Puppets and perception | Russell Dean | TEDxGuildford

What masks and puppets can teach us about how we really perceive the world and the tricks our brain plays to convince us that what we see is ‘real’.
Russell Dean is artistic director of Strangeface Theatre Company. He is a writer and maker with a particular interest in cognition and what masks and puppets reveal about the way we perceive the world. He has made masks and puppets for Trestle, Geese, Vamos, ITV, Channel 4, and is responsible for the large Mrs Thatcher puppet in Stephen Daldry’s Billy Elliot. After touring nationally and internationally with Strangeface, his recent work has focused on using puppets in workshops with vulnerable adults, families with children in hospices and fathers in prison. He designs and sells masks that are used around the world. Currently he is engaged on a Wellcome Trust funded project exploring the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance via a semi clothed puppet hitman with obsessive compulsive disorder.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@chloe_alien]

If you just watch the puppet out of the corner of your eye, it really looks like he's the one talking. You even start to see his mouth moving which I guess is your imagination filling the gaps. It's so cool

[@someoddusername5677]

Rational brain: Oh, look, a puppet.
Lizard brain: punch little man

[@dashiellhouse]

As a puppeteer, you have stated an accurate portrait of the world

[@arbierix]

I don't want to run away, hit or eat Mikey. I love him, unconditionally.

[@kalynnkallweit7940]

I seriously can't "like" this video enough.. kept wanting to keep re-clicking " like" so fascinating. Plus I love puppetry sooo much.

[@halse8280]

This was a very good talk,probably one of the top three. Thanks.

[@CrazyTechy]

Cool explanation on why puppets create the alive illusion.

[@trentvisser861]

Back at it again with the talks

[@fritzschneebauer6565]

A nice talk. I enjoyed it! :-)

[@flappyhands6427]

no black gloves?

[@franciscogiaccardi5297]

Kevin Wafer probably because they need to have a good grip

[@zodek11]

Also, their skin camouflage better with the skin of the puppet.

[@ElliottHall]

"retroactive recognition of mammalian perception digs objects out of the flatness of time" Ben Woodard 2013

[@113-M]

12:50 | "...your rational explanation is I have a few three people here playing around with a doll on a table--" [Mikey then yells from backstage] "I'm not a doll, I'm an action figure!"

[@ktc333]

Interesting talk.

[@pixelMEDIA2004]

Excellent.

[@marlanfranklyn6408]

Very interesting.

[@ashlierortiz]

This is great!

[@alikasaigal3686]

Interesting but I couldn't focus because I found the puppeteer's face/lip and speech movement on the right side quite visually distracting...probably the angle at which the talk is recorded. I'm sure it would be amazing when you view it live - straight and at a distance. Also would be interested in knowing how interactive experiences with puppetry could help self analysis and the development of emotional intelligence.

[@Jake-pr7js]

Human brian

[@arbierix]

Brian is the name of our puppet brain ;)

[@morsecodereviews1553]

that young guy is mad intense lmao

[@amorembalming]

Mikey is Mike from Breaking Bad yeah....?

[@roybiggums4609]

Dobby is back y'all. 😂

[@robyndalton3618]

this video is so cool and very invasive and you are a cool guy and I enjoy watching your videos and keep up the good work on your videos

[@badarock177]

Other Brians aren't human.

[@explorenepal2960]

Badá Rock

[@new6082]

👏👏👏

[@anepictree]

Mikey? That's Anthony Hopkins!

[@JohnSmith-br1lv]

RGS

[@Heavenlydreamer]

Thank you. :.] this helps. A #witnessing #truth #of #great #teaching. #That #can #help #others, #all understand the on going (?) It's a beautiful video #mighty #indeed

[@trentvisser861]

Ayeeeee

[@esefossesincero]

'motor neuron'?
'mirror neuron'.

[@autumngrace8541]

Puppet reminds me of Anthony Hopkins.

[@joshwalla7]

We empathize with people who look like us? Hmm I wonder if that is why don't trust people with mustaches.

[@charliecastillo2011]

I feel like Mikey is supposed to represent a homunculus

[@gahelo8081]

human Brian

[@michelgabe1629]

HUMAN BRIAN PLS WHO WROTE THIS? YOUR PUPPETS?..... sry , excuse my useless grammar police carreer.

[@JMBBproject]

So instead of crying during an exam just laugh to lower the stress level? Ok then.

[@OfaelO]

He didn't say that. He said about that moment when you think something's really hard, but it isn't. When you realize it's not that hard, then you start laughing. Indeed, you were afraid of something, then you laugh to get less stressed. That's the conclusion, not the premise!

[@thedreadcatbonkers8440]

Presenter guy.... you're mixing terms. You attribute things to "psychology" instead of neurochemistry. There is a huge difference like the difference between astrology and astronomy.

[@danielvilenski1917]

So the whole thing was a commercial for puppet shows?

[@piyushchoudhary6367]

Ojaha is a puppy

[@mahakala]

while his speech, he often licks his lips. is that because of lizard brain?

[@joshwalla7]

Man trumps puppet master looks conveniently like putin.

[@umrfasil5498]

I want translate Arabic??

[@theoracle42]

These guys take their craft very seriously, unfortunately I don't find any of this entertaining or interesting

[@cavv0667]

Nope, immediately classified as both a non-threat and a tool used by humans... I think this guy is "overthinking".

[@user-np1wl4kq8k]

😂👎

[@gardenpathmedia]

so cringy

[@TehSaluko]

like your face.

[@greendrummers]

Thank you for sharing your insults

[@TheRealBlacHood]

Is it me or is he reaching