ürgen Heimann has worked on more than 20 major motion pictures. His special effects skills have been called upon by industry icons such as Rick Baker and the Jim Henson Creature Shop.

His credits include a veritable potpourri of goodness such as Tim Burton's lastest Planet of the Apes movie, The Grinch, Men in Black, The Nutty Professor, Batman Forever and Arachnophobia.

Jugen's most current projects are the feature film Clambaked and the production of The Puphedz. And the Puphedz is what we're here to talk about! This amazing project looks like a Dr. Caligari & Dali love child. German surrealism meets puppetry in a very cool horror flick. Even these oddball descriptions aren't doing this project justice. Jürgen, the movie's producer/director/writer/puppeteer, recently sat down with us for a look at this quirky, spooky film.

Click here for the official Puphedz website

Where did the idea for PUPHEDZ come from?

Ryan (Vaniski) and I were building props and puppets for CLAMBAKED, a feature project we're developing, and we were listening, as we often do, to old radio shows. That particular day it happened to be "The Weird Circle" show. Suddenly, a connection was made, and we reached an obvious conclusion. We had to make a puppet show wherein the puppets presented weird tales of terror.

Where did the name come from?

The PUPHEDZ puppets have oversized heads, and the name simply came from that. The PUP came from "puppets," and the HEDZ from "heads." And there it is...PUPHEDZ.

What is the story about?

Well, the PUPHEDZ is intended to be episodic. With each show, a new tale of terror is presented. Basically, the PUPHEDZ puppets are actors, and they perform classic tales of terror. Episode one is "The Tattle-Tale Heart."

Do you see this as a horror story?

Certainly. Episode one is based on Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart."

How many characters are there?

Four. Although, there will be more as we proceed with further episodes.

Who designed and sculpted the puppets?

I take responsibility for the art direction of the show and the design of the puppets. I sculpted the "killer" (a.k.a. Woodrow Larchbottom) and the "old man" (a.k.a. Peter Feidwood). Ryan Vaniski sculpted the "fat cop" (a.k.a. Douglas Fir), and Jim Kundig sculpted the "skinny cop" (a.k.a. Leif Applebaum). In order to create a uniform look, I gave the cops a final sculpting pass. Mark Killingsworth is our puppet painter.

Why use puppets? How did you get involved with puppets in your film creation?

The fact that we can create and manipulate puppets is all the more reason to do it. Anyone can gather actors together and film or videotape scenes. Not everyone can create a puppet show. The use of puppets also allows us to create the world they inhabit. To do this with actors would require large sets and/or many special effects and more money than we have on hand. I've worked with puppets since my time on Stuart Gordon's ROBOT JOX. I know puppets, and I like puppets. There really was no other choice for us with the PUPHEDZ show.

Can you take us through the puppet creation process?

Sketches were made for each character to establish the look. Mechanical parts were created for the eyes, mouth, and neck; and using these for size reference, the puppet head sculptures were created. A set of generic body parts was also sculpted. We made silicone molds of all parts and used the molds to cast plastic replicas. The heads were hollow slush cast so the mechanical parts could be mounted on the inside. The eye cable controls, and head tilt controls were finished and tested. Since each character has a different body type, the "generic" body parts were enhanced with Magic Sculpt Resin. At this point, all body parts and heads were painted. And the final step was, of course, assembly.

What's the difference between a marionette and a puppet?

"Puppet" is actually an all-encompassing term. There are hand puppets, rod puppets, sock puppets, and marionettes, which are also puppets. A marionette is a loose-jointed puppet that is manipulated by wires from above.

Describe what it's like to film wooden puppets. Is it difficult to convey emotions?

Many people probably think puppets are simple to work with. In fact, I often get the impression that "live action" filmmakers look down upon puppet performances. Puppets are incredibly challenging. Every little movement is a problem needing a solution. How do you get the puppet to enter through a door? How do you make him walk from here to there? How do you have him pick something up? And, yes, how do you make a puppet convey emotion? It's not easy. We have to utilize voice inflection and body movement techniques, altering and emphasizing them in order to achieve the results we want. It requires much rehearsing and many takes.

How are the puppets manipulated?

The PUPHEDZ puppets are manipulated with a variety of techniques. The arms and legs are either rod controlled or wired like a marionette. Sometimes, depending on the framing of the shot, we can simply grab an appendage to move it around. The neck, eyes, and mouth are cable controlled; and the right-and-left head turns are operated with a central rod.

Who designed the sets? What was the inspiration?

I designed the sets and the puppets. For years I've been drawing and painting with a certain bent style, and this has been the basis for the art direction for the PUPHEDZ. If I were to cite inspirational sources I'd have to point to Salvador Dali, Dr. Seuss, and the art direction of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I should add, another key component to the over-all look of the show is the great cinematography by Mark R. Leins. I've known Mark for years, and he's got a great eye for lighting and composition."

When will the film be released? Where?

Jürgen at the Fangoria convention in Pasadena.

Because of the hurdles we have to overcome to finish the production of the show, we can't establish a firm completion date. My best estimate would be June of 2001. We would like to premiere the PUPHEDZ at a film festival, so, at the time of completion, we will have to determine what festivals are available to us.

I read that a Halloween network release had been planned. Can you talk about what happened?

"Planned" is a strong word. "Hoped for" is probably more like it. All I can say is that we have generated some interest. Nothing is in stone yet, and from a legal standpoint, it would be wise not to stick my foot in my mouth.

What is involved in convincing a network to air short films?

Unless a network has a specific program that presents short films or has a use for short films, there is no way anyone is going to convince them to air shorts. That's why we decided to make the PUPHEDZ long enough to fill a ½ hour time slot. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

How would you describe the opportunities for short film distribution in the U.S.?

Apart from Internet venues, I'd say the opportunities for distributing a short film in the U.S. are what they were ten years ago. Networks like HBO and the Independent Film Channel use them as filler between movies, and there are a number of short film festivals that tour around, but that's about it. You can put your short on the Internet, but chances are, you're not going to get paid for it. Maybe, if you're lucky, an agent will see it and like it and sign you up.

It seems like short films, and animation/stop-motion in general, are more popular outside the United States. Do you think that's the case? Why or why not?

Foreign markets, in general, are more open. They are hungry for material. It's been a while since I've been out of the U.S., so I can't give you an accurate personal assessment, but I do recall that European television is not as structured as it is in the United States. In the U.S. every show has to fit a time slot, it has to play well in Poughkeepsie, and it has to pay off for advertisers. It's a "bottom line" kind of thing, and the bottom line is...shorts don't make money.

How has the Internet affected opportunities for filmmakers in general?

The Internet has given people the opportunity to present their work to a potentially wide audience...an incredibly wide audience...potentially. The technology, however, is not at a level where the quality of a film can be maintained, and the download rates effectively limit the running time of an Internet film. The Internet audience, currently, is not ready to pay for poor quality streamed movies. So making money on the Internet is problematic...unless, of course, you're selling pornography.

Are there additional PUPHEDZ films in the works, or planned?

Right now we are concentrating on finishing our first PUPHEDZ episode, but there are other PUPHEDZ episodes planned.

What other work are you involved with currently?

In the theaters now, you can see the Grinch baby, which I helped construct and puppeteer. I just finished work at Rick Baker's shop on Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes." I've also been asked to sign-on to "Blade 2," but the details haven't been worked out yet.

What work are you most proud of?

I'm most proud of the PUPHEDZ. It's something I've created. As to work I've done on other people's projects, I'd have to say I'm most proud of the Mant in "Matinee." It was an enjoyable project, and I actually liked the movie.

Is there anything I haven't covered you'd like to talk about?

Yeah, what's up with the women in this town?

A hale and hearty thank you to Jürgen. Head over to www.Puphedz.com and get a sneak peek a look at this amazing film.