Puppets for Filming

A puppet can make even a brief moment on screen memorable. The right expression, a well-timed movement or a glance towards the camera can give a character real personality. We design our puppets with that performance in mind, so they look great on camera and give the puppeteer plenty of room to bring them to life.

We make bespoke puppets for television, film, commercials and music videos. Some briefs arrive with a finished character design; others begin with a sketch and a conversation about what the character needs to do. Either way, we work out how it should look, move and be operated before we get too far into the build.

Made for the Camera

The first thing we ask is what the character needs to do. Will it speak? Handle a prop? Share a scene with an actor? Be seen from head to toe, or mostly from the shoulders up? These questions shape the design as much as its colour or expression.

A talking character needs a mouth that reads clearly on camera. A puppet that will be handled through a long filming day needs to be comfortable to operate. Costume and fur have to look right while still allowing the intended movement. We think about these details early, so the finished character works for the person performing it and the crew filming it.

Depending on the brief, we can build hand and rod puppets, character lookalikes, creatures and puppets with custom mechanical or animatronic features. Each project begins with its own requirements. There is no single construction method that suits every character.

From Initial idea to Finished Puppet

Some clients come to us with a script and little else. Others have detailed designs that are ready to develop for production. Our team can help with concept artwork and character development, then move into sculpture, material choices, fabrication and finishing.

We look closely at how a character will appear on screen. A close-up can reveal the texture of a fabric, the edge of an eye or a seam that would barely register on stage. We also consider how the puppet will be stored, handled and maintained through filming. It’s often the small practical decisions that make a shoot easier.

Our studio’s approach is rooted in sculpture. We want each character to have a recognisable shape and personality before the finishing details go on. That gives us a strong foundation, whether the result is a soft, friendly creature or something stranger.

Handcrafted Magic

There’s something lovely about a character that really exists in the room. A performer can respond to it, the camera can catch the texture of its fur, and a small, unexpected movement might become the best part of a take.

The making is often as interesting as the finished puppet. In our studio, a character takes shape through sketches, sculpting, tests and adjustments at the workbench. We’ll try a material, change an expression or rethink a movement until it feels right. That hands-on process leaves its mark on the final character.

As CGI and AI-generated imagery become more common, we keep coming back to what a physical puppet brings to a production: weight, texture and a presence that people can work with on set. That’s the magic we enjoy making.

The Making of a Character

You don’t need to have the character figured out before you come to us. We can help develop an early idea through sketches and design work, or take an existing design and work out how to build it as a puppet. At that stage, we’ll talk about what the character needs to do on screen, how it will be operated and which details matter most to the production.

As the build takes shape, we test and refine the things that affect performance. An expression might need adjusting to read better on camera, or a costume might need changing to give the puppeteer more room to move. It’s much easier to solve those questions at the workbench than on a filming day.

If you’re planning a production, send us whatever you have so far: a script, a drawing, a reference image or a description. Let us know what the character needs to do and when you’ll need it. We’ll talk through what’s possible and find a sensible way to make it.

Our Work on Screen

Our previous work includes the puppet duo AL + DI created for Aldi's ongoing ad campaign, Ruby and Pearl for ITV’s Tonight at the London Palladium, and handmade animal characters for Apple’s A Critter Carol. Each called for a different approach, but the same question guided the build: what does this character need to do when the camera rolls?

You can explore more of our work in our case studies.