Puppet Fabrication
Armatures, clay and silicone puppets, miniature sets and the tiny lights that bring them to life.
Tactile stop-motion and clay
Our puppet shop and art department build the physical world of a film by hand. That means characters with jointed steel armatures, bodies sculpted in clay or cast in silicone, and miniature sets built at scales such as 1:8 so a puppet can stand, walk and sit convincingly.
Each puppet is designed for animation, not just for display. Joints are set to the right tension, faces are built for replacement parts or sculpting between frames, and costumes are cut from real fabric at scale.
Sets and props
Sets are built in sections so animators can reach into them and the camera can move through them. We work with timber, card, paper, foam, resin and found materials, and we finish every surface with paint and texture so it reads beautifully under close-up lenses.
Props are made in the studio wherever possible, from tiny teacups to working lanterns. Spare copies of anything a puppet touches are made in advance, because handled props wear out.
Miniature scenic lighting
Practical lighting is one of our favorite tools. We hide small LED sources inside lamps, windows, lanterns and stoves so light genuinely comes from within the set. It gives miniature worlds a warmth that is hard to fake.
Materials and sustainability
We favor reused timber, reclaimable clay and paper offcuts, and we plan builds so sets can be archived or reused. You can read more on our sustainable set craft page.
What you receive
- Character puppets and replacement parts
- Miniature sets and props built for the camera
- Practical lighting rigs
- Options to crate and ship hero puppets after the shoot, or archive them with us
A single hero puppet and a modest set typically take two to three weeks to fabricate. Larger casts and multi-set films take longer, and the timeline is agreed in writing once the boards are locked.
Care during the shoot
Puppets are handled thousands of times on a stage. A member of the puppet shop stays close to set during shooting to repair seams, replace worn parts and keep spares ready, so the animators never have to stop for long.
Ready to Make Something Truly Unforgettable?
Let's bring tactile magic, warm human humor and vibrant artistic wonder to your next film or brand campaign. We usually reply within two business days.