Character Dissection

Following my research for the past few days I have dissected works that have used a puppet master and a puppet system and looked at the characteristics needed for both. The works I looked at range from alternate reality games to internet powerhouses. For me to create some metaphor using a puppet and his master I will first define what I consider necessities needed for each.

http://www.seanstewart.org/assets/interactive/ilovebees_title.jpg
I love bees, an ARG causing players to follow instructions to locations and complete tasks without any real purpose

Puppet

The puppet is usually unaware of what is actually going on with its actions. They do things that they think they want to do, or know about being controlled but are forced to do these actions anyway. When they move to what they think is their own desire, it can be a lot easier for the master to push the puppet towards the master's goal by using that desire of the puppet. The puppet is to be ignorant or unaware of their total surroundings at some point to fall into this place of being the puppet.


Master

The master must have a purpose for controlling the puppet. It can be as simple as loving the power of control over the puppet and wanting to push the puppet as far as they can. A good(or real) puppet master is to be hidden behind the curtain, not revealing himself to the puppet. If the puppet is unaware to the master than he can do so much more to the puppet. The master is to always have the upper hand to stay in its role of being the master. The amount of power of control is never completely understood by the master as they will never perceive what is happening from the puppets perspective, this means that the control is actually determined by how the puppet sees things.


There can be a circulation effect between two or more characters involved. It is possible that the characters can change between who is the master and who is the puppet from an unexpected turn of events. There can also be a puppet who is also a master to another puppet, creating a further complex system of who has the most control.

I have to look at how many layers of puppetry there are in my project as I know myself, the designer, will be known as both. The project itself pulling my strings and me designing this project to pull the participant's strings. Hopefully this greater understanding of control, puppets and masters will allow an easier push for the media and creation of my project.

References

Gross, Kenneth. Puppet: An Essay on Uncanny Life. University Of Chicago Press, 2011.

“I Love Bees”, n.d. http://www.ilovebees.com/.

“Puppet Masters of the Internet.” PCWorld, April 30, 2012. http://www.pcworld.com/article/254737/puppet_masters_of_the_internet.html.

“The Puppet Master Problem: Design for Real-World, Mission-Based Gaming | Electronic Book Review”, n.d. http://www.electronicbookreview.com/thread/firstperson/curtained.