Waldo C. Graphic
Encyclopedia
Waldo C. Graphic is a computer-generated
puppet
character who appeared in the movie Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D and the television series The Jim Henson Hour
. He was performed by Steve Whitmire
. He is noted for being the first computer-generated
Muppet
and probably the first digital puppet created by any company.
The character of Waldo is a best described as a cross between a bug and a seal, with random elements of either thrown in. He flies and hovers in his scenes. His first name is a reference to a waldo, a device used by puppeteers to remotely control a puppet. His middle initial likely stands for "Computer", as in "Waldo Computer Graphic".
Although he appeared as a computer-generated image, Waldo was not "animated
" in the usual sense, but performed live; his image was generated in real time in synchrony with a physical Waldo-puppet connected to the computer and controlled by a puppeteer, with the image then being composited using bluescreen technology onto the scene Waldo was part of. Since the Muppets began on television, it has always been a standard technique for Muppeteers to perform by watching the characters on a monitor screen rather than by watching the puppet itself, so this arrangement required little adjustment either for the puppeteer performing Waldo or for the puppeteers performing the characters he interacted with. Since Waldo is a computer graphic, he has the ability to change his shape and form at will.
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
character who appeared in the movie Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D and the television series The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour
The Jim Henson Hour was a short-lived television series that aired on NBC in 1989. It was developed as a showcase for The Jim Henson Company's various puppet creations, including the popular Muppet characters. Only nine of the twelve episodes produced managed to air on NBC before the low-rated...
. He was performed by Steve Whitmire
Steve Whitmire
Steven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
. He is noted for being the first computer-generated
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
Muppet
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
and probably the first digital puppet created by any company.
The character of Waldo is a best described as a cross between a bug and a seal, with random elements of either thrown in. He flies and hovers in his scenes. His first name is a reference to a waldo, a device used by puppeteers to remotely control a puppet. His middle initial likely stands for "Computer", as in "Waldo Computer Graphic".
Although he appeared as a computer-generated image, Waldo was not "animated
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
" in the usual sense, but performed live; his image was generated in real time in synchrony with a physical Waldo-puppet connected to the computer and controlled by a puppeteer, with the image then being composited using bluescreen technology onto the scene Waldo was part of. Since the Muppets began on television, it has always been a standard technique for Muppeteers to perform by watching the characters on a monitor screen rather than by watching the puppet itself, so this arrangement required little adjustment either for the puppeteer performing Waldo or for the puppeteers performing the characters he interacted with. Since Waldo is a computer graphic, he has the ability to change his shape and form at will.
External links
- Henson Digital Puppetry Wiki: Waldo C. Graphic