Robert Tygner
Motion Capture Director, Animation Direct, Puppeteer
Puppeteer / 20 yrs · Animation Director / 10 yrs
London, United Kingdom
About
Robert is a freelance Puppeteer, Motion Capture Director and Puppet Performance Director. Also has many years experience as a Digital Puppeteer/Performance Animation/CG Real-time puppeteer. He helped set up the Real-time CG department at Passion Picture and was involved on numerous projects using Mocap and CG puppeteering techniques. Robert has numerous Film and TV credits as a puppeteer. His more recent are 28 YEARS LATER & THE LEGEND OF OCHI. Other credits include BLACK MIRROR 2 episode “The Waldo Moment”, ANTICHIRST, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, HITCH HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. His handy-work as a puppeteer can also be seen in a number of advertisements aired worldwide.
Work history
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Lead Puppeteer
Smith and Jones Films
Jul 2025 - Jul 20251 moDartmoorADVERT: Critters
PUPPETS: Opossum, Racoon Squirrel
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Lead Puppeteer
John Nolan Studio
Sep 2024 - Sep 20241 moLondonADVERT: VW ID Buzz - Turning Heads
TITLE: Blue Tit
PUPPET: Blue Tit -
Puppeteer
28 Years Later Ltd
May 2024 - Jun 20241 moNewcastle upon TyneFILM: 28 Years Later
DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle
Puppet: Various effects -
Puppeteer
Drool Productions Ltd
May 2024 - May 20241 moLondonADVERT: TUBI UK Launch 2024
PUPPET: Talking Skull -
Lead Puppeteer
Fixas
Mar 2024 - Mar 20241 moLithuaniaADVERT: KFC Believe in Chicken
PUPPET: Chicken -
Lead Puppeteer
Riff Raff Films
May 2023 - May 20231 moLondonADVERT: Quick Books
PUPPET: Receipts Monster -
Lead Puppeteer
Smuggler
Apr 2023 - Apr 20231 moLondonADVERT: Tingly Ted
CLIENT: Heinz
DIRECTOR: Benji Weinstein
PUPPET: Tingly Ted (Animatronics) -
Lead Puppeteer
Riff Raff Films
Mar 2023 - Mar 20231 moLisbonADVERT: Keys
CLIENT: Nickelodeon
DIRECTOR: Max Siedentopf
PUPPET: Racoon -
Lead Puppeteer
DBLG
Feb 2023 - Feb 20231 moLondonADVERT: Channel 4 Ident Advert
Puppet: Tiny the Pink Elephant -
Lead Puppeteer
Riff Raff Films
Feb 2023 - Feb 20231 moLondonADVERT: Let's Talk about the Elephant in the Room.
CLIENT: TSB
DIRECTOR: Finn Keenan
PUPPET: Tiny the Pink Elephant -
Lead Puppeteer
A24
Sep 2022 - Sep 20221 moLondonFILM: The Legend of Ochi
Additional Scenes filmed. -
Lead Puppeteer
Fixas
Jun 2022 - Jun 20221 moSofiaADVERTS for Confused.com
PIGGY BANK (Puppeteer Pig)
CLOCK MAKER (Puppeteer Bird/Voice)
WHY DO WE CLAP WHEN WE'RE IMPRESSED. (Puppeteer Rodent)
Puppeteer -
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Lead Puppeteer
Claussen Putz Filmproduktion GmbH
Jun 2021 - Jul 20211 moGermanyFILM: Der Rauder Hotzenplotz
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Director
National Film and Television School
Jan 2021 - Mar 20212 mosBeaconsfieldFILLM: The Keeper
Gorefest -
Puppeteer Venus Fly Trap
adam&eveDDB
Dec 2020 - Dec 20201 moADVERT: Quorn Helping the Planet One Bite at a Time.
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Puppeteer
Mother
Mar 2020 - Mar 20201 moLondonIKEA Advert
Campaign: THE HARE & THE TORTOISE
Puppeteer: Tortoise. -
Puppeteer
John Nolan Studio
Nov 2019 - Nov 20191 moLondonTV Advert CALIFORNIA ALMONDS "Logs"
Puppeteer for Squirrel -
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Lead Tutor for Motion Capture Module
National Film & Television School
Sep 2019 - Sep 20191 moBeaconsfieldOnce a year, since 2009, over the course of a month I work with the 1st year "DigiPost" vfx/sfx students on their Optical Motion Capture module.
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Puppeteer and Voice Over
Phelecan Films AB
Jun 2019 - Jun 20191 moSwedenPost Production puppeteering and Voice-Over work for FAUNUTLAND AND THE LOST MAGIC
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Puppeteer
Phelecan Films AB
Jun 2018 - Jul 20181 moSwedenFeature Film FAUNUTLAND AND THE LOST MAGIC
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Puppeteer
The Story Emporium Repair Shop
Aug 2017 - Nov 20173 mosLondonOut now on YouTube. Kids will love it, so will you.
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Performance Supervisor
Passion Pictures
Feb 2017 - Jun 20174 mosLondonReal-time motion capture work.
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Puppeteer
Cherry Tree Lane Productions
Feb 2017 - Feb 20171 moSheppertonFeature Film - MARY POPPINS RETURNS
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Puppeteer
Fido Films Germany
Sep 2016 - Nov 20162 mosFeature Film - DIE KLEINE HEKE / THE LITTLE WITCH
Character - The Crow Abraxas -
Visiting Puppet Director
Wimbledon College of Art UAL
May 2016 - May 20161 moTulsa, OklahomaDirecting the 1st Year Tech Art Students Puppet project performance.
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Visiting Motion Capture Tutor
National Film and Televison School
Nov 2009 - Oct 20155 yrs 11 mosOnce a year, since 2009, I work with the 1st year "DigiPost" vfx/sfx students on their Optical Motion Capture module.
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Performance Animation/Digital Puppeteering
Passion Pictures
Aug 2012 - Jul 20141 yr 11 mosLondonPROJECTS:
July 2014 - to present day
Real-time Animation
Performance Director
Puppeteer
June/July 2014
Real-time Animation for Nike RISK EVERYTHING
Performance Director
January - June 2014
Puppeteer
October/November 2013
Aleks Meekat "Gary Barlow" Interview
CG Performance animator. Animation created using Performance animation techniques.
September/October 2013
Alexs Meerkat "ITV Awards with Ant and Dec".
Puppeteer for live-time CG character Alexs.
Miaya and Gok presenting the winner of the People's Choice Award for SPECTACLE WEARER OF THE YEAR 2013.
Puppeteer for live-time CG character Miaya.
September 2013
Miaya Live interview with Elizabeth Hurley for SECRET CINEMA .
Puppeteer for live-time CG character Miaya.
May 2013
Charmin Bear "Base Ball Game song"
Puppeteer for live-time CG character Charmin Bear
Dec 2012
Alexs Meerkat interview on THIS MORNING tv.
Puppeteer for live-time CG character Alexs.
September/Oct 2012
Charlie Brookers TV series "BLACK MIRROR 2" Episode 2 "The Waldo Moment".
Puppeteer for live-time CG character Waldo.
Alexs Meerkat "Live Book readings".
Puppeteer for live-time CG character Alexs.
CG Performance animator (also known as Digital Puppeteering) uses puppeteered input devices rigged to CG characters that are generated in real-time. -
Lecturer for Skills Fusion
The Film and Video Workshop
Nov 2013 - Dec 20131 moThis Skills Fusions workshop gave introductory tuition in the use of After Effects. After the tuition I was asked to talk about my experiences in the vfx industry.
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Puppeteer
ArtsMediaPeople
Sep 2013 - Sep 20131 moLive Lexus promotional event featuring the Amazing in Motion "STEPS" puppet.
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Puppet performance co-ordinator/Puppeteer
Camp David
Aug 2013 - Aug 20131 moTV Commercial - RADDEN BARMAN
For Save the Children -
Puppet Director/Puppeteer
Baby Cow Animations Ltd.
Jul 2013 - Aug 20131 moTV - Title sequence for MAN DOWN
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Puppeteer
Fight Films Ltd.
Jun 2013 - Jul 20131 moFilm - HARRY HILL THE MOVIE
Directed by Steve Bendelack -
Visiting Puppet Director
Wimbledon College of Art
Jun 2013 - Jun 20131 moAssisting 1st year Design for Performance students with puppeteering on their Puppet project.
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Puppeteer
ArtsMediaPeople
Mar 2013 - Mar 20131 moLive Lexus promotional event featuring the Amazing in Motion "STEPS" puppet.
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Puppeteer
CHI & Partners Ltd
Jan 2013 - Feb 20131 moTV Commercial Lexus Global "STEPS". Directed by Daniel Kleinman
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Puppeteer
Red Bee Media
Oct 2012 - Oct 20121 moTV Commercial "BBC Digital Radio 2012", DAB D-Love.
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Lead Puppeteer - VOLDEMORT
London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd
May 2012 - Jul 20122 mosWorking as a Lead puppeteer for Voldemort with Blind Summit theatre company who cast and directed 50 puppeteers (15 professionals and 35 volunteers) to bring to life giant puppets of Voldemort (90 feet high!), Captain Hook, Cruella De Ville and the Queen of Hearts in the 'Second on the Right' section of Danny Boyle's thrillingly original Opening Ceremony for London 2012.
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Puppeteer
BBC Wales
Apr 2012 - Apr 20121 moTV Series - "WIZARDS VS ALIENS"
Episode - "Grazlax Attacks"
Grazlax puppeteer -
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Visiting Puppet Performance Tutor
Wimbledon College of Art
Jan 2012 - Jan 20121 moAssisting 1st Year Tech Arts students with Puppet films.
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Performance Animation/Digital Puppeteering
Phyzog TV
Nov 2011 - Dec 20111 moCreating the MoCap animation (using Optical and Device driven Motion Capture) for Phyzog.
Phyzog is a kind of Satire Direct, in which the powers that be are caricatured via images and sketches that come straight to your smartphones. -
2nd Puppeteer FOZZY BEAR
Baker/Coogan
Nov 2011 - Nov 20111 moTV - "X FACTOR"
Puppet performer with The Muppets for Olly Murs performance on the X-Factor semi- final. -
Performance Animation/Digital Puppeteering
Phyzog TV
Jul 2011 - Sep 20112 mosCreating the MoCap animation (using Optical and Device driven Motion Capture) for Phyzog.
Phyzog is a kind of Satire Direct, in which the powers that be are caricatured via images and sketches that come straight to your smartphones. -
MoCap Director
TT Animation
May 2011 - Jul 20112 mosTV - “WHAT’S YOUR NEWS” series 2
Mocap Director for the 2nd Season of the award winning series“WHAT’S YOUR NEWS”, a half hour news program for children produced by TT Animation. The CG animation is created using a combination of “Optical Motion Capture” and traditional key frame animation techniques. -
Mocap Supervisor
Animagine Studios
Feb 2011 - May 20113 mosMotion Capture supervisor; finding talent, rehearsing, running mocap shoot, motion editing and keeping a sense of humour throughout it all.
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Puppet Director
Shooting Fish Theatre Company
Jan 2011 - Feb 20111 moTheatre - "LAMINATED"
Laminated is an imaginative and wonderfully visual piece, using puppetry and physical theatre to bring life to the stories and memories of Charlie’s world. It asks us to consider the reality of chasing our dreams, and all the things in life that we can see, but not touch.
Laminated will be at Tristan Bates Theatre, Covent Garden, London from Monday 31st January - Saturday 19th February 2011. -
Technical Director
Andrew Dawson
Nov 2010 - Nov 20101 moTheatre - "THE ARTICULATE HAND".
Through movement, Andrew Dawson uncovers the grace, beauty and psychological consequences of the impairments of the hand.
The Articulate Hand is a collaboration between performance artist Andrew Dawson and Jonathan Cole, neuroscientist and author.
Funded by a Wellcome Trust Arts award. -
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Visiting Puppet Director
Wimbledon College of Art
May 2010 - May 20101 moDirector of the 1st year Tec Arts student puppet performance.
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Mocap Animation Mentor
London College of Communication
Mar 2009 - Apr 20091 moWorked with 1st Year animation students using Motion Capture to help create a 30sec Ident for the animation department. Funded by Skillset.
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Motion Capture/Animation Director
TT Animation
Jun 2007 - Nov 20081 yr 5 mosTV "WHAT'S YOUR NEWS" series 1.
Mocap & Animation Director for all 26 episodes of the CGI project “WHAT’S YOUR NEWS”, a half hour news program for children produced by TT Animation and Nickelodeon. The CG animation was created using a combination of “Optical Motion Capture” with “Performance Animation Techniques”. -
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Head Puppeteer/Performance co-ordinator 2nd Unit
Warner Bros.
Sep 2006 - Dec 20063 mosFilm - "WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE"
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CG Character Animator/Performance animator
Cinesite
Sep 2005 - Sep 20051 moTest Pitch film test using Key frame and Performance animation techniques.
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Motion Editing and re-animation
Centroid motion capture
Jul 2005 - Aug 20051 moUsing MotionBuilder software to motion edit, add animation and reblock cut-scenes.
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Animation Director/CG Character Animator/Digital Puppeteer/Puppet Co-o
The Jim Henson Company
Apr 1985 - Jun 200520 yrs 2 mosOver my long association with the Jim Henson Company here in the UK and USA, I had the great pleasure of working on numerous films, TV and commercials in a variety of positions and in many different countries.
Films;
HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY Puppeteer
FIVE CHILDREN AND IT Puppeteer/Digital Puppeteer
THE WATER GIANT CG Charactor Animator
SESAME ST 3-D FILM Animation Director
THE BROTHERHOOD OF WOLVES CG Charactor Animator
GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE Puppeteer
BUDDY Puppeteer
PINOCCHIO Puppeteer
MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND Puppeteer
LOCH NESS Puppeteer/Performance Co-ordinator
MARY REILLY Puppeteer
THE FLINTSTONES Puppeteer/Performance Co-ordinator
THE NEVER ENDING STORY III Performance Co-ordinator
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL Puppeteer/Puppet Co-ordinator
THE POLAR BEAR KING Puppeteer/Puppet Co-ordinator
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II Puppeteer
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES I Puppeteer
THE WITCHES Puppeteer
THE BEAR Puppeteer/Puppet Co-ordinator
LABYRINTH Puppeteer
TV;
FRANCES THE BADGER Animation Director
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK Puppeteer
JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS CG Charactor Animator
ALICE IN WONDERLAND Puppeteer
THE STORYTELLER SERIES Puppeteer -
CG Character Animator/Motion Editing
Scarlet Digital Imaging
Nov 2003 - Jan 20042 mosTV - "CAPTAIN SCARLET"
Used Maya to motion edit various motion captured scenes. -
Principle Puppeteer
Warner Bros.
Oct 1986 - Sep 199710 yrs 11 mosFilm "LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS" directed by Frank Oz
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Puppeteer
Spitting Image
1989 - 19956 yrsPuppeteered a variety of characters throughout Series 6,7,8,10,11,12 & 13. Insane and fun!