Jim Henson's Muppets: You're the Director

***Muppets Studios Presents: You're the Director*** is an interactive VHS tape made for the View-Master Interactive Vision game system in 1988. The View-Master console adds different animations and sound effects to the film, which can be selected by pressing different colored buttons on the remote. The console also switches between two different audio tracks (affecting the story) and adds simple gameplay.

In the game, the player is hired to be the new director at Muppets' Studios. The Muppets try to throw together a movie that's part Ancient Roman epic, part science-fiction musical, and part Western. The player makes choices that affect the movie, trying to earn enough money to keep the Studios afloat.

## Gameplay

At the gate of the Muppets' Studios, Kermit is busy talking on his cell phone. The penguins fired the last director because he was 'not fishy enough', so Kermit asks the viewer for help. The player gets to decide to play under the name of Foghorn (a successful director) or Smasher (the worst director in history). For each name, Kermit has a little speech prepared, and a fitting sound effect plays whenever a Muppet pronounces the name throughout the movie.

Kermit takes the player into Studio Not-To-B and introduces the head of the studio Yolanda Steel. Sound effects man Gonzo explains how to choose either a traditional sound effect or an unusual, adventurous noise to start the movie. Kermit introduces the first movie, **Anchovy and Cleopatra**.

In this Roman epic, Caesar (The Swedish Chef) has just invented the pizza, but hasn't come up with a topping yet. Gonzo, in the role of Mark Anchovy, suggests anchovy and offers the player several choices for his speech. Meanwhile, Cleopatra (Janice) needs the player's help to pick out the right outfit for promoting pepperoni as the new topping. The player gets to decide which topping it will be.

After Dr. Julius Strangepork helps the player build the right space ship, it's time for the second movie: a musical outer space adventure. **Singing in the Meteor Shower** features Rowlf the Dog, Scooter, Link Hogthrob and Dr. Julius Strangepork rapping aboard the Spaceship Bebop, where they can't seem to agree with the right way to rap. The spaceship is attacked by the evil Monotones, which the viewer has to capture in order to save the grand finale from being monotone.

In Studio Not-To-B, the penguins have blown all the budget on fish and Kermit asks the viewer to look for bags of money in the next movie. **High Ruins** is a Western flick starring Gonzo as Wyatt Burp, Statler as a gambler, Robin the Frog as a telegram deliverer (in a tuxedo, since there's not enough budget), Janice as the sweet Anna Lee and Lew Zealand as Black Bart.

After the duel scene, various Muppets break down the set. Kermit assures Gonzo that this is all a part of the movie. Depending on the number of retrieved money sacks, the finale is either a victory song or a joyous rendition of "We're Gonna Go Broke".

## Notes

David Rudman performed Strangepork for the most part of this video, with Jerry Nelson dubbing the voice although three lines were undubbed (all in part 2 of the video; at 4:40, 8:48, and 8:58). Also, he lip-synchs to part of an extended verse sung by Scooter in the song at part 3 (1:18).

## Credits

###  Instruction Notes

#### No Graphics

* "Please check to see if your *View-Master Interactive Vision* System is on. If not, slide the green switch to the on position. If it is already on, let the tape play, and enjoy the show."

#### Rendered Graphics

* "The yellow stripes on the side of your screen, are starting points for some interactions in this program. To replay an interaction, rewind or fast-forward to leave yellow stripes, then start play again."

### Opening Titles

* "Muppet Studios Presents: You're the Director"

### Ending Credits

* "Jim Henson's You're the Director"
* Featuring: Jim Henson, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Camille Bonora, David Rudman, Rick Lyon, Peter MacKennan
* Directed by: Ted May
* Written by: Bill Prady, Jim Lewis
* Producer: Michael Yip
* Co-Producer: Mira Velimirovic
* Set-Design: Lyndon Mosse
* Muppet Workshop: Marian Keating
* Editor: Chris Matus
* Production Staff: Eric Andrews, Pat Nugent, Carol Nowak
* On-Line Editor: Judy Minot
* Paintbox: Marilyn Ono, Denise Minter
* Music Producer: Bruce Martin
* Music Co-Producer: Michael Mainieri
* Music Writers: Bruce Martin, Michael Mainieri, Chuck Loeb, Larry DeVoskin, Gil Goldstein
* Video Engineer: Tom Guadarrama
* Audio: Ken Hahn, Garry Rindfuss, Suzanne Sousa
* Prompter: Stephen Statler
* © Henson Assoc. Inc. 1988
* Jim Henson's Muppets and Character Names are TM of Henson Assoc. Inc.

### View-Master Interactive Vision Television System Credits

* Available Interactive Programs for use with your View-Master Interactive Vision Television System
	+ **Sesame Street**
		- Let's Learn to Play Together
		- Magic on Sesame Street
		- Let's Play School
		- Oscar's Letter Party
	+ **Jim Henson's Muppets**
		- Muppet Madness
		- You're the Director
	+ **Walt Disney Home Video**
		- Cartoon Arcade
* View Master Video System Production
	+ VMIG Executive Advisor: Gary Evans
	+ Head of VMIG Interactive Video Development: Tina Eden
	+ Head of VMIG Video Production: Greg Martinelli
	+ Head of Computer Graphics: Jogene L. Kapell
	+ Senior Computer Graphic Artists: Doug Johnson, Frank Lam
	+ Computer Graphic Artists: Donna David, George Eden, Jessica Kantor
	+ Head of Computer Programming: Ernie Cormier
	+ Computer Programmers: Jonathan Eiten, Andrew Frank, Mark Garvin, Stuart Ross, Luc Selis, Dirk Van Mieghem
	+ Production Associates: Richard Brous, Dan Klass, Jim Kohn, Matt Morrissey
* View-Master® Interactive Vision™ Television System and Program Software View-Master Ideal Group, Inc., Portland, OR 97207
* The View-Master® Interactive Vision™ is based upon concepts developed by ACTV, Inc. US Patent Pending
* Licensed for private home exhibition only. Any public performance, copying or other use is strictly prohibited. All other rights reserved.
* View-Master Interactive Vision