Support Noel MacNeal's Memoir!

Muppet performer, friend of the blog, and all around swell guy Noel MacNeal is working on his memoir and you can help make it happen. 

Noel recently started a crowed funding campaign to launch “Hey, This Was Really Fun” - A Memoir from Sesame Street to The Big Blue House & Beyond."

What you’re going to read is my life in “the business we call show.” It’s my life and the lessons I’ve learned as a little pink bird, a baby dragon, a ninja turtle, a precocious inner-city kid, a lion cub, a talking hand with eyeballs, a profane squirrel, a bear in a big blue house, and, on occasion, a very big bird. Plus, all the monsters, grouches, talking food, writing, directing, producing, and appearances I’ve done along the way to this introduction. So, this is me and how this four-decade “dolly-wigglin’” career started.

Perks include:

- Personal autographed copy of the book

- 30 minute ZOOM chat

- A set of autographed photos

- A "thank-you" with YOUR NAME in a special section of the book

- and MORE!

Today is the last day to contribute, so if you'd like to make sure "Hey, This Was Really Fun” - A Memoir from Sesame Street to The Big Blue House & Beyond" becomes a reality, contribute here.

Help Restore Fozzie's Studebaker from The Muppet Movie!

The Studebaker National Museum, home to the iconic1951 Studebaker Commander driven by Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Movie is looking for help from fans to help restore it. 

Fozzie's Studebacker in its current condition 

According to their funding page "After filming ended, the Studebaker spent years on the Warner Brothers back lot; eventually, the car was gifted by the Studebaker Driver’s Club Orange Empire Chapter to the Museum in its current condition. The Museum is seeking funding to undertake an intensive restoration of the vehicle, which will bring back the psychedelic paint scheme fondly remembered by millions across the globe."

Fozzie's (hopefully restored) Studebacker

Before you get worried about the restoration the museum clarified that "besides restoring the eye-catching design, the car will be restored to operable condition and the special effects modifications, necessary to show the Muppets driving the car, will be preserved."

"By restoring the car, we will not only be able to preserve a valuable piece of movie history, but also engage visitors in the complex mechanical systems and effects that often go into some of their favorite films. The story of the car will appeal to young and old alike. In addition, having an eye-catching operable vehicle will allow us to loan out the vehicle for other museum exhibitions and car shows."

In the event that fundraiser is a success, the restoration process will take about two years and the museum will documented the process on social media.

Also, "in the unfortunate event that this donation campaign does not reach its goal, the money raised will be put into the restricted Muppet Car Restoration fund until sufficient funds have been raised to complete this project."

Let's not let that happen and help The Studebaker National Museum, move right along and get Fozzie’s (uncle's )Studebaker back on the road!

"Supporting this project will allow the car to delight and educate generations to come."

You can donate to the Studebaker National Museum's GoFundMe page.

Street Gang Backer Blu-rays On The Way!

When Screen Media's excellent documentary Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street was released to home media last month, we didn't cover it since the film's Indiegogo crowd sourced backers did not yet get their copies.

We reached out to the producers who just informed us:

We just received our copies of the BluRay so we will be sending out a to copies shortly. Also the Soundtrack hasn’t been released yet, but we are working to narrow that release window soon.


Thanks

The Street Gang Team

 

So there you have it Indiegogo backers, if your pledge included a DVD or Blu-ray of Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street they are on their way.

You may have noticed that the producers are also working on getting the Soundtrack released as well.

Bonus Material Include:

"Jerry and Richard" - The Puppeteers
"When it Went Wrong" - Muppet Outtakes
"Joe Raposo" - Musical Genius
"Sunny Days" - Origin of a Song
"Sounds of Sesame Street" Featurette


If you weren't part of the film's Indiegogo campaign the DVD and BluRay are available now on Amazon.

Street Gang: A Review

This past weekend Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street finally made it’s debut via the Sundance film Festival. For those that may not be aware, this film has been in the making since 2016 when it was first announced, then part of a Indiegogo crowd sourcing campaign.

When the filmmakers first announced the film it was going to be a whole story about the entire run of Sesame Street and it  was going to have "original animation, 3D photo conversions, original music and A rebuild that Season One set!“ None of those flourishes are present in the final version and the film is better for it. 

Instead of gimmicks, the film based on Michael Davis' book, uses archival and current interviews interspersed with never before seen footage and behind-the-scenes shenanigans to really capture the spirit and heart of the show of how the show came to be, the first few seasons and it's legacy. 

There are so many heartwarming stories about Jim Henson, Joe Reposo John Stone, and Joan Ganz Cooney that, even if you’ve heard the stories before, they feel new and like you’re part of the family.

The film will make you laugh, cry, and feel loved, often simultaneously. Just like Sesame Workshops mission the film is unapologetic in letting you know the power that progressive social change can bring to the world.

To put it simply from the very beginning it’s two hours you do not want to end. 

The use never released outtakes with the characters were they sometimes use some well colorful language (for the Sesame characters anyway) was a surprise and a delight as you got to see the performers really shine. 

While there are a few brief clips of the show today, they mention or interview any of the current cast, or really anyone that wasn't there before 1981. 

If I had one gripe, it would be the credits. Full disclosure: I was was one of the many initial backers of the film. They thank a ton of people, including the financiers, but not a single mention of the fans that helped support the film from the beginning. 

While the film does not have an official release date it was purchased by HBO and is set to debut sometime on HBO and HBOmax sometime this year.

I hope since Street Gang was at Sundance, that qualifies the film for an Oscar, as I could see it easily being a contender for best documentary. 

This review of Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street was brought to you today by the letter a A, for A+. 

Help Kickstart Mike Quinn's Autobiography!

Muppet performer Mike Quinn has been a puppeteer since the early 80's and has amassed a treasure trove of stories working on films such as The Dark Crystal, Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi, The Great Muppet Caper, Little Shop Of Horrors, Labyrinth, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens to name a few. 

He would like to share his experiences working with Jim Henson, George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis with the world in an autobiography, but he needs your help!

Quinn is asking fans of these films to help fund his book, cleverly titled "Talk To The Hand", on the crowd funding platform Kickstarter. 

Tall To The Hand: Cover Mock up

Here's a little more about Mike:

Born in an unassuming terraced house to a working class family in the south east of England, raised in a difficult, lonely, sometimes terrifying childhood and written off by my educators early on, my calling of puppetry not only saved me from oblivion or worse but skyrocketed me into the bright lights of the entertainment industry and the stuff dreams are made of. Holding nothing back, I chronicle my escape by being mentored by my hero, Muppet creator Jim Henson, later reinventing myself as a character animator at Pixar whilst battling chronic depression and ultimately becoming a performer for a beloved fan favorite legacy character in four Star Wars films.

Besides his film work, Mike worked on The Storyteller, Jim Henson's The Ghost Of Faffner Hall, Jim Henson's Secret Life Of Toys, Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories, Jim Henson's The Tale Of The Bunny Picnic,The Muppets ABC TV Series, Showtime's Kidding starring Jim Carrey, and the UK, France, and Germany segments for Fraggle Rock!

If you are interested in learning more about Mike Quinn and his behind the scenes adventures working on many beloved films and series consider donating to the project. 

As this time there are only 5 days to go, so if you're interested head over to Kickstarter and help support "Talk To The Hand."

Adorkable Rachel: Swazzle Studio Tour!

Today our friend Rachel takes us on a tour of the Swazzle puppet shop!

You may recognize few familiar Henson names and faces along the way...

If you'd like to support their Merry Christmas, Krampus children's book, Swazzle is crowdfunding the project on Kickstarter.

The Jim Henson Exhibition at Museum of the Moving Image Fundraiser!

Just like the Center of Puppetry Arts asked for public support to complete their Henson exhibit, it seems Museum of the Moving Image is now looking to crowdfunding to complete theirs as well.

The exhibition will feature more than 40 original puppets — including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Elmo, Cookie Monster, the Fraggles, and a Skeksis from The Dark Crystal — as well as puppet prototypes, original character sketches, rare behind-the-scenes footage and photographs, and interactive puppetry design and performance experiences.

Just like most crowd sourcing there are a lot of great pledge incentives including memberships to the museum, an invitation to the opening reception, a signed copy of The Muppets Character Encyclopedia, Palisades Muppet toys, and a personalized autographed from a character performed by Dave Goelz!

For those with more than just disposable income a set of limited edition lithographs (also offered to help the Center of Puppetry Arts) is a available as well.

The video introducing the campaign is hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and features Bonnie Erickson as well as many frequent MOMI event Muppet fans including Matt Soberman, John Papovitch, and Mo Monster creator Sam.

You can watch the video and check all the great rewards in in more detail on their Kickstarter page!

Help Fund Toys That Time Forgot!

Another Muppet related crowdsourcing project is looking for funding.

This time it's "Toys That Time Forgot" a (hopefully) upcoming book by Blake Wright that looks at unproduced toy lines.

The book would be a "first-of-its-kind art book highlighting a series of "lost" toy projects, mainly action figures, spanning three-plus decades."

Written and compiled by journalist Blake Wright, the 200-plus page hard cover book will take an in-depth look at over 20 instances of toy lines that suffered these type of fates. Stories are supplemented with supporting photographs of the production process, existing prototypes, control drawings used to create the sculpts, concept sketches and more. The stories (and supplemental materials) have come straight from the men and women that lived them — from inventors and sculptors to project managers and toy company executives.

The book's foreword will be written by Jordan Hembrough (aka The Toy Hunter), owner of Hollywood Heroes and vintage toy guru for over a quarter century.

Two unproduced Muppet lines are featured are Hasbro's original 1982 Dark Crystal and Palisade's 2005 Sesame Street action figures. 

Tim Clarke who worked on both The Dark Crystal and the unproduced toy line will share his stories working on the toys in the book. 

Some of the perks can bee seen below included a print of an original charcoal for Hasbro's unproduced Skesis figure, and a lithograph of Alex Ross' Wizard World exclusive Super Grover (Update: gone).  

According to their kickstarter page, the book is 95% complete and the funds will be used for printing.


If you'd like to see the stories behind these unproduced toys see the light of day consider contributing here. 

Help Make "Street Gang" a Movie!

Street Gang is an upcoming documentary based on Michael Davis' best selling 2008 book about the history and making of Sesame Street.

Just like the filmmakers did for I am Big Bird did two years ago, Macrocosm Entertainment and Citizen Skull Productions, the team behind Street Gang have started a crowd source campaign to to their raise the funds needed to make the film.

As with many crowd sourced campaigns, you can also get some perks for donating certain amounts.

The perks the creative team has prepared are pretty incredible, including a visit to Sesame Street itself!

They even have a few stand alone perks. Which means lower tier items aren't included. 

The filmmakers are also donating 15 percent of the proceeds Sesame Workshop's Yellow Feather Fund, which benefits vulnerable children around the world.

Head over to their Indiegogo page and help support Street Gang!

The Great Conjunction: The Legacy of The Dark Crystal Documentary - Now Crowd Sourcing!

The Great Conjunction, a fan made documentary about The Dark Crystal and it's impact, have launched their crowd sourcing campaign! 

The film is being made by JM Prater and Philip Mitchell, two mega fans of the film. 

Here's what they have to say about the project:

"We've been asked "why make a documentary about The Dark Crystal, when there was one created in the early 1980s?"

Our goal with this film is multifaceted. What interests us as filmmakers and artists is the impact that The Dark Crystal had on the filmmaking community at that time (Star Wars), showcasing many of the artists and craftspeople who worked on the film that aren't as well known as Jim Henson, Frank Oz, or Brian & Wendy Froud.

What's also important is chronicling how The Dark Crystal inspired and changed the lives of a generation of children who are now adults. This portion of the film will lead us all over the globe."

Check out their pitch video:

You can find more info about the film, the perks for contributing, and pledging your support to making this film at Indiegogo.

Dark Crystal Documentary Announced!

JM Prater and Philip Mitchell, two fans of The Dark Crystal, loved the movie so much they've decided to make a documentary entitled  "The Great Conjunction: The Legacy of The Dark Crystal."  The film will explore the making, fandom, and lasting impact of the movie. 

The concept trailer for the film can be seen below:

Similar to I Am Big Bird, the filmmakers are using a crowd funding campaign, to acquire the funding needed to make the film. They plan to announce their initiative through indiegogo within the next few weeks.

You can read an interview with the filmmakers here. 

For more information please visit the official Facebook page for the documentary at www.facebook.com/darkcrystaldoc