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                                                About us
Helena Smee

Helena Smee
Kids TV Scriptwriter
Hands Up Puppets was set up in 1989 by its founders and current heads, Marcus Clarke and Helena Smee.

Both are Puppet Makers, Puppeteers, Scriptwriters and Film Makers. The company was originally set up,
'to create puppet characters for Television.' Being much inspired and encouraged by the visionary Muppet's creator, Jim Henson, whom Marcus had formerly worked for.
Since then Hands Up Puppets have made over sixty TV Puppet characters and worked on over sixty Children's TV Series as Puppeteers. As well as Feature Films, Commercials and Educational TV. We have also Written Scripts for hundreds of Kids TV Series and Helena currently specialises in writing scripts for Animated TV Series. Today we still make and perform Puppets for Television and through our Educational work we inform and promote Puppetry.
Advancing Jim Henson's work and vision.
marcus clarke
Marcus Clarke

Dick and  Dom  Marcus Clarke  Lucy Goodman  Ian Emes and Will Paulter  at the 2009 Kids Bafta's.
Bookaboo was awarded the best Children's Live Action Bafta.



Bookaboo also wins the Broadcast Award 2010
for Best Children's Programme
Currently Airing TV

 		Marcus Clarke is 'Bookaboo' in the Citv Kids Bafta 2009 winning Series, 'Bookaboo'. Other Awards include the Broadcast best Children's award and its category at the most prestigious Prix Jeunesse Children's TV Awards.
We are Puppeteers to Milky and Shake in the 2009 Kids Bafta nominated Series  'The Christmas Milkshake'. We also made the Puppets Milky and Shake for the Series.
Helena Smee is currently Milkshake Monkey on Channel Five and we built the Puppet.
Helena has also Written several currently airing episodes of Bottle Top Bill, Angels of Jarm, Castle Farm and The Beeps
Short Films
in Competition

'Clayfields House' Directed and Produced by Marcus. more


TV Series Creation and Media development work
Marcus and Helena have also created and devised many Puppet Children's TV Series and their project development work has also included Real Time Performance Animation as well as  2D and 3D Animation see Development We are always finding new and new old ways to build on our Puppetry and other Character based work and currently have some innovative new projects in development. Some with our own Production Company see HupLtd

1989 logo
 		In Production.
Hands Up Puppets have designed, built and performed puppets in a variety of television genres and production styles and with varied budgets.
We pride ourselves in our versatility, innovation and problem solving abilities. 
Pre-school, Educational, Children's, Adult Comedy, Teen and Family.
We have Puppeteered Live and Recorded, scripted and improvised, on Location and in the Studio.
Performed Puppets whilst canoeing, abseiling, hanging out of helicopters and in Live Stand Up Comedy Shows.
We always push the creative and quality envelope.



Credits
Combined Puppet Making and Puppeteering Television credits include:
These TV Series contain a total of 50 puppets, all designed and made by Hands Up Puppets.
Television Puppeteering only credits include:
  • Bookaboo Series 2 Citv/Happy Films 2010 Marcus Clarke is Bookaboo's Puppeteer.
  • Bookaboo Citv/Happy Films 2009 Marcus Clarke is Bookaboo's Puppeteer. BAFTA, Broadcast 2009 and Prix Jeunesse 2010 Award Winner.
  • PJ's Storytime 6 x 5 min programmes, Disney Playhouse, Puppeteer to puppet character PJ Mole BAFTA nominee Marcus Clarke 2004
  • PJ's Bedtime   20 x 60 min programmes, Disney Playhouse, Puppeteer to puppet character PJ Mole
  • Playbox - Ragdoll Production for ITV.
  • "The Great Bong" - UA & HTV. Production for Channel 4.
  • "The Slow Norris" Series 1 & 2 - HTV. production for ITV.
  • Big Bag Series 1 & 2 - YTV & The Childrens Television Workshop for ITV.

 		Film puppeteering credits include:
Commercials Puppeteering credits include:
  • Quantas Koala Bear,
  • Talk back Radio,
  • Applejack Scrumpy,
  • Quorn,
  • Revels.

CGI Real Time Performance Animation.
 Marcus and Helena have also been involved in the fast developing field of Real Time Performance Animation. They have worked as Performance Animators for Medialab Paris, Medialab Los Angeles, Twentieth Century Fox T.V. U.S.A. and the American Channel N.B.C. And for Nihon Itec, NHK and Sony in Tokyo, Japan for TV Series, FILM and also Live Events. MORE




 Puppet Theatre Consultancy
Hands Up Puppets were engaged by the Lego Company as consultants and designers for the first ever Puppet Show at their U.K. theme park - Legoland Windsor

©Marcus Clarke2006