Academy of the Wooden Figure - Worlds of Puppets by Bernd Ogrodnik

Puppet Mastery With Bernd Ogrodnik

Academy of the Wooden Figure

– Advanced Course With a Step by Step Tutorship Into the Fine Art of Making Wooden Puppets

– Exclusive Access Only for Graduates of the “Puppet Mastery Foundation Course”

Puppet Mastery With Bernd Ogrodnik

Academy of the Wooden Figure

– Advanced Course With a Step by Step Tutorship Into the Fine Art of Making Wooden Puppets

– Exclusive Access Only for Graduates of the “Puppet Mastery Foundation Course”

Did you enjoy the journey so far into the wonderland of wooden puppets?

Do you want to deepen your experience and knowledge?
Are you eager to become more proficient with your tools and learn more efficient ways to sculpt wood?
Are you ready to learn to build larger and more intricate types of puppets?
Are you finally ready to discover the noble marionette?
Would you like to continue learning in the nurturing and soothing environment of Bernd’s workshop and a closed Facebook group of trusted travel companions?

If you answered YES to these questions, I dare say you are ready for the Advanced Course and becoming a member of our “Academy of the Wooden Figure”.

About the Academy:

The creation of the Academy of the Wooden Figure is built on my success and trials of a 35-year illustrious career exploring and enhancing the art of puppetry. It teaches everything I would have loved to know when starting out on my personal search for mastery. Over the years I have locked in close to 8000 live performances, TV shows, and film projects, designed and directed countless award-winning shows, and taught and lectured at universities and festivals around the globe.

The many interns and students that I had the privilege to work with have taught me valuable insights about their needs and longings and how to best nurture their individual paths. Building on the approach and success of our Foundation Course we have now refined and combined further lessons into a complete academy. I am proud and excited to be able to offer this program to interested students from all around the world.

From the bottom of my heart and the intimacy of my studio here in Iceland straight to your living room/workshop, I am inviting you to join me for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to further explore the magical world of the wooden puppet.

What Students Will Learn:

Deepen the experience gained in the Foundation Course and discover further tools, techniques, and secrets of the trade
Study and understand the innovative puppet designs and techniques of Bernd's award-winning performances and works for the screen
Through meticulously designed lessons delivered over the course of a whole year, students will learn the full spectrum of Bernd's teaching, while building puppets according to the personal time and skill level
Learn how to make advanced and highly functional marionettes, table-top, rod- and hand puppets
The making of Bernd's innovative control mechanisms like featured in the ground-breaking movie epic "Strings" or his famed "one-hand" controls
In-detail instructions to creating expressive heads
In-detail instructions to creating expressive hands and feet
The making of the most efficient and beautiful wooden joints including the elbow, knee, and ball hip-joints
Gaining insight into the history and a broader spectrum of the various puppet styles
Gaining a deep understanding of what principles the various systems and techniques are grounded in
Students will then be able to apply all the knowledge gained into their own personal performances and puppet creations

How Is the Academy Structured?

The program runs over a whole year and will feature 6 separate four weeks of teaching modules with 8 classes each.
Adapting the model of the Foundation Course, a four-week instruction period is followed by four weeks of “time to catch up” and accommodating vacation time, etc.
Lessons are released twice a week and will be supplemented by a weekly Q&A session.
Additionally once a month students can interact with Bernd during a live Zoom meeting.
During the “catching-up” period (every other month) the weekly Q&A session and monthly Zoom meetings continue.
All lessons and material as well as recordings of the Zoom and Q&A sessions are possible to watch at any time of convenience for the rest of the year.
Honoring different skill levels and time schedules, participants have the choice of how many puppets they will build. Many of the techniques are applicable to various puppet styles. We do not always have to build a complete puppet in order to learn a new style. Also, there is no need to make intricate heads for each new style, as a roughly formed head will do to learn the new technique.

Module 1:

Overview of the course and how we will tailor the study-load to the individual needs and time table of every participant
Introduction of various Puppet-Styles we will explore.
Making of simple generic heads to safe time
The making of simple and advanced hand puppets

Module 2:

Making of a rod puppet
The principle of “three-point attachment”
Creating simple wood/leather joints
Learning to create expressive hands

Module 3:

The Making of a tabletop puppet
Learning how to create beautiful and highly functional wooden joints
Learning how to create a “ball-joint”
The making of the “one hand tabletop control”

Module 4:

The making of a marionette featuring Bernd’s “one hand control”
Laws of gravity
Using weights to find the proper balance

Module 5:

The Making of the “Über-Marionette”
The precept of “three-point-attachment” revisited
Creating jointed-feet
Working on head and hands

Module 6:

Continuation of Module 5
Making the advanced control based on Bernd’s control featured in the Movie “Strings”
Stringing and balancing
Making your marionette come alive

BONUS FEATURES:

Continuous, uninterrupted access to Bernd and a new closed Facebook group
Instruction of how to make Bernd's famous "Dremel-Box", complete with plans and advice on special bits and applications. This brilliant system will safe you many hours of tedious hand-carving time in a safe and dust-free environment
Continuous access to all material of the Foundation Course
Extra full year access to all the teaching material of the Academy
Full access to the Alumni program included, with monthly Treasure Boxes

Mission Statement:

To preserve the lore and art of carved wooden puppets (marionettes & masks) by passing on traditional as well as modern advanced techniques of woodworking.
To convey a complex understanding of the correlation between choosing the most efficient and suitable styles and techniques, proper manipulation and successful character-building.
To strengthen the artistic authenticity of the students and instill them with knowledge and confidence to become innovative creators on their own.
To serve as an inspiration for a new generation of puppet makers and puppeteers.

Mastery is a journey, not a destination and I am dedicated to making this journey challenging and yet joyful. Our explorations shall not only leave participants full of knowledge and enthusiasm for the art of puppetry but enrich their lives way beyond the realms of the puppet.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Will Durant, inspired by Aristotele

About Bernd Ogrodnik:

Bernd Ogrodnik has been a prominent figure in the world of puppetry since 1986. He is the artistic director and co-founder of “Worlds of Puppets” and serves as the Master Puppeteer for the National Theater of Iceland.

He has a track record of over 7000 live performances and has toured all over Europe, Canada, the USA, Africa, and Asia as a performer and lecturer at international (puppet-) theater festivals, universities, and conferences.

He has been performing, directing, and creating marionettes, puppets, and masks for various theaters and operas around the world, for collectors and museums, commercials, TV, and film.

He has been creating marionettes, puppets, and masks for stages around the world, and his work is frequently featured on TV and film.

Bernd has gained a worldwide reputation also through his ground-breaking work as a designer and lead puppeteer for the groundbreaking marionette movie “Strings”.

He is the recipient of countless prizes and awards both in his home country Iceland and internationally.

He has been performing, directing, and creating marionettes, puppets, and masks for various theaters and operas around the world, for collectors and museums, commercials, TV, and film.

He has been creating marionettes, puppets, and masks for stages around the world, and his work is frequently featured on TV and film.

Bernd has gained a worldwide reputation also through his ground-breaking work as a designer and lead puppeteer for the groundbreaking marionette movie “Strings”.

He is the recipient of countless prizes and awards both in his home country Iceland and internationally.

Most Common Questions and Answers:

When does the course begin?

There is no date for the next course yet. If you sign up for the waiting list, we will send you a message and you will have the opportunity to register as soon as possible.

Do I need any woodworking experience prior to taking this course?

Your participation in the Foundation Course has prepared you for the Academy of the Wooden Figure.

Will I benefit from the course if I have already built wooden puppets?

Definitely! The course not only teaches the making of my most treasured puppet designs but also offers a tremendous wealth of tips and trade secrets that even advanced builders will benefit from. I share what I have meticulously studied and discovered in my 35 years journey as a successful puppeteer.

What if I my dream is only to build marionettes?

It takes patience and tremendous knowledge to build a highly functional marionette. I invite you with all my heart to follow the steps I carefully designed for you to not only create a puppet that looks pretty on the wall but also serves as the most efficient and expressive performance puppet one could wish for. At the end of this course, you will not only have had the opportunity to build a highly functional marionette, but you will also own the knowledge to create all other main types of wooden puppets. Some of the most effective puppets you will learn about are actually hybrids of string and rod puppets. Their creation leads you step by step to the making of your “dream marionette”.

What will I learn besides the making of a puppet?

As you experienced in the Foundation Course, I nourish a holistic not a purely technical approach to puppetry. It is breathing, awareness, the art of communication, and an attitude of service which give purpose and strength to studying a technique. A lot of what we study when reaching for mastery in any art form strengthens our lives in multiple ways. Mastery is a journey, not a destination. Traveling widens our horizons and allows us to experience things not imaginable before our journey started.

Will I have direct access to Bernd during the courses?

There will be ongoing weekly live sessions for questions and answers. In addition, we will conduct monthly interactive live Zoom meetings for more personal assistance. Both the weekly Q and A and Zoom sessions will continue during the “off month”.

If you have any other questions concerning this course offer, please send me an email at info@worldsofpuppets.com and I will answer as quickly as possible.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Academy of the Wooden Figure ❤️

My name is Bernd Ogrodnik, the way of the puppet has challenged me to no end, it has allowed me to travel to all corners of the world and brought me more experiences, joy, and heartful riches anyone could ever wish for. I invite you to keep traveling with me a while longer, discovering the joy of Puppet Mastery.

Sincerely, Bernd Ogrodnik

Looking forward to seeing you at the Academy of the Wooden Figure ❤️

Sincerely, Bernd Ogrodnik

Advanced Course

“Academy of the Wooden Figure”

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