Magic of Henson in science of 'Sid'

Digital puppetry helps tell the story on PBS kids' show

By Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Published August 29, 2008 at 3 p.m.

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If you were to walk onto a soundstage at The Jim Henson Company studios and see performer Misty Rosas, clad in a black leotard-type outfit and wandering within a circle drawn on the floor with what looks like an inner tube around her waist, you might think she's gone 'round the bend.

But it's really just another day at the office for Rosas, who performs body movements for the title character in PBS's Sid the Science Kid (weekday mornings; check local times).

The new children's series is created using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a new system that allows performers to create movements for animated characters in real time. To accomplish this, Rosas moves around an empty soundstage. Monitors show the animated Sid mirroring her movement as he moves around his computer-animated room. If Rosas waves her arms, Sid on the monitor does too.

Performer Drew Massey, standing a few feet away at a computer rig, gives voice to Sid and performs the character's facial movements using a mechanical glove similar to that of a traditional puppeteer. The computer reads those movements and adjusts Sid's face accordingly.

One other thing: There are no physical cameras in use but there are virtual cameras operated by traditional camera operators. All the movements Rosas makes are tracked by motion-capture sensors in the studio. The computer records the movement. Later, the live animation is cleaned up to get it into better shape for broadcast, but the rough and final images are remarkably similar.

"We feel like we're on the cutting edge of technology, but we're also using the strength of The Jim Henson Company in that we're giving our puppeteers a chance to perform these characters," said Lisa Henson, daughter of the late Jim Henson and co-CEO of the company that bears his name. "Essentially our puppeteers (and performers) are our animators."

Henson said the company can produce a half-hour of animation in two days using this process, and the cost is "comparable to that of other animation." This human- computer combo gives Sid a unique look. Character movements are far more fluid and lifelike than in other animation forms. The show's look mirrors its production: a cross between animation and puppetry.

As fascinating as the technology behind the show is, the series itself is a welcome addition to the PBS Kids preschool block. In each episode, Sid and his friends - with an assist from "Teacher Susie" - learn about science using music and humor.

In one episode, Sid learns the value of charts, "a handy scientific tool." "Science is out front and center. We're not sugarcoating it. We don't have to because science is so exciting," says Joyce Campbell, vice president of education and children's programming for KCET, the presenting PBS station for Sid. "It really is celebrating the fact that science learning is something that you want to start doing from a very early age."

Two more new kids' shows in PBS lineup

Sid the Science Kid isn't the only addition to the children's-TV landscape this fall on PBS. Two other new shows are scheduled:

* Martha Speaks: Based on a book series by Susan Meddaugh, the Martha of the title is a dog who consumes alphabet soup that gives her the ability to speak like a human. The series aims to bolster the vocabulary of children ages 4-7. Each episode features two 11-minute stories.

* Lomax: The Hound of Music (Sunday, premiering Oct. 12): From the producers of PBS's Between the Lions, this series aimed at children ages 3-7 will attempt to increase musical intelligence through a melody-obsessed puppet pooch named Lomax. Lomax - named for musicologist Alan Lomax - is joined by blues-singing cat Delta and Amy, a human companion and singer. All three ride the rails in a caboose they share, tracking down songs that make up America's musical heritage.

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