A felt octopus no bigger than a lemon needs eight arms that bend and a face that can look worried. Can you make him?
Tatako is hiring a Puppet and Set Maker to build the cast and the world of our series with real hands and real materials: felt, clay, wool and wire. The pieces you make become the reference for every episode the studio works on. This is project work, booked piece by piece with the Art Director.
About Tatako
Tatako is a first-words app for families raising a child with two languages. A lesson takes about five minutes, there is nothing to read, and a small round octopus keeps everyone company. He has eight arms, no socks, and usually loses count at seven.
The language of home stays the language of home. Tatako adds a second one on top, at a toddler’s pace, from the very first words. A guide voice can explain what to do, and you can switch it off whenever you like. Every lesson has three small steps: Hear it, say it. Touch it. Name it. In the last step the picture comes back without the word, and the child names it first.
We started with English: first words and phrases, from “hello” and “mommy” to colors, animals and what the teacher says at preschool. More languages are on the way. Tatako works in the browser on any phone or tablet.
The role
- Remote project work from your own workshop, open to candidates anywhere in the world
- Fluent English
- An agreement signed before you start: your work is made for Tatako, Inc. and its rights go to the company in writing
By the end of your first project, the octopus exists as a real puppet, photographed from every side, with build notes that let anyone repair or copy him.
What you will do
- Sculpt and sew the main puppets from the character sheets: felt skin, clay details and wire arms that hold a pose.
- Build miniature sets and props: a beach of wool, a sea of felt, small homes and whatever object a story needs.
- Make the spare parts a scene asks for: mouths, eyelids and the small changes that turn a smile into a worry.
- Test how each material takes the light on camera, then change what looks wrong on a phone screen.
- Photograph every puppet and set from every side, on a clean background, for the studio’s reference library.
- Keep patterns and build notes for each piece, so a copy or a repair looks exactly the same.
- Pack finished work to survive shipping, with a list of what each piece is made of.
What you bring
- 3+ years making puppets, armatures, soft toys or miniature sets for film, theater or collectors.
- Hands-on skill with needle felting, sewing, polymer clay, foam and wire.
- A portfolio with close-up photos of your own work.
- An eye for scale: small sets that still feel real under a lens.
- Honest estimates: you know how long a puppet takes, and you say so before you start.
- Your own workspace, with the tools to build, photograph and ship.
Bonus points
- You have built for a stop-motion crew or a puppet theater.
- You can turn a flat drawing into a sculpture and keep all of its charm.
Why you will love it
- You make the octopus real, stitch by stitch, for the very first time.
- Materials families can almost feel through the screen.
- A client with eight arms who stands perfectly still at every fitting.
How to apply
Meet the octopus at tatako.com, then email join@tatako.com with your LinkedIn profile or portfolio. Make sure it shows a puppet or miniature set you made by hand.
If your experience matches the role, our team will get in touch to discuss next steps.