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My name is Dane Neves, and I became a puppeteer so you don't have to.
Humble Beginnings
Growing up in Hawaiʻi in the 90s, I was fascinated by the ability to breathe life into inanimate objects. This passion emerged early, manifesting in impromptu performances during hotel stays on family vacations and a brief stint as a ventriloquist whenever my grandparents visited.
What began as an innocent childhood hobby eventually became my artistic signature by the time I reached college.
The Monkeyboy Fever
From 2004 to 2007, I studied film at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Puppetry, like film, is a visual art form capable of eliciting deep emotions from an audience. Recognizing the synergy between the two, I immediately set out to develop a distinct creative identity, producing a series of guerilla-style short films starring my friends and, inevitably, a puppet.
By my final year, I was known among my classmates for my quirky, fantastical comedies. Then came The Monkeyboy Fever—my thesis film. Shot on mini-DV with a modest budget of $1,000 (most of which went to special effects makeup), the film prominently featured a monkey puppet I performed. It was weird. It was provocative. It was my Mona Lisa. More importantly, it was my first film to screen in a legitimate movie theater, marking the moment I truly shared my puppetry with the world.
The Puppet Cinematic Universe
From 2008 to 2012, I built what I now call The Puppet Cinematic Universe, producing a series of independently financed, puppet-centric short films with some of the most creative minds from my film school days.
Shooting with puppets presented a unique set of challenges. Unlike human actors, puppets cannot naturally inhabit a space. To maintain the illusion of life, puppeteers must contort themselves, crouching, bending, and holding their arms aloft for extended periods while ensuring precise eyelines. However, these constraints also lent the medium its unique charm.
Many people ask if I make my own puppets, and I always reply, "I'm a pilot, but I don't build my own airplanes." Initially, I repurposed stuffed animals, but I soon aspired to elevate my craft by collaborating with professional puppet builders.
Enter Eddie Horn, an Illinois-based comedian and skilled puppet builder. Eddie brought my visions to life, crafting puppets for The Green Tie Affair, Giant Monsters Attack Hawaii!, and Poison Apple. With his expertise and the encouragement of my creative community, my films amassed over 30 awards, pushing me to explore new avenues for puppetry.
Not Another Puppet Show
From 2014 to 2017, I produced Not Another Puppet Show, a web series featuring Puppet Dane—an avatar version of myself—interviewing special guests. While not a viral sensation, the series provided an excellent opportunity to collaborate with local celebrities.
Over time, Puppet Dane underwent several design refinements, ultimately reaching his current form thanks to Australian artist Jarrod Boutcher.
Pele Awards: The Musical
In 2017, Jason Lent invited me to write, direct, and perform as Puppet Dane in Pele Awards: The Musical, an awards banquet honoring Hawaiʻi’s advertising industry. With 11 original songs written by Jason and me, the production showcased the power of puppetry in musical storytelling, reinforcing the idea that "everyone deserves a shot."
FELT Something Beautiful
Having always composed music for my films, I longed for a way to give my songs a life beyond their respective projects. The result was FELT Something Beautiful, a concept album told through Puppet Dane’s perspective. Alongside its release on major digital platforms, I produced 10 music videos—one for each song.
At this point, I felt I had cemented my status as Hawaiʻi's premier multimedia puppeteer.
Parental Guidance Suggested & Lonesome
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I had two simultaneous projects in the works.
The first, Parental Guidance Suggested, was a documentary featuring two puppet parents seeking advice from local LGBT leaders on how to understand their gay son. The final shot wrapped on the same day Hawaiʻi reported its first COVID-19 case, leading to a fully virtual film festival run. Despite this challenge, it screened at 19 festivals and won seven awards.
The second project, Lonesome, was a YouTube series featuring a ghost puppet interviewing creatives about how they were adapting to the "para-normal." Much like Not Another Puppet Show, it was an excuse to collaborate with artists while staying active during quarantine.
Jim Henson Audition
In 2021, the Jim Henson Company announced a workshop to train diverse puppeteers. As a qualifying candidate, I submitted my application and was thrilled to receive an audition invitation.
The virtual audition was conducted by Kevin Clash (the original performer of Elmo and Baby Sinclair) and Patrick Bristow (host of Puppet Up!). Using Puppet Dane, I improvised a scene with Patrick. Kevin complimented my strong eyeline focus but noted that my energy was a bit too manic.
A week later, I received my rejection email. While disappointing, the experience reaffirmed my dedication to puppetry.
Honolulu Pride
In October 2021, I was invited by the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation to perform puppetry for the annual Honolulu Pride celebration. My puppets were featured in the Virtual After Party, a program produced by the brilliant Sandy Livingston and infused with the humor of drag queen Miss Candi Shell.
Performing at this event reminded me why I became a puppeteer: to breathe life into characters and bring joy to audiences while supporting meaningful causes.
Final Thoughts
Puppetry can be a solitary art. Often, you're the only person in the room with a puppet, met with curious or skeptical stares. It’s not considered "sexy" or "mature." But it is precisely these misconceptions that I strive to challenge.
I see it as my mission to break these barriers—to invite people into my world and show them that puppetry isn’t just for kids. It’s an art form, a storytelling device, and, yes, it can be pretty darn cool.