[OT] Djeta as a dog?! Oh you best believe!

[Djeta Thernadier]

I apologize, since this is about as OT as they come , but I really didn't know where else to ask, so I figured I'd ask my friends at EnWorld. I don't see a lot of OT stuff today anyway... so...I figured I'd give it a shot....

It's *kinda* role playing

This Saturday, I will be dressing up as *ahem* a cartoon dog (ala Disneyland style character costumes) and walking around entertaining kids with one of the authors, for my workplace for a festival. I will not be able to talk, only pantomime.

I have no idea how to do pantomime acting, and was wondering if anyone has ever had any experience with things like this? If so, can you give me any pointers I need to keep the kids amused for 2 hours. I'd imagine much of it will be picture taking...but...well...any suggestions?

Thanks a lot (and you can stop laughing now!)

Djeta, aka Otto the Dog!

 

[KnowTheToe]

Is the dog a character in the books? What is the dog known for?

 

[d20Dwarf]

I have no idea how to do pantomime acting, and was wondering if anyone has ever had any experience with things like this? If so, can you give me any pointers I need to keep the kids amused for 2 hours. I'd imagine much of it will be picture taking...but...well...any suggestions?

Thanks a lot (and you can stop laughing now!)

Djeta, aka Otto the Dog!

Otto,

Just remember that your suit is less flexible and subtle than you are, so large, exaggerated motions should rule the day. Besides, kids love that stuff even when you aren't wearing a big dog suit.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Is the dog a character in the books? What is the dog known for?

He is from Todd Parr's books. Several of them. As for he's known for, I'm not sure. Todd Parr's books are known for being bright, silly and fun. I'm trying to get our publicity dept to track down the books that feature Otto for me to look at before the event, but this was a very last minute sort of thing...so I may have to just wing it if work can't find copies or my local bookstores don't have these in stock.

 

[Maldur]

lift your leg and pee on one of the fathers , THe kids will love you

 

[KnowTheToe]

Then nothing beats the exagerated movements, high fives and general sillyness inspired by the kids around you. I did similar things several times during my senior year in HS. It was a blast every time except the day it was over 100 deg. I was an ape and passed out cards for this company at different events.

It paid awesome, but I think that was because I was a friend of the family and they were in a pickle the first time and never wanted to tell me the other gigs should have paid less.

 

[Teflon Billy]

....I have no idea how to do pantomime acting, and was wondering if anyone has ever had any experience with things like this? If so, can you give me any pointers I need to keep the kids amused for 2 hours. I'd imagine much of it will be picture taking...but...well...any suggestions?

The truth of the matter is that you don't need any pantomime skills at all. In the time I worked at Flintstones Bedrock City , and had employees dressed up as Dino, Fred, etc. , it becasme painfully clear that...

1) Kids are not a discriminating audience.
2) What they really want to do is punch the costumed Character.

So my advice is make sure the costume is either padded or, better yet, rigid. Also make sure the Author is ready to explain that "Otto" doesn't like to be hit (kids are idiots).

 

[Pielorinho]

I don't know if you're aware of what a problem rabies is in our community, but you might want to look on this as an excellent opportunity to educate the kiddos about it. Keep in mind the following things:

* While rabid dogs do foam at the mouth sometimes, it's not constant. You probably don't want to apply more than a dab of shaving cream to the edges of the doggie suit's mouth.
* Rabid animals are sometimes very aggressive, but they're also sometimes terrified. You should run away whimpering just as often as you charge at the children.
* Often, rabid dogs become, um, sexually aggressive. For obvious reasons, however, you should confine any "humping" to adults in the store. To do otherwise would be really icky and awful.
* Remember that thwarted rabid animals often bite. Do you have the range of motion in the costume to chomp down on someone?
* Especially in the later stages of the disease, rabid animals become uncoordinated and jerky in their motions. Stagger around, crashing into things, whining.
* The only way to test for rabies is to decapitate the animal and send the head for testing at a diagnostic laboratory. What a great ending to the educational program that would be -- after someone "saws off" the head of the costume, you can emerge from it and answer any questions the tykes have about rabies!

Hope this helps!
Daniel
not a burnt-out animal shelter worker at all

 

[Piratecat]

Yup. My friend who did a stint as Arthur the aardvark complained that little kids have a bad habit of headbutting their favorite cartoons in the crotch. Ouchie.

 

[alsih2o]

from my experience in costume in front of kids there are 2 subtle yet highly effective methods gauranteed to draw giggles of glee:

1 fall down.
2 wiggle your back end.

the suit makes number 1 easier, and frees you with anonimity to do number 2.

maybe i shouldn't mention #2 when you are wearing a dog suit, as that will entertain the kids but not the parents.