience using the current design.
