Declan Lowney on Working With Muppets

Earlier this year Another Film Company director, Declan Lowney, helmed an epic spot for Warburtons which featured the legend that is Sylvester Stallone [below].

In the follow-up film Stallone has been replaced not by one screen legend but a whole troupe of them; The Muppets. Below Lowney reflects on shooting with such iconic characters and how working with them differs from 'normal' actors.

From one superstar, in Sly Stallone, to a troupe of megastars; how was it working with the muppets?

It was tricky to begin with, because you're directing what is essentially a sock on someone's hand (sorry Kermit!). But that’s kinda how the Muppet performers prefer it – you deal directly with the character, not the performer – and that starts to impact on how you say stuff, the expressions you use, because they’ll just take the piss out of you.

But once you get your head around that, it gets easier and it’s very funny. In some ways, it was easier working with Sly, because I could look him in the eye and give him direction. 

Have you ever worked with puppets and puppeteers before, and how, if at all, does it differ from a ‘normal’ shoot?

Yes, I have worked with puppets before - puppet dogs and Jackie Chan! Directing puppets is a bit tricky because all the sets are built 4ft off the floor and you’re not able to talk to the puppeteers directly as they’re all below the furniture so you have to talk to the puppet, to the characters.

In comedy direction you're constantly tweaking jokes and playing with ways of delivering gags so there’s a lot of to and fro' between myself and the talent. In this case it was all directed at these puppet characters with voices coming from beneath the furniture. 

Was there any room for improvisation on the shoot or was everything carefully scripted?

Because they were singing along to the pre-recorded track we were limited in what we could do, but the muppets are very improvisational and are always coming up with ideas, we were able to have a bit of a play around to see what worked.

Having worked on the previous campaign, do you think that, as a director, it helps to keep the continuity so you have a feel for the tone of the  commercial and what the agency/client are trying to do?

Absolutely. I like to think that I am instrumental in maintaining the continuity and humour of the Warburtons brand. It’s also the great relationship I have with [WCRS ECD] Billy Faithfull, Andy [Lee, creative] and Johnny [Porthouse, creative] here that helps too. They’re clever creatives, we understand each other and have a similar sense of humour, we have a great giggle together at the same time.

Who’s the best Muppet?

My producer, Simon.