![]() Publishers are also highlighting their related titles independently. Nelvana is in discussion with other retail outlets, including book chains, about boutiquing Bookworm Bunch-related books and merchandise in-store the company's marketing department has put together a sell sheet touting all the books on which the shows are based. Jill Newhouse Calcaterra, Nelvana's v-p of marketing, noted that toy retailer FAO Schwarz will feature all the available books associated with the Bookworm Bunch, as well as some tie-in merchandise, in the first quarter of 2001, and the store is expected to bring in some of the authors for signings, possibly including Wells, the lead "spokesauthor" for the block. Each publishing house, along with representatives of PBS, Nelvana and the other licensors, and key licensees and promotional partners, met in New York City last week to share informational updates about licensing and publishing schedules and retail events, and discussed promotional opportunities to support the programming block and the books. They're really, in essence, consultants on all the elements of the show." Publishers of the original titles are helping promote the Bookworm Bunch-books will be stickered with a tune-in message, for example-and are, in turn, taking advantage of the exposure generated by the block's launch to increase awareness of their titles. They help us choose the voices and the theme music and the design of the show and the characters and the backgrounds. The authors review, read and comment on every script and read and comment on every storyboard. "We really want the experience on television to mirror the design style, attitude and characteristics of the book. "We work very closely with the authors," said Taylor. The full cast of characters from the six forthcoming shows.Īll the living authors of the books on which the Bookworm Bunch TV series are based have been involved in the development of the television shows. "We were able to get the confidence and trust of a number of authors who had never had their words adapted to television," he said. "Nelvana has made a career out of adapting children's books for television," said Taylor, reporting that 80% of the company's development slate, consisting of 100 different projects, is comprised of literature-based series. Nelvana's productions include The Disney Channel's Rolie Polie Olie, based on a William Joyce story Nick Jr.'s Franklin, inspired by a book series by Paulette Bourgeois, illustrated by Brenda Clark, and published by Kids Can Press (a Nelvana subsidiary) and Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak's Little Bear, also on Nick Jr. PBS has long aired book-based shows on weekdays, ranging from Arthur and The Magic School Bus (coproduced by Nelvana) to the most recent examples, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Caillou, both of which premiered on September 4. "There aren't a lot of choices for parents of little kids." The partnership between the two companies was "a really natural fit," Wilson continued, noting that both have a history of success with literature-based programming. "We both identified a need that wasn't being met by other broadcasters," said Wilson. Evolution of a Programming BlockIn June 1999, PBS senior v-p of programming services John Wilson met with Toper Taylor, president of Canadian animation house Nelvana.
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