BB-8 Puppeteer
Having spent more than 2 decades as a professional puppeteer, in 2013 Brian fulfilled a childhood dream.
Working as part of Neal Scanlan’s CFX team, Brian was the principal performer of BB-8, the newest droid in the galaxy far, far away, in Star Wars The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.
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Watch Brian's Showreel
Take a look at some of the professional performance work of Brian Herring in Film, Television and Advertising.
All footage used with kind permission, copyrights revert to original owners. Thanks to all the other performers who appear on this reel.
PERFORMANCE IN FILM
NEWS
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TESTIMONIALS
I have been privileged to have enjoyed a very long working relationship with Brian. When I was asked to supervise the animatronic effects for the new Star Wars films he was the first person I called. Brian's passion, natural talent and an admirable willingness to recommend his contemporaries makes him perfect for putting together a team as well as being an artist in his own right. There are many good puppeteers but only a few great puppeteers of which Brian is one.Neal Scanlan Creature, Droid and Special Make-up effects Supervisor
Thanks, Brian, for your valuable contribution to GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. You successfully passed on your puppetry skills to the actors with great enthusiasm and patience, and everybody much valued your presence at rehearsals. Here’s to the next time!David Wood (O.B.E), Adaptor and Director
…Brian is extremely good at what he does talented, adaptable, hilarious, and energetic. He has an excellent sense of character, story and timing helped by the fact that he’s also a writer – that I have always found invaluable. Brian’s also very good at mentoring other performers and communicating performance technique. He’s open to new ways of doing things and adventurous when it comes to emerging technologies. A great member of any team!Jocelyn Stevenson, Creative Director TT Animation
Whilst I can design and make characters – it takes someone like Brian, with inherent acting, puppeteering and performing skills to really bring them to life. He is a generous and enthusiastic performer with enough chutzpah to ease the day on even the trickiest of sets – so I always look forward to working with him.Scott Brooker, Character Designer and Puppet Builder
…Brian is very systematic and yet completely flexible: he reads the script closely, talks to the director (and, comfortingly, the producer) and then starts “adding value” – that’s an over-used phrase but it’s the only thing that describes his output. You get what you want and then he starts making polite, practical and lightening-quick enhancements; which is when you notice that the director is beaming at the monitor.Richard Holmes, Producer - Rise of the Appliances
…with his range of roles and experience, Brian Herring must be one of the UK’s most versitile puppeteers.Michael Dixon, The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild
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