Turning your TV Time into Quality Time
October 16, 2007 Issue #10b
Christine L. Pollock, Editor Ranny Levy, Publisher Ranny's blog
In This Issue
Letter from the Editor- Web Store Features
- New Endorsements
- Festival Titles
- Members and Member News
- Media News and Contests
- Family and Parenting News
- KIDS FIRST! Best Award Winners
- Crafts & Activities: Witches Hat
- Events
Dear Friends
Zach Mills (Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium) accepting "Best Emerging Actor" Award from KIDS FIRST! president, Ranny Levy |
Our 8th annual KIDS FIRST! Best Awards Celebration took place last week in Malibu to a sell-out crowd. We had a day filled with screenings of short films which Dan Bennet, Director of the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival curated, filmmaker workshops with a panel of industry professionals coaching independent filmmakers on how to become successful and cumulating with our awards celebration honoring 58 filmmakers who are our first and second place winners this year. It was an awesome event with many tears of happiness. Mallory Lewis performed and also accepted the coveted Palmer-Vision Award from KIDS FIRST!, and there were special appearances by Zach Mills ("Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium") and Carly Schroeder ("Eye of the Dolphin," "Gracie").
Now, we are up and running with TiVo KidZone. KIDS FIRST! is a "Guru Guide" for KidZone and a founding member of the new "Smart Television Alliance." Our recommendations of TV shows together with our rationale for selecting them are posted on the TiVo KidZone website and on their user interface. The same evaluations that we've been doing for other media are now being applied to television programming. You can select the titles that KIDS FIRST! has recommended and record those on your TiVo for your kids or grandkids. What a great thing for parents or grandparents. With TiVo KidZone, you'll feel safer knowing your child is only watching programs that reflect your values.
To celebrate this event, TiVo is offering a FREE 80 hour Series 2 Dual Tuner TiVo Box when you purchase any TiVo service plan - as the result of a link from KIDS FIRST. We have our own landing page for this on TiVo's site. The offer is only good until November 6th! The other nifty thing is that KIDS FIRST! gets a referral fee for every sign up. So, you can do good by doing well.
So, I'm asking you to
A. Follow the link TiVo's site and get the TiVo that you have been thinking about.
B. Pass this information on to as many people are you can. It's a great way to spread the news and make a contribution to KIDS FIRST!
C. Do it now. If you're like me, if you don't do it now, it'll end up buried in your inbox.
Thanks, and happy Halloween.
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 that 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.
"Clifford's Big Halloween." Kooky ghosts, spooky costumes and leaf piles are all part of the fun when Clifford and friends share in fall festivities on Birdwell island. DVD includes the episode Boo! where on Halloween night, Clifford gets tangled up in a white sheet, and the whole town gets a great big scare from the mysterious ghost dog of Birdwell Island. In these eight great episodes, Clifford and friends learn about doing your job, keeping a promise and making a new friend. Get ready to dig for dinosaurs and meet a true superhero! L. 90 mins. Ages 2-5. Lionsgate Family Entertainment.
"The Fairly Odd Parents: Scary Godparents." Timmy is having the flat-out worst Halloween ever. Through procrastination and dumb moves, Timmy finds himself as a mummy, wrapped in 2-ply toilet paper and Trick or Treating with Vicky as his chaperone. Timmy wishes everybody's costume was "real and scary" and everyone becomes his or her costume, which is the cool and good news. Includes: "Other Shiny Teeth," "Which Witch Is It," "Timmy's 2D House of Horror," "Genie Meanie Minie Mo," "Catman Meets the Crimson Chin." L. 77 mins. Ages 5-8. Paramount Home Entertainment.
New Endorsements
The KIDS FIRST! endorsement is one of the most highly recognized film, DVD, audio and game rating programs. Titles are evaluated by members of our adult and child juries. More New Endorsements
can be found on our site
Ratings key below.
CD - Ages 2-5
** "Bumblz Tunes: The Bee Sides."
Continuing in the tradition of "Songs in the Key of Bee," "The Bee Sides" CD is sure to delight children of all ages. The songs are fun, heartfelt, and cover many musical genres with a sophistication rarely heard in children's music titles. KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror Comments: Very enjoyable. Great variety of very appealing songs. Good mix of fast and slow paced music. Topics range from bedbugs to monsters to mothers. It stimulates children to think about different ideas from adventure to dreams, fears, and trying new things. Very appropriate language that kids can readily understand. Lyrics are clear and easy to understand. KIDS FIRST! KID Juror Comments: Everyone enjoyed this. All agreed that their friends would enjoy it as well. One of the older boys said, "I like the guitars and Kenny does too." Another added, "Yeah, we can jam to that." and a younger child nodded in agreement. The kids did move along to the music when the more upbeat songs were playing. Ages 2--5. Bumblz Media.
DVD - Ages 5-8
** "The Organwise Guys: Fiber Fandango." Peri Stolic, the intestine, reads a scary story about a boy who didn't eat enough fiber. Part of an award-winning childhood obesity prevention program. KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror Comments: Entertaining. Cute puppets who convey good information about water, the body and nutrition. Well done and appropriate for the target audience. Good enthusiasm shown by the Kidney brothers, good "body " jokes and songs. Emphasizes the importance of water in your daily diet. It motivates further inquiry. "We actually went to the web site and downloaded a chart that helps you track how much water you drink every day. Nice visual." Jokes tend to be geared more towards an adult audience. Definitely a difficult topic to present and they've done an admirable job of doing it. KIDS FIRST! KID Juror Comments: Most enjoyed it and thought it was funny. There's a lot going on that keeps the kids engaged. "I liked it because I learned a lot about water." The Kidney brother puppets were popular. "The Kidney Brothers are funny. I liked seeing them playing in the water." Ages:5-8. The Organwise Guys.
DVD - Ages 5-12
*** "Pocahontas." If not for the raw courage of Native American princess, Pocahontas, the English settlers at Jamestown would have died from starvation and exposure to the elements. Her intervention saved their lives and brought peace between two very different peoples. English and Spanish. KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror Comments: Educational and entertaining film based on historical events. Well-produced 2-D animation, good music. Offers a glimpse into the early interactions between the early settlers and Native Americans. Offers an opportunity to discuss customs of Native American people. Portrays Pocahontas in a very positive way. It begins with the time she spent in England with flashbacks to her experiences with colonists. It is vague about her relationship with Captain Smith. Children will be interested in the part about her life as a child. KIDS FIRST! KID Juror Comments: Enjoyed it. "I liked it a lot because it is funny an filled with exciting parts." "It's a combination of stories about Jamestown and Pocahontas." They enjoyed seeing history come to life through this animated story. "There was violence, and they treated each other suspiciously. The war was unsafe and so was Pocahontas when she went out in the middle of the war." Ages 5-12. Nest Family Entertainment.
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.
"Bigfoot Presents Meteor and the Mighty Monster Truck: Start your Engines!" L. 66 mins.
When monster truck Bigfoot returns to his hometown with his wife, Rosa, to raise their kids, Little Tow and Zooey, they discover a lot of things have changed. Little Tow's classmates have all sorts of space-age gadgets ... especially a young moon buggy monster truck named Meteor! But one thing hasn't changed in Bigfoot's hometown, the good old fashion family values. Join Meteor and his monster truck friends in Start Your Engines! as they hit the road in six action-packed episodes! There's a lot of racing going on when Meteor and Little Tow try to keep up with their new ATV friends. Then Little Tow learns the importance of telling the truth while Meteor learns about responsibility. And Bigfoot and Rosie show the trucks that things aren't so scary if you know a little about them! Ages 2-5. Genius Products.
"Angelina Ballerina: Silver Locket Special Edition" L. 49 mins.
Angelina twirls her way into little girls' hearts with an all new Silver Locket Special Edition. It follows the story of Angelina who loses her mother's precious silver locket and is forced to confess, but not before an unlikely person comes to her rescue. Ages 2-5. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
"Think Tank" L. 96 mins.
Bumbling, twenty-something slackers use their self-proclaimed "genius" to save a small town from the evil clutches of Lord Billiards, a land-grabbing pool celebrity. Ages 5-12. Maitland Primrose.
New and Renewing Members
Easy To Dream Entertainment is a production banner dedicated to making first rate family entertainment.
Two Little Hands Productions produces Signing Time! children's sign language videos.
Member News
ZAPiT Games Enters License Deal With Big Idea, Inc.
They plan to develop an interactive family-targeted VeggieTales game for the Game Wave system. The game title is expected to be available for holiday 2007. Read About It.
Congratulations to Screenwriter Christopher Canole
Canole is winner of Creative Screenwriting's Winter 2006 AAA Screenplay Contest. His title, "Felix the Flyer" is a second place KIDS FIRST! Best award winner. You can read more about Canole in the July/August 2007 issue of "Creative Screenwriting" or check out his current projects on his website.
Media News and Contests
Sound Bites, the Music/Recording Technology Program For Kids
Want total immersion in music production and
songwriting? Sound Bites "debut" took place the week of June 18, 2007.
Over the course of a five day program, a select group of talented
middle schoolers, composed, performed, recorded and produced an
original composition with support and training from a team of award
winning music professionals." Check out the 100% kid-created production.
PBS Kids Highlights Kids' Creativity
Designed for preschoolers and their parents, Dot’s Story Factory is an age-appropriate narrative tool that supports the development of storytelling skills, and allows the creation of compelling stories that will be shared online and spotlighted on television. PBS Kids Go! also has a way for elementary school children, to showcase their favorite talents in a wide variety of ways… if they
have a special talent or unusual hobby, are bursting with a song or story to tell, are traveling the globe or making the world a better
place, they can grab their guitar, pen or video camera and “show us what you’ve got!” We at KIDS FIRST! are particularly impressed with the clay animator.
Check Out KIDS FIRST! Trailers
We have a great collection of trailers on our KF site including many of our indie productions. Check it out and tell us your favorites. View the Trailers.
Family and Parenting News
Sesame Workshop's Old School Volume 2 Hits Shelves This Month!
Fans of all ages have been asking when the next volume will be available...and the answer is October 23, 2007!
Content of "Old School Volume 2" will include:
Focus on the next five years of Sesame Street from 1974-1979 (seasons 6-10). The box set will contain a booklet with fun facts, stories and interviews focusing on the years covered in Volume 2. Read about Sesame Street.
Ready Set Learn Special Halloween-themed Block on Discovery Kids
On
October 29 from 9 am – 2 pm (ET) and repeated on TLC October 31 from 6 am-9 am (ET/PT), young trick-or-treaters will have a blast watching the Ready Set Learn! gang scare up laughter and good times at costume parties, sleepovers, spooky mansions and looking for things that go bump in the night: More Information.
Feature Article
KIDS FIRST! Best Award Winners
Anyone involved with the creative process of filmmaking knows that the enchantment on the screen comes from intense hard work, collaboration and an endless process of decision-making. Sometimes the magic of film is in the beauty of the cinematography, and producers have to make some detailed choices in how they want their film to look. Sylvia Binsfeld, producer and director of “Dorme,” had a very clear image of her film in her mind right from its first inception. Even though "Dorme" is a fantasy film, she wanted the images to feel warm, real and organic. She decided to shoot on 35mm film, which was then scanned at 2k resolution as Cineon files in order to retain 100% of the film information, giving the highest quality dreamlike images possible.
For others, the magic comes from the unique concepts addressed in the presentation. “PAZ” singularly focuses on emotional intelligence. Discovery Kids went about designing and then producing this program by focusing on skills needed for developing an optimistic and resilient approach to life. Other producers focus on interactive viewing. "Fairy Tales, Fantasy, and Storytellin' Fun!" produced by Mary Jo Huff, is an interactive story experience seen through the eyes of the children. To further connect viewers with reverie, it was filmed at a library decorated with a stained glass nature wall.
Filmmaking is an artistic and emotional growth process. Kelly Kennedy, producer of “Baseball Card Shop” realized that just about any problem can be worked out, given time. She comments, “I really learned not to panic 
about anything. There are a lot of puzzle pieces to a film, and as long as the others are fitting well, and you've already got a well-planned project, you can always work around any little crisis that comes up.”
“Listen to other people and understand that making a movie is a team effort,”
says Xochi Maberry-Gaulke, who was 12 when she produced “Good, the Bag and the Ugly.” It was fun making it and especially learning how to use film tools like the dolly.” “Road to Opportunity” co-producer Alexander Soufi believes as a film student it is important to produce a project from scratch because it forces you to be creative and to think how you're going to turn your idea into a movie. This is the best way to learn a broad range of skills.
The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is a great place for kids to start learning the craft with various workshops offered around the country. It’s also a great place for other films to bring their messages, beauty and creativity to enraptured audiences. Jane Hall, producer and director of “Tillamook Treasure” submitted The Tillamook Treasure to KIDS FIRST! because their stamp of approval goes a long way towards showing parents that The Tillamook Treasure is for families.”
Binsfeld points out that people often perceive filmmaking as light, fun and glamorous work. The KIDS FIRST! team, from office workers to producers and members, all share an awareness that we have a great responsibility in regards to what we are putting out into the world. Binsfeld sums up our group mission. “There is a bit of craziness in this age of nonstop information and constant stimulation. It’s time for a return to innocence -- putting the “child” back into childhood. It’s time for a return to innocence - putting the “child” back into childhood.”
Crafts and Activities
Witches Hats. Complements the KIDS FIRST! Festival title, "Casper Meets Wendy: Family Fun Edition."
Idea from: Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza, hosts of DIY Network’s new Halloween-themed series "Witch Crafts."
Ingredients:
3-4 oz. of chocolate (dark, or milk, or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
12 sugar cones
store-bought frosting tube
frosting tube tips
chocolate wafer cookies
jimmies, nonpareils and/or sprinkles
candy corn (optional)
mint chocolate chip ice cream (optional)
Preparation:
1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave on low, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
2.
Spoon chocolate over the cone, covering it entirely or only partially.
3.
Spoon jimmies, sprinkles, or nonpareils on the hot chocolate.
4.
Fill the cone with candy corn, if desired.
5.
Invert on a chocolate wafer. Using the star-shaped frosting tip, pipe frosting around the base of the cone, sealing it to the wafer.
6.
The cone can be put on a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream to make a witch's head.
For other craft/activity ideas, go to our craft index.
Events
October 19-21. The film "10 Questions for the Dalai Lama" has inspired a national weekend of Unity and Peace. This weekend of individual events is designed to bring communities together in a celebration of understanding, unity, tolerance, peace, and oneness. More Information.
November 7-19 - Chicago, IL. NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo. More
than 20,000 early childhood professionals from around the world attend
the NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo to discuss the everyday issues of our
work with young children and families. Read More.
January 22-25, 2008 - Orlando, Florida. FETC 2008. Educators and administrators gather to learn how to integrate different technologies across the curriculum – from kindergarten to college – while being exposed to the latest hardware, software and successful strategies on student technology use." Read About It.
April 3-5, 2008 - 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
Become
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.
