Turning your TV Time into Quality Time
February 24, 2009 Issue #2b
Christine L. Pollock, Editor Ranny Levy, Publisher
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Christine L. Pollock, Editor |
Ranny Levy, Publisher Granny Ranny's Addenda |
Entertainment Insider News
It's Time for "Showy Show!"
If you are looking for something entertaining, educational, interactive and fun for preschoolers, check out "Showy Show," a great show for little ones with fabulous music and important lessons. ThinkBox hired Jennifer McCaffrey to produce a children's video series for them that would focus on getting kids ready for the big events of childhood. At the time, the children of Thinkbox's CEO Brian Napack, were three and one, and he saw there was a real need for this kind of children's entertainment in the market. McCaffrey felt the best way for a show to get kids ready would be to turn the little viewers into the star of a show that celebrates some of the more enjoyable, but often challenging, aspects of it.
McCaffrey feels that "Showy Show" is different from other preschool shows out there because it is genuinely interactive. The little viewer's participation is the most important part of the show. It has kids up off their couch dancing, singing and working on their reading skills as they shout out their "lines" on the screen. McCaffrey believes the best and most successful preschool shows are the ones that incorporate a simple repetitive format with really great catchy music. Aaron Kaplan, their composer, did an amazing job creating seven original songs that BOTH kids and parents love to hear and sing along to. As simple as the "Showy Show" format is, it is infused with clever and age appropriate storylines, educational value and powerfully engaging interactivity.
They devoted a lot of time writing the interactivity into the presentation. Their focus groups show that was time well spent: children really participate in the program, and our educational consultants have told them that this is the best way to get them to learn the concepts. Finally, once the children have learned the lessons of the Preschool show, they feel excited about going to the new environment of preschool instead of feeling nervous or frightened. McCaffrey feels that if they could help some young children feel happy rather than sad on that important day is very rewarding.
She points out that their finale song is called "Now Go and Show What you Know." It's a celebratory song that encourages kids to take what they've learned from the show and show it off. One of the great things about "Showy Show" is that it appeals to the entire 2-5 preschool demographic. Younger two-year-olds can work on their gross motor skills and demonstrate the dance moves they learned. The older five-year-olds can work on their literacy skills by reading their lines and singing the lyrics written karaoke style which will then help them identify words in their books as they're learning to read.
"Showy Show" is more than a normal production for McCaffrey. It's a family joint venture. Her daughter Imogene was turning two when she was in production on "Showy Show". McCaffrey says, "Watching her become a preschooler helped me grow tremendously as a children's producer. She was the perfect case study for everything I was trying to accomplish. She continues to inspire every child's product I have a part in making come to life. One of my greatest moments working on "Showy Show" was when Imogene first watched the rough cut and was completely engaged, dancing the lunchbox move, doing the "share groove" and the happy jump!"
Also, this was the first major project for PJ&J Siblings, a writing team that consists of McCaffrey and her brothers. THey all worked together as a family on this project and it was a tremendous amount of fun for all of them. According to McCaffrey, they enjoy making each other laugh and talking to each other about television, particularly children's television. McCaffrey thinks that the element of play they had while working on this filtered through on the set. Plus, as the younger sister of the two boys, she enjoyed bossing them around.
McCaffrey's goal is to produce at least three seasons of "Showy Show," each episode focusing on a different big event of childhood, and to find the show a network home or video distribution deal. They are searching for ways to finance the production and are open to sponsors, co-producers, licensors, distributors, etc. Currently they are hard at work planning a sponsored live cross-country mall tour for this summer. Because "Showy Show" is a show within a show, they recognize the huge live show potential inherent in the show's format, and would love to perform for increasingly bigger audiences as their
fan base continues to grow.
According to McCaffrey, "Showy Show" is an ideal match for KIDS FIRST! because, in a nutshell, it is quality children's media. It engages preschoolers and makes learning fun with great music, incredible comedic actors and high production value, while affirming that every little viewer is a star.
Plugged In Parents/Educators
It's time for a sweet treat as a new Strawberry Shortcake DVD hits the shelves. Strawberry and her friends bring two beloved fairy tales to life in magical adventures filled with very berry fun in "Strawberry Shortcake: Happily Ever After."
One might wonder, how has this sweet little girl and her friends managed to grab the hearts of several generations? Perhaps because Strawberry Shortcake is classic, and the brand has kid and mom appeals. The brand never wavered from the roots (a wholesome optimistic little girl that is your best friend ) so moms trust the brand and relate their daughters since they themselves were kids who fell in love with Strawberry Shortcake when they played with her in the 1980’s. The brand continues to evolve and has an updated look so the brand connects with today's girls. In fact, keep your eyes open for an updated Strawberry Shortcake look in the fall of 2009.
There are two aspects that really stand out as one views "Happily Ever After." It has extremely catchy music and takes some unusual, yet wonderful twists in classic storylines. American Greeting creates the animation and the music for each story, and it’s all original!. A core team brainstorms each song's theme and then adds lyrics that make sense. The licensor works with composers and the brand team to make a catchy, fun and relevant songs. When it comes to storyline, the goal is to stick to fun and classic themes which organically include education and morals. They want the DVD’s to teach a in subtle and fun way. They do this with their unique tales.
In "Sleeping Beauty," Brambleberry Fairy (Angel Cake) feels neglected and casts a spell that puts Princess Strawberry Rose to sleep. The Princess's fairy friends (Appleberry, Rainbowberry, Gingerberry, Tangerinaberry and Orangeberry) aren't able to awaken her. It's up to Prince Huckleberry to work his magic and teach Brambleberry Fairy an important lesson in friendship and listening. The enchantment continues in "A Princess Named Rap." Princess Rapunzel's (Rainbow Sherbet) teacher is disturbed by her non-royal interests especially her fascination with ships and navigation. But when the teacher's rowboat is swept out to sea, "Rap" shows everyone she has the right stuff to rule her kingdom.
Now on store shelves, "Strawberry Shortcake" is sweet, fun, and the world is a sweeter and better place knowing that "Strawberry Shortcake" is your berry best friend.
Blogs: Up-to-Date News from our President and VP and Jury Manager
Granny Ranny's Addenda
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KIDS FIRST! Jury Blog From Jury Manager Lauren Longworth
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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.
