How To Make A Great Preschool Series Yesterday, we completed participation in an intensive 3-day workshop offered by Little Airplane Productions in NYC.
During the three day course, Academy participants got an overview of every step in the process of making a preschool series, from pitching through writing, curriculum development, directing, music, legal and production. The course covered both live-action and animation and featured a team of accomplished preschool TV veterans:
JOSH SELIG - Pitching/Bible Creation
CONRAD RIPPY - Legal
SUSAN KIM - Writing
JENNIFER OXLEY - Character Design/Directing Animation
NOEL MACNEAL - Puppeteer
TOM BROWN & TONE THYNE - Producing Live Action and Animation
LISA SIMON - Directing Live Action
BETH RICHMAN - Research
JEFF GOMEZ - Transmedia Storytelling
DAVID KLEEMAN - Prix Jeunesse Suitcase
JEFFERY LESSER - Music & Sound for Preschool TV
TONE THYNE - Directing Animation
KERRY NOVICK - Distribution
DARA BECKERMAN - Licensing
The highlight of the Academy was a panel discussion of network executives moderated by Josh Selig. Little Airplane Productions welcomed an impressive list of notable panelists including PBS's Linda Simensky, Nickelodeon's Sarah Landy, and Chorion's Sarah Mullervy. A very noteworthy group!
Little Airplane Productions is committed to celebrating young children and treating them and their world with dignity. We consider it both a great privilege and a great responsibility to represent and serve such a distinguished audience.
LAP specializes in quality film & television programming for young children. Founded by Josh Selig in 1999, Little Airplane Productions created and produced The Wonder Pets! for Nick Jr., Go, Baby! for Playhouse Disney, Oobi! for NOGGIN (winner of a 2001 Gold Parents’ Choice Award) and most recently, 3rd & Bird for the BBC. Additionally, Josh Selig was the Head Writer for Little Bill on Nick Jr. He has received ten Emmy Awards for his writing on Sesame Street, and was the Resident Producer of the historic Israeli/Palestinian Sesame Street co-production (winner of the 1998 Japan Prize).
The Small Potatoes Pitch Bible Mr. Selig shared with us a new project they recently developed as an example of what the industry looks for in a children program pitch presentation. The Academy experience definitely gave us the confidence that our Play Pretty, Play Pals Project and Lil' Chucky Charley & His Country Bug Friends programs are progressing in the right direction.
Thank you Tone, Josh, Conrad, Jennifer, Susan, Noel, Tom, Lisa, Beth, Jeff, David, Jeffrey, Kerry, Dara, Linda, Sarah M, Sarah L, and the Academy participants for your wonderful insights.
