❀ Puppetry And Media Production ❀

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❀ About ❀

Elijah Strand is a graduate in CG arts for the games industry and started performing as a puppeteer for his church in summer of 2024. Finding a deep passion for the art of puppetry both live and in media. Since then, he has spent the last year building up his own buisiness under the name Deer Palace Studio, bringing the magic of puppetry to people across British Columbia.Deer Palace Studio is a solo operation based in Vancouver, Canada specializing in the puppetry arts. We are rooted in sharing our love for nature, storytelling, and nurturing the next generation through the art of puppetry. Every puppet, prop, and set is made entirely by hand with a loving attention to detail. Our passion is crafting memorable characters, stories, and experiences that connect people in our community.The deer in the name in Deer Palace Studio is actually a reference to its symbolism in the bible, meaning spiritual longing and ones ability to remain steadfast even when times are hard.

Puppeteer and media coverage for Venue Co-op's "Everything But The Bagel" event

"It’s simply astounding, highly impressive craftsmanship as the large puppet’s mouth moves very smoothly and is riddled with detail."

- Edmonton Fringe Patron Review

"Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work."Exodus 35:35

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❀ Contact ❀

Let's Work Together!

❀ My inbox is always open to new opportunities—big or small! Whether you're looking for a puppeteer, a custom puppet of your own, or someone to help bring your idea to life, I’d love to hear from you.❀ I’m available for everything from one-of-a-kind builds to both screen and live performance work.❀ Commission availability may change over time—slots are limited and not always open.❀ Pricing may vary based on client needs, material availability, and project complexity.

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Portfolio

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Reb The Rabbit

This rabbit was fabricated as the Mascot for an upcoming Indie RPG game called Brosia Bros. The character is one of the mascots, built as a hand and rod puppet. This puppet was made to appear in promotional content, as well as live events with a puppeteer. He features removeable arm rods, and a head that can be detached for maintenance. The fur is a premium faux rabbit, colored with RIT dye and pastel brushing.

Anders The Highland Cow

This highland cow, named Anders, was created from an original design as a personal piece for my portfolio and stage performances. He is both the most detailed puppet i have built and the highest quality, built to meet a professional standard for film and television puppetry. The base is made from reticulated foam then covered in fur, fleece, and faux leather for the hooves. Shading and finishings were applied with pastel, alcohol marker, fabric paint, and sprayable paints.

The Accessories were all hand made as well. The shirt was sewn from second-hand cloth and drawn on with alcohol marker. The necklace, and dragonfly charm, were hand beaded and put together.

Cyberpunk Rabbit

This cyberpunk rabbit is a stop motion puppet built over the course of two weeks in the effort of my application to Studio Laika's Internship program. The armature is made from bendable steel wire, then layered with foam to sculpt the body's form. The head, hands, and feet are made from air-dry foam clay. All of which is then layered with wool roving, adhered with glue to create the look of fur and toned with pastel. All of the clothing has been designed and sewn by hand, and all metal parts were recycled from old electronics. Decorations done with acrylic marker, and weathered with a mix of pastel and water via a small sponge.

Skipp The Dog

Skipp the dog is a large live-hand puppet built in two weeks. His unique "Big Bird-esque" hands let the puppeteer control both hands while operating just one. A clear wire connects the stuffed arm to the glove hand, causing the stuffed arm to rise when the glove hand lowers. The stuffed arm can also be unstuffed for traditional live-hand use.He features a hand sculpted nose and set of teeth, and the entire puppet was sewn by hand.

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Professional Resume

(Above) Character performace with a parents financial meet as Pips The Mouse and his handler.

I have had the immense joy of being able to work on multiple client and self directed performances over the last year. Below you can find examples of my performance work, as well as a comprehensive list of all of the postions I have worked.

Phone : 236 458 3330
Email : [email protected]

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