Always on
This project successfully funded on 7th December 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
This project successfully funded on 7th December 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Filmmaker George Milton and his family make a movie to resolve deep-seated issues with their hell-raising Dad - featuring a puppet show.
INSTAGRAM: @thelastpuppetshowdoc
Ted Milton is not your average Dad.
An uncompromising, anti-establishment and anti-success ‘artist’ in the truest sense of the word. From 60’s poet to 70’s puppeteer to 80’s post-punk musical icon from the band Blurt, he’s never been one to conform.
He’s been married 3 times, got 5 kids – and a cult fan base who revere him. (His kids, maybe notsomuch.)
And along the way he’s managed to leave a trail of destruction which only now does his family feel capable enough to confront.
In a moving and personal film, which touches on mortality, notions of success and the complexity and universality of family psychodramas, George Milton (Ted’s eldest son) attempts to facilitate a long overdue conversation… or confrontation?
There’s going to be laughs along the way, but it’s not going to be easy.
Featuring guest appearances from rock star Eric Clapton and Spitting Image creator Roger Law.
So far we’ve filmed for 18 days: 2/3 of this independent feature documentary project. Favours and generosity from a range of people have helped us get the film to this point, but we need your help to get this film across the line.
We want to build an exact replica of Ted’s 1970’s Mr Pugh’s puppet booth, and make and design 25 puppets to tell the rest of the story. We are collaborating with top UK puppet maker Scott Brooker and award-winning theatre production designer Jamie Vartan.
A few people have said to me, '30k to finish a film? That's a bit steep George. What are you making? Star Wars?'
So I thought it might be helpful to break down the numbers here:
Puppet Booth & Puppet Designers: £4,000
Carpenters / Makers & Materials (Puppet Booth, 25 puppets): £15,000
Venue/studio hire: £5,000
Kit and Crew: £3,000
Post Production and Music/Musicians: £3,000
The filmed puppet show will tell scenes and myths from Ted’s extraordinary life, sometimes describe counterfactuals (scenes that might have happened but didn’t), and generally subvert the narrative.
These puppet scenes will be performed by Ted’s children for their Dad (and the camera). Are they out for revenge, or do they want to make peace with their father? Or both at the same time?
Help us bring these puppets to life. They have things they need to say.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made