A new department is opening this year at the Magadan College of Arts - "Actor of the Puppet Theatre". Training will take place both in college (general disciplines, such as the history of the theater, stage speech, stage plasticity, choreography, vocals, and others), and in the puppet theater (special subjects: working with a doll, technology for making it).
The term of study is three years and ten months; the beginning, as elsewhere, is the first of September.
The main reason why they decided to create a department is the lack of actors in the puppet theater. Now seven people work here (there are sixteen jobs in total!), and only one of them is a man, hence the lack of male roles. The load on the team is colossal, given that about three hundred performances are held a year, and the management plans to expand the range of activities of the troupe. More about this, as well as about the profession in general, in an interview with the artistic director of the Magadan Regional Puppet Theater Dmitry SHAPOVALOV:
- In fact, it was a mutual desire, necessity, need, both of our theater and the college of arts, - says Dmitry Yuryevich. - Among the theater workers there are few people who have a special education as an actor - puppeteer. It's clear why. Firstly, this is the remoteness of our region from the central regions of the country, where these specialists are trained. Secondly, even if we take the central regions, the output of puppeteers is not so big. What kind of specialists are trained: actors, props - this used to be the name of puppet artists, that is, people who make the entire material part of the performance; everything related to dolls, with props.
They also include a doll designer who deals with their mechanics; set designer, fashion designer. Now it is called both simpler and more difficult at the same time - the artist-technologist of the puppet theater. He must be able to do a lot: both draw and sculpt, that is, do everything - from the idea to the realization of the doll. These are the wonderful specialists we produce in St. Petersburg.
Today we especially need actors, both male and female. Because there is more work to do, more viewers, the tension is quite noticeable: those actors who are now are very tired, of course, because there are two performances a day, plus rehearsals - it's very hard, both physically and mentally. And so, together with the director of the Magadan College of Arts, Aram Khukasovich Aidinyan, we decided to open a theater department with a specialization in “Actor of the Puppet Theatre”. The license has already been obtained, the program is ready, the only thing left to do is to gain a course.
How will things be with the employment of future graduates of the department?
The puppeteer actor is a versatile actor in his own right. He can work in the puppet theater, and in the theater of drama, and in the musical comedy, and in the opera. There are cases when people of our profession even work in ballet. The same cannot be said about the rest of the actors: an actor in a drama theater, for example, is unlikely to be able to work in a puppet theater, because he was not taught the skill of an acting puppet at an educational institution. And the puppeteer is taught both. He knows the specifics and nuances of almost all related professions; studies singing, dancing, and choreography. In general, the course for an actor-puppeteer is exactly the same as for an actor in a drama theater, only with additional additional subjects. Therefore, people who graduate from this department will be able to work anywhere, even in the cinema. A lot of my fellow students are now working in Moscow, in St. Petersburg, and I constantly see them in the films that are being shot now. I say all this in order to remove the prevailing stereotype about our profession. That the puppeteer actor is not the one they like to talk about, that he just plays with toys on stage. In fact, this is a very difficult profession, it is in great demand and popularity. And if a person with this diploma wants to get a job in any theater, he will be accepted there, although it all depends, of course, on whether he is talented or not. Those who are interested in our profession, but still think that these are some kind of puppet toys, then I recommend that you go to our website, look at the photos and ask those people who go to our theater with their children: “What is an actor- puppeteer?". In recent years, the theater has been visited by a very large number of spectators, among whom were guests from other cities: from Moscow, Yalta, Kursk, Taganrog, Rostov, etc.
They came and said that our performances were no worse, and in some respects even better than those shown in large cities of Russia. That this is a very difficult and interesting work. And, of course, the actor mostly works in front of the screen, and not behind it, as is commonly believed. Still, the viewer wants to see such a show on stage, so that there are both people and puppets; so that the performance was colorful and beautiful, and most importantly, with unexpected moments, as it was in the play “The Princess and the Pea”: it was real rain on our stage, the actors worked at a height, a little more than two meters above the stage. That is, the artist needs to have a fairly good physical endurance and vestibular apparatus. In 1985, I personally entered the Dnepropetrovsk Theater School for the course of an actor-puppeteer, and I still do not regret it.
I think we will do our best to prepare real actors with a capital letter, who will be in demand in any theater in our country. I can say for sure that our theater will provide them all with jobs. The training program is very diverse, and therefore, with attention to oneself, to subjects, if desired, if a person knows exactly what he wants to achieve, then during training at this department he will grow as a person, physically and morally, and aesthetically.
In principle, for a ninth-grader, going to college and getting a specialized secondary education, and even more so an acting one, is even more profitable and better than finishing the eleventh grade. Look: I have finished the ninth grade - I have to study for another two years. In two years you get just a secondary education. And if you add one and a half years to these two years, then you will already be a ready-made specialist with a secondary specialized education. And with this diploma it will be easier to enter a higher educational institution, because, naturally, preference is given to people who already know how to do something.
What qualities should a future puppeteer have?
First of all, it is love for your work. If you are a creative person, and you like to be on stage, to give people joy. We have one actress who said that an actor should be conceited. If he is not conceited, then he is no longer an actor. Autographs are taken from our employees who have been working in the theater for a long time - and this is already an indicator that a person has become an actor, because he is remembered by the audience. Therefore, the share of healthy vanity should be in our future colleagues. There must be a very great industriousness, because in this profession it will be required in sufficient quantities. In addition, a person must have a sense of humor, charisma, charm, correctly delivered speech and artistic taste.
Dmitry Yuryevich, as the head of the theatre, what are your plans for the future? What if the problem of personnel shortages exhausts itself in the next few years?
I would very much like us to go beyond the age limits of the puppet theater, diversify the repertoire and start working with spectators of an older age - middle school. Make some production of the Youth Theater. Recently, the audience has been asking us for a performance for adults, but with the number of people who work for us today, we cannot do this. Therefore, we are waiting for everyone who wants to master the profession of a puppeteer.
What entrance tests await applicants?
Applicants will go through pre-selection auditions to show the extent of their talent. These can be tasks such as, for example, reading an excerpt from a fable, prose, or poem. To determine the voice data, hearing and musicality, applicants must perform two or three songs or romances. These are elementary dances, some special study on the instructions of the examiner. And, of course, there will be an acquaintance with the general level of culture of the applicant, the range of his interests, his knowledge in various branches of art (literature, theater, music, fine arts). To do this, a special interview will be held, at which questions can be asked to identify the general outlook of a person. And only after that will a decision be made on the admission of the applicant to the exams (Russian language and literature in writing).
According to Dmitry Shapovalov, during the entire period of study, non-resident students are provided with a comfortable hostel, and stipends will be paid to students who succeed in their studies.
Entrance examinations will begin on July 6th.
To learn more about the new specialty, you can contact the admissions committee of the College of Arts by phone: (413-2) 65-03-47, (413-2) 60-54-55. Or to the puppet theatre, where during the tour everyone will be able to personally get acquainted with the profession of an actor-puppeteer.
The interview was conducted by Anna SERGEEVA.
Many of the actors of the Central Puppet Theater came to the profession of puppeteers, having gone through the school of drama theater (the Moscow Art Theater, the Meyerhold Theater, the Yaroslavl Theater named after F. G. Volkov and others), where they were already familiar with the “system” of Konstantin Sergeevich Stanislavsky. Comprehension of the "system" in the puppet theater was the more difficult, the more sophisticated tasks were set for the theater by its permanent director, its chief director. Much was facilitated by Obraztsov's personal talent and his seemingly spontaneous acceptance of the system, an organic sense of its laws.
One of Obraztsov's closest associates, actor and director E. V. Speransky, recalls precisely this, which struck the actors at first as Obraztsov as an actor. “Everything was amazing in his manner of performance - both deep acting sincerity, and psychological pauses never seen before in the puppet theater, and subtexts full of life associations, the accuracy of each gesture, the justification of each intonation, the perfect unity of the voice of the actor and the behavior of the puppet - all this made a stunning impression. , opened up great prospects for the development of acting in the puppet theater.
Most of the puppeteers accepted the new method relatively easily. Sometimes it seemed to them at rehearsals that they were studying only the structure, the logic of the words and actions of the character of the play, but in fact, at that time, the most subtle, complex part of the actor’s work took place: he got used to his hero, developing the habit of acting and thinking as if on his behalf. And the more fantastic the puppet characters were and the more unexpected the proposed circumstances, the more exciting it turned out for the actor to “climb into the skin of the image”. And even more so, he was attracted not so much by the search for the unique habits of unseen monsters, as by the selection from the found of those grains of stage and verbal action that became demonstrative and convincing on stage.
At the first stages of the collective's activity, the appeal to the development of the elements of Stanislavsky's "system" seemed to many artists at that time an eccentricity, an unjustified claim. Two or three decades later, work according to the Stanislavsky "system" in the puppet theater became an axiom, entered the practice of Soviet puppeteers as one of the elementary truths. Not without reason, having gathered in January 1963 for the anniversary meeting dedicated to the memory of Stanislavsky, the figures of the puppet theater G. Kryzhitsky, V. Gromov, E. Speransky and others unanimously noted the enormous role played by the teachings of the great stage reformer in the work of the Soviet puppet theater. Moreover, it was emphasized that almost every chapter of Stanislavsky's book "The work of an actor on himself" - be it "Action!", "If", "Proposed circumstances" or "Imagination", "Stage attention", "Pieces and tasks", " The most important task", "Through action" - has the same direct relation to the actor-puppeteer, as to the actor of the drama theater. But nevertheless, the puppeteers' work on comprehending the image according to the "system" of K. S. Stanislavsky also contained its own huge specific difficulties.
“We are free to choose the physical abilities of the hero” - this rule, proclaimed by the masters of the State Central Theater Theater, seemed to bring tremendous relief in the difficulties that actors in the drama theater always experienced, connected with a certain “physics” of their body, face, voice. We know with what amazing brilliance his legendary heroes from the lyric-heroic repertoire - Aladdin, Trufaldin - and comic heroes - the characters of "An Extraordinary Concerto", "Devil's Mill", "Divine Comedy" were played in the State Central Theater Theater.
Freedom in choosing the appearance of the character being played did not, however, make the work of the puppeteers much more difficult. And it is sometimes very difficult for an actor in a drama theater who works according to Stanislavsky's "system" to subordinate his entire complex psychophysical apparatus to the creation of an artistic image. No less, if not more complicated, is the creative process of transforming the actor's state into actions, the actions of a theatrical puppet in the hands of the actor. The screen, on the one hand, helps the actor, hiding the whole kitchen of creativity. On the other hand, it requires additional efforts to convey the actor's emotion to the viewer, to pour it into the auditorium. The actor here never directly meets the viewer, only the wrists, fingers of the actor, threaded into the body of the doll, fall into his field of vision.
Intersecting at the point of movement of the puppet, the counter emotions - acting and spectator - and cut out that spark that makes the puppet alive, thinking, feeling. But how incredibly complex is this way of feeling the viewer through the puppet! How close and united with the actor should be the doll! How natural all her anatomical quirks must become! And with what spontaneity, organic ease, the actor must improvise with this doll, perceiving on the fly and feeling the new accents that his second great director, the spectator, suggests to him.
In the puppet theater they now say: the actor and the spectator communicate with each other through the puppet. Let us add to this that the actor communicates not only with the audience, but also with his partner only through the puppet. Through his doll and the partner's doll leads the way to the heart of a living person - a friend in the play. This extraordinarily complicated communication requires from the actors not only special professional skills - the ability to revive their puppet, to convey emotion through it to its puppet partner and, at the same time, to feel the birth of a response emotion in a human partner.
The actors of the GTSK discovered the truth for themselves: as soon as the actor playing the role stops such a complex, multi-layered form of communication and turns directly to his partner, the puppet immediately dies in his hands. The fact of the matter is that she, a theatrical puppet, lives in this conventionally psychological theater only on condition that her dead body is pierced by the sparkling current of acting human emotion, if there is a voltaic arc ignited by sparks of intersecting emotions, contacts of actors playing behind the screen and spectators looking at dolls.
It's not easy to make a puppet for this theatre. It is even more difficult to find a formula for the existence of this doll. And to make alive all the seconds of the character's life: after all, a dead doll, if it is formal, is empty, there is nothing to hide behind, to hide. She has no living human charm, no breathing, no facial expressions. And if the puppet does not live in this theater, does not think, does not feel, it becomes at best a galvanized corpse.
Communication of multi-genre, multi-texture puppets is a particular difficulty in this theater. In addition to the fact that they may not find the right degree of communication, the various conventions on which puppet images are built can lead to the mutual destruction of two communicating characters. The viewer not only in this case will not believe in the truth of what is happening on the stage - he will doubt the very reliability of the revival of dead matter. Not only will he not be carried away by the logic of character development, the life of the "human spirit" on stage, but in general he will treat these dolls as nothing more than two robots - mechanical mannequins.
In childhood, we all play with dolls, and when we grow up, we forget our favorite toys or give them to kids, believing that adults do not play with dolls. But it turns out that there are exceptions! Adults play with dolls, but only theatrical ones, and this becomes their profession. Puppetry is a whole art that is learned and improved throughout life. In recent years, artists of the Magadan Regional Puppet Theater have become frequent guests in the Omsukchansky district, and for the children, each of their visits is a real holiday. And if young Omsouk residents go to Magadan with their parents, they definitely try to attend a performance at the puppet theater. Puppeteer is not an easy profession, but very interesting. Not everyone can become a puppeteer, but if your soul aspires to the stage, if you are talented and drawn to art, then you can become one. It has now become possible to get the profession of an actor-puppeteer without leaving the Magadan region. On the basis of the Magadan College of Arts, together with the regional puppet theater, in 2014, the department "Actor of the Puppet Theater" was opened. Dmitry Shapovalov, artistic director of the Magadan Regional Puppet Theater, tells more about this unique profession.
– Puppeteers are universal actors. Students who have graduated from the puppet department work in theaters of other genres - drama, music, opera, ballet, circus. The presence of puppets is the main difference between the puppeteer and the actors of other spheres, - Dmitry Yuryevich emphasized. - The puppeteer actor reproduces the image with the help of the tone of speech, conveys emotions and feelings with the help of the movement of the puppet, thereby conveying to the viewer the content of the scene, play, and so on. Actors of puppet theaters can work in show business, put on concert numbers, various performances, parodies. They organize holidays, and, of course, act in films. This is not surprising, because along with the discipline "the skill of an actor with a puppet", students-puppeteers are taught "the skill of an actor in a live plan." For example, both drama actors and puppeteers study such creative disciplines as the skill of an actor, stage speech, dance, make-up, and stage movement. But above all, puppeteers are still learning the skill of an actor with a puppet and the technology of making a puppet. What does it give? Let me explain. If a graduate of the College of Arts, Department of "Actor of the Puppet Theater", wants to work in the Magadan Musical Drama Theater. Gorky, then he has every chance of becoming a drama actor, but whether or not a graduate of the Russian Academy of Theater Arts (RATI) will be hired to work in the puppet theater, this is already 50 to 50. Among the employees of the puppet theater there are graduates of the Magadan College of Arts. Meet artist-puppeteer Maria Bondarenko, born and raised in the village of Sinegorye. In 2005 she graduated from the College of Arts with a degree in theater production, teacher. Like many schoolchildren, Masha was engaged in a theater group. It was there that she fell in love with the theater. - On the basis of the Sinegorsk House of Culture, one of the graduates of the College of Arts staged a play. This production was his graduation work, - Maria shares her memories.
- I was lucky to play the main role, which, according to the audience, I coped with successfully. After that, I decided to enter the theater, but I was late ... In order not to lose a whole year, I entered college, then still an art school, and I do not regret it. I liked learning. We plunged into the creative process from the first minute. We not only studied, but also conducted an active concert activity at various venues in Magadan, toured the regions of the region. Then Maria continued her studies at the Khabarovsk Institute of Culture with a degree in amateur theater director. He says that it was easy to study, as the college gives good basic knowledge. After graduation, she came to work in the puppet theater. “I am glad that I connected my life with the puppet theater,” she continues.
We bring joy to children. Nowhere else can you see so many children's smiles. Happy children's faces are our best reward! Omsukchan Dmitry Martynov is also a graduate of the Magadan College of Arts. In 2011, he graduated with honors from the department of "social and cultural activities and folk art" with a degree in "director of theatrical performances." Following the results of the training, Dmitry was included in the directory "The best graduates of educational institutions of the Magadan region - 2011" and was a participant in the "Russian Intellectual Resources" program. “Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming an actor,” says Dmitry.
- Since the College of Arts in the Magadan Region is the only educational institution that graduates specialists in creative professions, the question of where to go to study did not arise. It was very interesting to study. The college has wonderful teachers, a good material and technical base. After studying, I returned to Omsukchan, worked at the Center for Leisure and Folk Art, and then led the theater group at the Center for Additional Education for Children. Then I was invited to work in the puppet theater. It was difficult to start, because it only seems from the outside that it is easy to control the doll. For the puppeteer, physical strength, coordination of movements, and dexterity are very important. In addition to the fact that the doll must be controlled, it also needs to be voiced.
ANDI’m interested in Dmitry, what features, in his opinion, should an actor-puppeteer have?
– Definitely a sense of humor, charisma, charm, correct speech, literary abilities, artistic taste, – he replies.
- In addition, the actor must have an excellent memory and quick thinking. He must be able to awaken a sea of emotions, convey to the viewer every drop of feelings with facial expressions, gestures, intonation. Continuing the conversation with the artistic director of the theater, I ask Dmitry Yuryevich to explain what entrance tests await applicants who want to enter the acting department of the Magadan College of Arts.
“Applicants go through pre-selection auditions,” explains Shapovalov, “which are designed to ensure the gradual selection of young people who have a vocation for the profession of an actor and have the necessary stage skills. Persons who are not admitted to the next preliminary qualifying audition are not allowed to take the entrance exams. To conduct each stage of the qualifying audition and examination in the specialty - the competition, the applicant must be ready to perform the necessary special tasks, allowing to identify his creative individuality and stage capabilities. To identify the ability for expressive imaginative thinking, applicants must read by heart a fable, a poem, an excerpt from prose. It is desirable that, at the same time, works of both classical and modern literature be included in the program. They should differ from each other in content and form, be different in style and genre, which will enable each applicant to more fully demonstrate their abilities, the breadth of their creative range. To determine the voice data, hearing and musicality, applicants must prepare the performance of two or three songs or romances. To get acquainted with the possibilities of an applicant in the field of physical development, his plastic data, to check the coordination of movement and rhythm, the applicant must be ready to perform an elementary dance, a special study on the instructions of the examiner. To get acquainted with the general level of culture of the applicant, the range of his interests, with his knowledge in the field of literature, dramaturgy, fine arts, theater, music, a special interview is held, that is, a colloquium, at which questions can be asked about current events in the socio-political life of the country, international position and so on. Applicants who have successfully passed the exams in the specialty are allowed to take a written test in the Russian language and literature.
I ask Dmitry Shapovalov: what are the advantages and guarantees for college students?
“Throughout the entire training, nonresident students are provided with a comfortable hostel, scholarships are paid to those who succeed, professional disciplines are taught by workers of the puppet theater,” he replies. – It is also important that both during their studies and after, students will be able to work in the theater. And those who decide to enter on the basis of basic general education (9 classes), along with a certificate of secondary education, will also receive a diploma of secondary specialized education!
- Dmitry Yuryevich, when will the entrance examinations begin and what documents do I need to provide?
– Entrance examinations will begin on July 6. When applying for admission, the applicant presents: identity documents (original or certified copy); a document on secondary (complete) general or basic general education (original or certified copy); 4 photos 3x4. The application for admission, as well as the necessary documents, can be submitted by applicants personally, sent through public postal operators by registered mail with a notification and a description of the attachment, or in electronic digital form to the official e-mail of the college. Enrollment is subject to the mandatory provision of original documents on education of the state sample. If an applicant, based on the results of entrance examinations, cannot be enrolled in a college for places financed from the regional budget, then he is given the opportunity to study in the field
with payment of tuition fees under the contract.
– Where can applicants find out more detailed information about admission and where to apply?
– For information, applicants can contact the responsible secretary of the College of Arts Anastasia Aleksandrovna Boldyreva. Phone of the selection committee (413-2) 65-03-47. College address: Magadan, st. Yakutskaya, 46A, room. 313, tel/fax: (413-2) 60-54-55. Email: [email protected].
At the end of the conversation, Dmitry Shapovalov turned to high school students, to those who are still deciding where to go to study today: “If you are interested in the profession of an actor-puppeteer, but you doubt whether it is worth connecting your life with the puppet theater or not, come visit us , see for yourself. We'll be glad to meet you."
On my own behalf, I want to add that when you come to the puppet theater, from the threshold you find yourself in a special fairy-tale world. A world in which dolls become alive, and the action taking place on the stage attracts, fascinates and returns you to a happy, unique time - to childhood. You look at the actors and believe that they are fairy-tale characters come to life. And leaving the puppet theater, you understand that the puppeteer is not just a profession - it is a vocation!
Svetlana MARTYNOVA
Compared to the majestic and well-groomed Conservatory, the modest building of its theatrical department at the intersection of Rabochaya and Gorky streets looks like a poor relative wearing out the cast-offs of wealthy family members. In the corridor strangers greet me about five times: this is one of the traditions of the theater department - to greet everyone you see when you meet. The theatrical department of the Saratov Conservatory graduates theater and film actors every year. Puppeteers - once every four years: the demand is less, and the specifics are special. In 2013, the People's Artist of Russia Tatyana Kondratyeva gained a new course: 23 people. TSR talked to the guys about the intricacies of the profession and the peculiarities of training.
Basically, puppeteers go through the same disciplines as ordinary actors - vocals, stage speech, dancing, but they also have training in working with puppets.
- When we recruit, many applicants first enter the "drama", and if they do not pass, they go to the puppet department,- admits Tatyana Petrovna. - In this set, the number of those who came to us was higher: there were people who were invited to the "drama", but they went to us.
Managing puppets is no easier than managing people, for nothing that they are rag or wood. They begin training with a simple ball that is put on the finger, and "pens" - imitations of dolls that cover the entire hand. First you need to develop the plasticity of the hands, master the technical tasks - walk, sit down. The next level of difficulty is to teach the balloon to respond to words, creating the illusion that you have a living object in front of you that feels and thinks.
- If the doll has a certain face, it means that there is a certain character, but here [points to a faceless ball], we can do anything, there is a field for imagination,- says student Vladimir Reshetov.
Then they move on to more complicated dolls, for example, tablet ones, which students call “handkerchiefs”. The most difficult to manage is a puppet, beginners are allowed to control the hands of such a puppet.
– Dramatically, you have to make the viewer believe what you are experiencing. When you are a puppeteer, you have to make the viewer believe what the puppet feels, the piece of wood. It's more difficult. A feature of puppet shows is teamwork. In a puppet show, three people work with one puppet, but in a dramatic one, you are responsible for yourself. If, for example, I am in a bad relationship with my partner, then we have to get along, Vladimir explains.
Upon admission, future puppeteers show a study with puppet legs made from improvised materials.
- Someone made from disposable or real spoons, someone from sticks, someone from papier-mâché, someone sewed shoes. The teachers watched how much we like to do it - recalls Irina Sobgaida.
The ideal height for a puppeteer is about 170 centimeters. Those who are taller have to crouch so as not to peek out from behind the screen. For those who are lower, stand on koturny - a high wooden platform attached to shoes.
Physical work with puppets is difficult, hand diseases for puppeteers are professional, because of this they retire earlier.
There are dolls that weigh up to 5-6 kilograms, but student training dolls are much lighter, they do not reach a kilogram.
- It is impossible to quickly change clothes for a doll during a performance, it is very difficult. If a doll appears, for example, in winter or summer, in different clothes or with different objects, then these are two different dolls, - says Alexandra Bozhneva.
The production of dolls in Saratov is done by the master of the Teremok theater, a former jeweler. The guys make basic-level dolls themselves, show Petrushka from papier-mâché: “We made clothes and a stick for him, the head is the previous course,” - from the next semester they will go to learn from the master from Teremok.
The schedule of students of the theater faculty is from 9 am to 10 pm, including days off, most of the time is taken up by preparation for disciplines, rehearsals.
Many puppet shows involve not only puppets, but also a person, so the puppeteer actor must be versatile.
The Saratov audience, no matter what we say, from the rotten provincial life has no shortage of theaters of various directions. There are both large state and small experimental theaters. But for some reason, puppetry in our city is mostly associated with children's entertainment. Although puppets have long been part of world culture: Japanese puppet theater Bunraku , for example, protected by UNESCO as a masterpiece of world cultural heritage. Maybe someday the Russian Petrushka will be guarded.
The conversation ends with applause in my honor. At the theater department, it is so customary - to end the lesson with an ovation.
How to become a puppeteer and not go broke?
In 1959, the American company Mattel first released a doll that looked not like a baby, but like an adult girl. Since then, a whole industry of doll clothes, furniture and everyday life has grown around Barbie in the West. In Russia, not a single large toy company has thought of sewing clothes for toys.
But even for our children, their dolls are alive! So, they need to be taken to visit, washed, combed and changed. President of the Guild of Puppeteers at the Moscow Chamber of Crafts Lyudmila Burova, a primary school teacher by profession, has been in this business for 10 years. She created the first doll studio in the country.
Q: Does such handicraft bring stable income these days?
ABOUT: Of course, each master has his own creative cuisine, favorite technique and dissimilar products. Naturally, everyone independently evaluates their products and calculates income - the puppet business is very individual. But on average, if you devote at least 3-4 hours a day to this business and monitor the sale of finished products, 30 thousand rubles. per month guaranteed.
Our business is seasonal. Dolls are bought mainly for gifts for the holidays. Still good sales go during fairs and exhibitions. At first we settled on Moscow venues, then we began to travel around the country, and for the last two years we exhibited in Prague, Hurghada, and in a few months we are going to Morocco.
Q: Do the masters live only on sales during the announced events?
ABOUT: No, not only. Many people themselves rent tents at permanent exhibitions, for example, at the Moscow Hobby Fair, someone rents their works for sale in well-known art salons and gift shops.
There is also such an interesting income item as “master class”. For example, Valentina Bulygina, a professional artist and teacher with 11 years of experience, regularly teaches those who wish the tricks of making a rag doll, and master Galina Maruseva teaches for six months how to make a plastic doll like a sculptor, sculpt a face, arms, legs, then dress it in the appropriate outfit.
Our craftswomen can do everything - sew clothes from leather, knit on a fork, felt felt boots, weave accessories from beads and sew fur coats. By the way, not a single company in the world has thought of dressing a doll in a fur coat, and it is important for our girls that their toys are dressed according to the season.
Of course, such knowledge is not cheap. Given the qualifications of the master and the cost of consumables, one 3-hour lesson can cost from 2 to 4 thousand rubles. But if a person's soul "lies", then he himself can reach perfection and even start working "in a series."
Q: Do you need any special education or training for this?
ABOUT: No you! We have 350 craftswomen in the guild. A few came to us from artists, someone retrained from technologists for painting fabrics or processing porcelain, but mostly these are people who love to craft and still have not forgotten their childhood fantasies. There are no age restrictions either - these are schoolgirls and pensioners.
Q: And how to furnish such a business legally?
ABOUT: Someone registers an individual enterprise, someone works as a family and opens an LLC, and someone simply makes at home and sells products to salons. The last option is not for everyone. As a rule, other people's sellers are not very careful - the work is not always stored correctly, it collects dust, gets dirty, loses its appearance. Then they are neither sold nor donated. Therefore, many prefer to realize the fruits of their labor on their own.
Q: Where do the masters get their ideas from, do they know what kind of dolls and accessories are needed?
ABOUT: Everything is very simple. Children and their parents come to the exhibition. And they themselves are asked to do what they want to have. Recently ordered a dress, like Jennifer Lopez, directly from the picture from the magazine. Someone asks to make a retro dress XVIII for the ball. But in general, everything comes with experience. For example, I realized long ago that manufacturers not only don’t think about fur coats, but also about sportswear. Therefore, I sew sports suits. For 100 rubles. per piece "fly away". There are no problems with sizes and fittings - over the years we have studied all the "dolls" on the market.
Q: And what do puppet masters burn out on?
ABOUT: They burn out mainly on inflated expectations. The price should be such that both the master is profitable and the buyer is not unprofitable. The same sports suits, if you put up 300 rubles each, will no longer be needed by anyone. For this money, you can buy a whole Chinese baby doll. The most expensive dolls are sold for gifts for the holidays for $100. Well, those masters who are waiting for the "oligarchs" at city fairs and opening days, alas, do not meet them there ... Q: Then what is the function of the guild?
ABOUT: We are a non-profit and independent organization. We do not ask anything from the state, and we do not expect anything. Guild membership is free. We have teamed up for convenience. Together it is easier to “monitor” the market and look for retail outlets, pay for the rent of these outlets - when we take more than 100 meters, we are given a significant discount. We also wholesale the necessary materials and accessories. And then we constantly learn from each other.
Q: No one had a desire to try themselves in the mass segment?
ABOUT: Our masters can not open a big business. Some of us have collaborated with puppet industries. For example, Inna Kuznetsova some time ago developed models for a factory in Lobnya near Moscow. But production has already stopped there. Alas, dolls from Russian factories will soon be seen only in private collections...
