october 2009 helping little people understand water
TRANSCRIPT
October 2009
Helping little people understand WATER
Contents
Background• Who is Boo?• The Story Behind Boo
The brilliant projects behind Boo• Strands and Projects• The EcoAnimation Partners • The Methdology
Our wonderfully cool and fantastic series • Concept• Episodes • Reaching Millions of European Children
Contacts
Background
Who is Boo?My Friend Boo is a fun-filled animated series. The aim of the series is to help young viewers (aged 5-8) understand some of today’s most important world issues like energy and climate change, the environment and conservation and health. The series uses imagination, comedy, adventure and magic to help kids understand these really important issues.
In our 9 episodes children can see that even with everyday gestures they can also help make a difference to their worlds and the wider world around them – and their families & friends can too.
We hope Boo and his inspirational stories reach and motivate millions of European children .
To make this happen we are making the series available free of charge to European broadcasters from JUNE 2010.
We are also providing free and downloadable ‘Teaching packs’ for educators and schools from JUNE 2010.
The Story Behind Boo
• One day, a group of enthusiastic, young Europeans hailing from the world of communication, TV, campaigning and policy had an idea…
• This generation of European children is the most vulnerable ‘next generation’ in history. They are the ones that will make the difference, they are the ones that will need to clean up our mess…
• But..communicating to younger kids on global issues can sometimes be a mammoth task. These issues are often too complicated and just too gigantic for them to identify with, or to understand.
• So how best to get the message across?? Through a medium that kids love and interact with every day of course – cartoon animations!
• We hatched a plan, put together a unique partnership of the best in the business – kids, issue, communication and broadcast experts and award winning animators - and put our plan to the European Commission…
• They loved it, in fact 3 different departments of the European Commission loved it!
• And so here we are, many months down the line… with three great projects, one fantastic series and although we aren’t as young any more (due to a few more grey hairs!) we have more enthusiasm than ever to make Boo a HUGE hit… and you can join the fun too!
The brilliant projects behind
Boo
Strands and Projects
• The series is split into three strands made up of 3 episodes, each of which is produced by projects supported by European Commission programmes.
• This is an excellent example of Europe applying ‘joined-up thinking’. By using the same model for different European Commission priorities, we were able to produce a series that not only fits with broadcast standards but that also has the same characters that kids can recognize and identify with in each episode.
• The Water strand – was put together by EcoAnimation with the support of LIFE+ programme
• The Energy strand – has been produced by the Young Energy Savers project with the support of the Intelligent Energy Europe programme
• The Healthy Living strand – was devised by the ACTIVE project with the support of the HEALTH programme
EcoAnimation Partners • The co-production model behind My Friend Boo is the first of its kind in Europe. • The series is based upon the research and support of independent international
experts and feedback from focus groups of children in 5 European countries.• We have gauged their knowledge and tapped into their imaginations to ensure that
the series hits the right note: • Business Solutions Europa (Project Management and Communication) • Griffilms (Animation) • WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature, European Policy Office (Content)• Explora – The children’s museum of Rome (Pedagogic Evaluation) • Children’s museums and schools from Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Italy, and Poland
Country School Museum
Belgium Vrije Basisschool Ursulinen, Mechelen Technopolis www.technopolis.be
Bulgaria 54 Sredno osnovno uchiliste "Sveti Ivan Rilski" - Sofia Artland www.artland-bg.com
Ireland Willow Park Schools ( ) - Imaginosity www.imaginosity.ie
Italy Istituto Comprensivo Karol Woytjla - Rome Explora – il museo dei bambini di Roma (partner)
www.mdbr.it
Poland - Primary School number 111 - Łódź - Primary School im. Kościuszko's Infantry Division ul - Łódź
ParkMiniatur www.parkminiatur.pl
The Methodology
500 Kids are quizzed on their knowledge of the issues and of their
animation likes and dislikes
Issue experts brief the animators on the issues and identify key messages
Animators develop concept, characters and storylines for My friend Boo
Kids give their views on the concept, characters and storylines
Animators refine concept, characters and storylines and write scripts
Issue experts work with script writers to finalize scripts (and check that they are technically sound)
Scripts finalized. Voices recorded. Animation process begins..
Talks start with broadcasters
Animation finalized and dubbed into local languages
Issue experts develop teaching material
Kids see the animations for the first time
Teachers and educators test the teaching material
Series launched
Millions of European children watch My Friend Boo!
Our wonderfully cool and fantastic
series!
Concept
Whilst playing in their junk filled attic one day, BEN, JAQ and LUCY stumble across a very scruffy looking toy dog and a broken children’s carrousel. They also discover an old toy chest, which is home to a mysterious glowing golden ‘wind up’ key that fits into the back of the scruffy little toy.
Lucy winds up the key and suddenly the tatty little toy dog magically comes to life. The toy quickly introduces himself as Boo. Boo is a fast-talking adventurer with incredible magical powers. He’s kind, funny, smart, a little bit mysterious. He becomes the children’s friend and their guide as they travel in his magical carrousel embarking on extraordinary journeys and totally amazing adventures to all types of different worlds that help the three young explorers to learn lessons about some important issues whilst of course having lots of fun!
LucyBen
JaqBoo
Lucy
Water Episodes
‘Victoria’s Wetlands’ (Theme: Water Pollution)
‘It’s only Water!’ (Theme: Water Conservation)
‘The Big Picture’ (Theme: Water and the World)
Episode length – 8 x 8 minutes , 1 x 2 minutes Episode languages – Initially in EN, FR, NL, BU, IT, PL (more will be available when we sign up broadcasters)
Victoria the Vole whose wetland home is almost destroyed by a local factory who isnt taking care of its waste
Aliens from the planet Klexus – where inhabitants learn a lesson or two from Boo and his friends about conservation
Reaching Millions of European Children…
• We hope Boo and his inspirational stories reach and motivate millions of European children.
• To make this happen we are making the series available free to European broadcasters • Participating broadcasters will get the series for free in English.• They will have exclusive rights on their requested platforms for 2
years. • All they have to do is translate the scripts, teaching material and dub
in to local languages
• It will be available for broadcast from June 2010 (once all the strands have been viewed by our focus groups)
• The series will also be accompanied by downloadable ‘Teaching packs’ for educators and schools – again free of charge• This material is being developed by our experts and schools and will be
available in local languages on www.myfriendboo.com from June 2010
Boo takes on Europe!
Broadcasters on board so far..
Confirmed
Looking good!
Next steps…
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March
Animators do their stuff...
Project partners contact sponsors
Broadcasters agree and sign exclusive deals for broadcast (from June 2010) in their territories
WWF and pedagogic partners prepare teaching material
Series translated and dubbed into local languages
WWF and pedagogic partners finalise teaching material
22nd March 2010 – World Water Day
Public launch
3rd Focus group for children to view the strand of the first time and for teachers to test the teaching material
Events planned in London, Rome, Dublin, Lodz, Sofia, Mechlen and perhaps more...
You want to get involved? Yay!
Contact:
Sian Hughes (EN/FR/SP/IT)Business Solutions [email protected] 485 915 707
Helene Soyer (FR/EN/PT)Business Solutions [email protected]