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Marionnettiste

Now streaming on PBS!

See behind the scenes when Los Angeles' Bob Baker Marionette Theater comes to life. Told from the perspective of the marionettes that perform front and center, "Marionnettiste" embodies the stories of performers and artists working in this intriguing craft.

(Film poster designed by Foundry LA)

  • Brandon Walsh
    Director
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 8, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Southern California
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Brandon Walsh

bwalshfilm@gmail.com | 317.445.0173

I am a director/producer/screenwriter from Indianapolis, Indiana and an upcoming graduate from USC's School of Cinematic Arts. Growing up in a chaotic daycare my mom ran out of our suburban home, telling stories was my way of entertaining the older kids, while sharing my own anxieties of feeling small. As an adult, I now express myself through visually audacious work for film and television. It brings me joy to translate matters of the heart and project them in technicolor splendor. I want to tell stories that promote joy, protect our sense of innocence, while recognizing it was always tough to be a kid.

My latest documentary “Marionnettiste” shows the heart and passion of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, told from the perspective of the puppets who perform front and center. I recently wrote the children’s animated feature “Bus Friends Forever,” which placed second round at the 2024 Austin Film Festival. In 2020, I directed an Emmy-winning ad campaign that used vibrant animation to express the joy of alcohol and opioid addiction recovery. My work has broadcast nationally, to millions online, and outdoors at Times Square NYC. In 2025, I was awarded an Annenberg Fellowship at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. My three cats don’t care about any of these accolades.

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Director Statement

“Marionettiste” introduces the audience to the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, a 60-year old staple of Los Angeles history. It is a love letter to those who bring its whimsical characters to life today. After attending a show in June 2023, I felt inspired to make a film that would capture that energy, and to record testimony speaking to this joyous passion. It didn’t take long to learn that the preservation and advancement of this archaic mode of live performance is a labor of love, sustained by the kindness of those who work each day at the theater. It’s creatively and spiritually nourishing to walk into the theater space, and be transported to a kinder place. It’s an act I feel that feeds a deep societal need today. I hope this film preserves this brief moment in time, of the talented and passionate individuals who work together, with the shared and loving purpose to produce joy in its theoretically stringed world.