Turning your TV Time into Quality Time

August 7, 2007 Issue #8

Christine L. Pollock, Editor         Ranny Levy, Publisher         Ranny's blog

In This Issue

Dear Friends


Last February I decided to add a bit more exercise into my life, and this summer it is paying off. My exercising has given me new energy so I can enjoy life more with my family. That is the very concept behind a DVD I reviewed for KIDS FIRST! recently. The "Fabulously Fit Moms" series makes exercising fun and really picks up your energy level. It's great for exercise novices (such as myself) as well as the pros. Supermodel Jennifer Nicole Lee gives us the scoop on the series in this issue's main article.

Also, this issue debuts our new look. How do you like it? Thanks to Sam our Netman for the new design. Enjoy the summer!

Christine Pollock, Editor

Don't forget to bookmark Ranny's blog for her take on current media events, and give us your own opinions!

KIDS FIRST! Web Store Features

Open your child's window to the world with quality media educates, inspires and entertains. The KIDS FIRST! Web Store offers you the opportunity to customize your family movie library with confidence through its blend of studio and independent titles. Search by age or interest and find out what child professionals and kids themselves have to say about the titles you choose.

Twenty Trucks"Twenty Trucks." Watch your child name and number twenty trucks in action. This fun and informative video teaches children about more about twenty different kinds of trucks and the work they perform. KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror Comments: Full of good information about trucks from delivery to rescue. It's easy to follow. Good background The variety of trucks is extraordinary. Best audience is a child who is infatuated with trucks. KIDS FIRST! KID Juror Comments: The kids who love trucks thoroughly enjoyed this. Others just didn't stay with it. "I learned more than I ever knew about trucks. This is cool." "If I wanted to know about trucks, I'd read a book." DVD. 40 mins. Ages: 4-6. Hammershark Media, LLC.

Groms"Groms: Surf." Almost entirely shot on the north shore of Oahu, the film showcases extremely talented young surfers - tomorrow's pros. These groms range in ages from 11-16, so if you think you have seen groms before, it is important for you to clear your thoughts, and have an opportunity to really see these surfers take command of the Northshore. Clay Marzo, a surfer from Maui, and coveted Governor's Cup at the mere age of 15, is captured in the film surfing Rockpile on a stormy intimidating day without fear! The film also showcases: Granger Larsen, Bethany Hamilton, Alana Blanchard, Kiron Jabour, Tyler Newton, Ezekial Lau, Evan Geiselman, Albee Layer, Dylan Southworth and Ashley Hunter. KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror Comments: Great short surfer film, sure to be a hit with teens and tweens. Nothing too thought provoking, just lots of shots of young surfers. Beautiful blue water, blue skies, and effortless surfing. Anyone who's tried this sport will appreciate the difficulty and the mastery of these kids. Avid surfers will likely recognize the talent and will also appreciate their individual profiles. Includes Bethany Hamilton, the young surfer who was survived a shark attack in 2003. Good audio, good video. Shows well on big screen. DVD. 36 mins. Ages: 8-18. El Porto Productions.

Ann's Avenues

KIDS FIRST! salutes the Denver Film Society, the founding member of the KIDS FIRST! Film Club. The film society is in its fourth year of screening free children's movies at the Starz FilmCenter. Founded in 1978, Denver Film Society is one of the premier membership-based cultural arts institutions in the Rocky Mountain region. The society is located at the Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli in partnership with the University of Colorado at Denver. Parking is free, the children's screenings are free, so what's the excuse? Take your children to the movies!

The film society's commitment to children is incredible. In 2005, the Starz Denver International Film Festival hosted the KIDS FIRST! Best Day and Awards Ceremony. In addition to the free Saturday screenings, the society hosts a KIDS FIRST! Junior Film Critics Club, sponsored by Denver Film Society, The Entertainment Project, KIDS FIRST!, and a grant from TIAA-CREF.

  • It helps students ages 8 to 13 become more critical media users, and learn to evaluate and critique media using standardized tools.
  • Half-day workshops take place at Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli and culminate in film reviews printed in "Whose Magazine," opportunities to present reviews on Radio Disney, and at Jr. Film Critics Club panel discussions at Denver Film Society events and festivals.
  • There are matching scholarships available from The Entertainment Project courtesy of a grant from TIAA-CREF.
  • To register for the next workshop in the Jr. Film Critics Club, contact The Entertainment Project at (303) 383-1584 and whosemagazine.org.

The August lineup of films are:

August 4th "Caillou: Caillou's Playschool Adventures"
August 11th "Teletubbies: Time to Dance"
August 18th "Jakers!: Spooky Stories"
August 25th "Thomas & Friends: Carnival Capers"

For Labor Day, start the weekend with:
Sept 1st "Casper Meets Wendy: Family Fun Edition"

All screenings at 10:30 am.

Denver Film Society
Starz FilmCenter
900 Auraria Parkway Suite 239
Denver, CO 80204
www.denverfilm.org

If you know of another great location that should be screening KIDS FIRST! titles, drop me an email, and I will send you a free copy of my latest favorite KIDS FIRST! festival title.

Ann Church

Selections from the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival

The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is a showcase for new and classic children's films from studios, independent producers and youth producers worldwide that exemplify qualify media for children. The Festival travels year round and is hosted locally by more than 100 different venues including established film festivals, art and children's museums, nonprofit film centers, libraries, schools and local organizations. Venues include: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Newport Beach Film Festival, Avalon Theater in Washington D.C., Belcourt Theater, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Denver Film Society and Starz Denver International Film Festival, Film Center at the Cinema Cafe. To find out what is being played in a venue near you, visit this link . For a complete list of all Festival titles currently being shown, visit here.

Bindi"Bindi: the Jungle Girl." L. 30 mins
Bindi introduces us to the wonderful world of wildlife from her cozy tree house set high up in the rainforest. She explains how all animals are worthy of our respect and protection. In this episode, Bindi takes us on a tour of her Tree House, introduces us to her many animal friends and explains why we need to help animals whose habitats have been threatened or destroyed by human intrusion. Ages 5-8. Discovery Kids.

 

 

Jay Jay"Jay Jay the Jet Plane: Jay's Wing Wigglin' Mystery." L. 70 mins
Follows the exciting adventures of the perky and curious six-year-old jet plane, Jay Jay and his airplane friends. They live and play at Tarrytown Airport, a place where imagination takes flight. Each Jay Jay episode includes valuable life lessons for young children that teach lessons about cooperation, teamwork, responsibility, science and nature. Ages 2-5. Paramount Home Entertainment.

 

 

Eloise"Eloise Goes to School." L. 45 mins
Eloise's tutor has quit, and now she is on her way to the prestigious Hawthorne Academy. She soon learns that there is a lot more to school than she had planned - mean girls, strict teachers and lots of rules, rules, rules! She's on a mission to make school fun by teaching her new friends to stand up to bullies, helping her teacher to be a little nicer and learning a few lessons along the way. Can she fit in at her new school while staying the same fun Eloise? Ages 5-8. Starz Home Entertainment.

 

New and Renewing Members

Juno Baby is a premium producer of educational, entertaining, and musical DVDs, CDs, apparel, and plush. The Music and videos of Juno Baby are based on live original orchestral music, leading-research-driven-content, and the funny and quirky cast of Juno Baby characters.

Sube, Inc. is a complete curriculum in a box for second language learning.

Member News

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment¹s Releases Two Titles on August 21st
"The Berenstain Bears: Get Organized" represents the 11th SPHE release of the popular brand. "Get Organized" also contains Sony Pictures Home Entertainment¹s unique "Quick-Start" auto-play feature. Sony is also releasing "It¹s A Big Big World You Can Do It!" and "The Big Big Sleep" DVD. More Information.

Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE), and Big Idea, Inc., Team Up
They have inked a new five-year deal to develop new VeggieTales themed activities/attractions for all HFE locations. Under a previous deal VeggieTales has a presence at HFE's Dollywood, and the park's Country Fair, as well as at Stone Mountain Park and Celebration City. Read More.

Standard Grooming's Short Film Success
Their film, "Plus," is featured in the Plus Size Clothing Scoop blog.

Media News and Contests

"Grand" Magazine is Hunting for Grand Grandparents
For the 2007 GRANDParent of The Year Award, nominations can be made by anybody. Nominating forms are available in "GRAND" magazine and available online. The deadline for nominations is September 3, 2007. The winner will receive a seven-night Caribbean Cruise for two from Royal Caribbean International. The top 10 finalists will receive a $100 gift certificate and their photos and essays of nomination will be published in "Grand" magazine. In addition, every grandparent nominated will receive a free subscription to "Grand" magazine. "Grand" is a media partner and KIDS FIRST! supporter.

Pierce Brosnan Teams Up With Thomas the Tank Engine
HIT Entertainment announces that Brosnan has signed on to be the new voice of the narrator for "Thomas & Friends." Read More.

Learn Mandarin Through Fun TV
Nick Jr. is launching "Ni Hao, Kai-Lan," a new half-hour interactive series that introduces preschoolers to the Mandarin language. The series, launching during Nickelodeon’s preschool block on October 22, offers 2- to 5-year-olds the opportunity to learn Mandarin words and phrases. The show focuses on a 5-year-old Chinese-American girl named Kai-lan. More Information .

MySpace Launches "The Storyteller Challenge,"
The challenge invites aspiring producers to submit 5-7 minute pilots on a dedicated MySpace page for a chance to score a development deal with Fox. Judges from the Producers Guild of America, top film schools and Fox's executive ranks will choose two winners who will also receive $25,000 in cash. The contest starts September 4th. Details.

Hallmark Channel Bans Smoking
Regarding their decision to have no more smoking in any of its original films, in a letter to House Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-Mass.) , Hallmark President Henry Schlieff wrote in part, "It is our decision to make a commitment to you that we will discourage and, in fact, seek to eliminate any further depiction of cigarette smoking in our original movies." Read About It .

Family and Parenting News

PBS Focuses on Literacy in Fall Lineup
Two new preschool series - "Super Why!" and "Wordworld" - are part of the PBS KIDS Ready To Learn initiative, focused on helping children ages two to eight, especially those from low-income families, acquire the skills they need to learn to read. Addressing this crucial literacy need, the initiative is utilizing scientifically-based reading research to design television, web, curriculum and professional development content. Learn More.

Dancing With the Teletubbies
Watch the film, then enjoy some coloring with a new printable coloring page.

Feature Article

Fabulously Fit Moms
by Christine Pollock

Fabulously Fit MomsWhy is a title such as “Fabulously Fit Moms: Total Body Workout” highlighted at KIDS FIRST!? I wondered the first time I saw it. After receiving a copy to preview, I understood. This title is part of a series conceived by Andrew Freirich. His company, Fit Global LLC, contacted supermodel Jennifer Nicole Lee who now stars in this series of exercise moves for moms and kids in which moms lift and play with their children as part of their own exercising routine -- fun for everyone.

Lee experienced the challenge of post-natal body toning. She has a six-year-old and a four-year old. After her second child was born, Lee used exercising to lose 80 lbs in fifteen months. It is her firm belief that motherhood is a sport in which you need to make smart choices. She feels that doing exercises such as the ones on the DVDs just four times a week will energize moms, sculpt their bodies, and encourage moms to chisel out that all-important “me” time.

Each title in the series of six is made for women who have just gone through childbirth. The exercises are easy to follow and fun to execute. I discovered this my-un-athletic-self as I previewed “Total Body Workout.” I stretched and did the salsa and some boxing moves without getting bored or lost. Just as Lee claims, it is non-intimidating. The series has something for every mom including total body workouts, super energizers, and titles to assist you when you hit a weight-loss plateau.

Lee makes exercise a family event. Her sons love to get engaged with her workouts and enjoy being used as her weights. They realize that when mom exercises, she is happier. From the fan mail she receives, Lee finds that moms all over are sharing her positive exercising experience with their families. Many write that they finally have a lifestyle that helps them be the best mom. They feel that being fit is part of motherhood. It makes them more efficient, according to their letters. Lee is thrilled to observe the ever-growing sisterhood of exercising mothers from around the world.

Freirich plans to continue producing DVDs that promote healthy lifestyles for parents and children—perhaps even with a series for dads to be distributed by KOCH Entertainment, distributor of the Fabulously Fit Moms series. He is thankful for the popularity of the series and for their great partners, including “Parents” magazine, who generously give buyers of the first two DVDs in the "Fabulously Fit Moms" series a free year of “Parents” magazine.

Lee closed the interview with the following encouraging words: We are blessed being a mother. It is challenging and rewarding. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Mothers need to know that exercise and fitness is a journey, but we can make it engaging.

Crafts and Activities

Four Square - A Fun Game for Adults and Kids

Equipment: Heavy-duty rubber playground ball, driveway or concrete space for a 10-ft. square, chalk

Play: Draw off a 10-ft. square with the chalk, then divide into 4 even squares. Number them 1-4, going clockwise. Draw a diagonal line in 1's box, to be the serving spot. 1 serves by bouncing the ball into any of the three boxes, trying to prevent that player from bouncing it back in his box. If the player returns the ball, he stays, and the 1 player is out. If not, that player is out. The next player moves into the 4 box, and the players move up. The object of the game is to move up to the 1 box, and stay there.

For other craft/activity ideas, go to our craft index.

Events

Save the DateAugust 10-12 - Omaha, NE. The National Association for Family & Community Education. Our Ranny Levy is speaking in seminars entitled: Turn Movie Watching Time into an Educational Experience and Look Out for the New Technologies on the Pikeline! Read About It.

October 7 - 11 - Mesa, AZ. The 29th National Media Market will be held at the Hilton Phoenix East/Mesa. 50 producers and distributors will showcase new educational programming and related technology. Discounts and special pricing pay for most of the cost of attendance. Information here or contact Ursula Schwarz at (520) 743-7735.

October 13 - Los Angeles, CA. KIDS FIRST! Best Day and Awards Ceremony. Save the date! This event is held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in collaboration with the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival.

April 3-5 - Boston, MA. CCFC's 6th Summit. Consuming Kids: The Sexualization of Children and Other Commercial Calamities. More Information.

Special Offers

KIDS FIRST! Cares
Through the combined efforts of Corporations for Character, KIDS FIRST! , and your generous donation, we can fulfill our mission to provide positive, encouraging movies into each of more than one million children's hospital beds. This effort will provide entertainment for children while they are confined in a hospital. To support KIDS FIRST! Cares, go to www.kidsfirstcares.org. All credit card transactions are secure.

Support the Coalition

Search thousands of great travel deals at KIDS FIRST! TravelBecome a Member - If you've found our e-zine and web site helpful, please consider becoming a member of KIDS FIRST! By doing so, your contribution helps help underwrite the various projects of this organization. The Coalition relies on the generous support of its members and donors to support its programs. An individual/family membership is only $25/year. An organizational membership is $100/year. An independent producer membership is $200. To join, visit our site or contact our office at 505.989.8076. KIDS FIRST! Travel Site - Support KIDS FIRST! by booking your travel on our travel website. Prices compare with those of Travelocity and KIDS FIRST! earns a commission on any travel booked here. What a great way to support a nonprofit without having to write a check. Become an Affiliate of the KIDS FIRST! Web Store - By linking with our online store which sells films from our independent producers, you can earn a commission off of each sale.

VISIT OUR MEMBERS' SITES

Support our members. Visit their sites by visiting our members' page.

ABOUT CQCM AND KIDS FIRST!

The Coalition for Quality Children's Media is a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media. More.

Our Ratings:

*** = Titles receiving the highest scores are given a three-star rating. ** = Titles that meet or exceed the criteria receive a two-star rating. * = Titles that meet the baseline criteria but require some extra consideration on the part of the viewer receive a one-star rating.

VISIT OUR MEMBERS' SITES

Support our members. Visit their sites by visiting our members' page.

ABOUT CQCM AND KIDS FIRST!

The Coalition for Quality Children's Media is a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media. More.

Our Ratings:

*** = Titles receiving the highest scores are given a three-star rating.
** = Titles that meet or exceed the criteria receive a two-star rating.
* = Titles that meet the baseline criteria but require some extra consideration on the part of the viewer receive a one-star rating.