Eren Ozker

[Tim]

I would like to find out all I can about Eren Ozker. I was lucky enough to puppeteer once with her many years ago, and got to know her a little bit shortly before she died.

I found her to be an incredible person, and I couldn't believe we would be working the same puppets together. She was very supportive and encouraging to me, and even though I didn't get to know he rwell, I just loved her.

Other than what is already out there in cyber-space, I can't seem to find much information about her, and would appreciate hearing from friends, family co-workers or anyone with personal recolections. Photos, particularly production shots would be especially valued.

Thanks in advance.

 

[OverUnderAround]

I don't know much about Eren Ozker, but she did call me up once at home. She was in charge of the Puppeteer Caucus at AFTRA so many years ago. The first question she asked me was “Are you really a puppeteer?” I said ‘Yes.’ She was so relieved. She said she had placed a thousand phone calls to actors and actresses who listed themselves with the union as being puppeteers to get more work when they were just liars.

We briefly discussed how (through the Puppeteer Caucus) she wanted to create a better work environment for puppeteers on a production set. She had a list of questions she wanted responses to from real puppeteers. Questions ranging from dangers on the set, equal pay (since some producers wanted to pay puppeteers LESS money because we weren’t on-camera like an actor.) How to improve working conditions and she believed that puppeteers needed one additional work break during the day over actors because of the strain and stress we put on out bodies. She also commented on the great efforts Jim had done to improve the life of the Puppeteer on the set. Her main concern was not about Muppet productions, but how other producers around the country were mistreating puppeteers in other productions.

That was the only conversation we ever had and she seemed like a great person. Not long after that is when she fell ill. And without her the Union's Puppeteer Caucus seems to have faded away.

Maybe someone else might know if it lived on.

 

[Muppet Matt]

I would like to find out all I can about Eren Ozker. I was lucky enough to puppeteer once with her many years ago, and got to know her a little bit shortly before she died.

I didn't know she died!

 

[Tim]

she seemed like a great person. Not long after that is when she fell ill. And without her the Union's Puppeteer Caucus seems to have faded away.

Maybe someone else might know if it lived on.

Thanks for the info. Your story is typical of what I had heard from others. I truly believed Eren did in fact call every member in SAG and AFTRA who claimed to be a puppeteer-she did care that much.

I had spoken with her a bout a month before she passed, and sent her some flowers to cheer her up. I recieved back a beautiful butterfly card (very telling of her!), and a few days later she was gone. I wrote the Memorium for The Puppetry Journal, and called her husband, but that was as much of an experience I had with her, except to say how much fun i had working with her.

As for the Caucus, it pretty much died out without Eren heading it up, and the loss of puppeteering performances to CGI effects. We have no power left, and most of us are lucky to get work where, when and however we can.

 

[OverUnderAround]

I had spoken with her a bout a month before she passed, and sent her some flowers to cheer her up. I recieved back a beautiful butterfly card (very telling of her!), and a few days later she was gone. I wrote the Memorium for The Puppetry Journal, and called her husband, but that was as much of an experience I had with her, except to say how much fun i had working with her.

That's a wonderful story thanks for sharing that. It's amazing that at the end of her life she still found the time (and effort) to send a card.

As for the Caucus, it pretty much died out without Eren heading it up, and the loss of puppeteering performances to CGI effects. We have no power left, and most of us are lucky to get work where, when and however we can.

Totally agree. She was trying to make a difference and trying to create a voice for puppeteers on the set. Kevin Clash once said in an interview that "Puppeteers are treated like second-class people" and he's right about that since producers rarely give us the respect an actor would get.

Eren tried to change that for us all.