“Lessons Learned” is a short live-action puppet film directed by puppeteer Toby Froud, son of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth designers Brian and Wendy Froud, who also played the kidnapped child Toby in Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. The short, which is executive produced by IBEX Puppetry creative director Heather Henson, follows the story of a young boy who is transported to a fantasy world.
Froud, who worked as a puppeteer on ParaNorman, spoke to The Portland Monthly Mag about his lifelong history with puppets during the short’s June 2014 premier.
I have vivid memories of goblins’ faces and strange creatures and chaos around me that could just be from growing up in the house I lived in, or from seeing the film as many times as I have, or it could be remembering the puppets that were in front of me. I’m not sure.
