Year: 2020

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Both Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and Odd Squad have been nominated for a Television Critics Association (TCA) award. Both series are nominated in the "Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming" category. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood took home a win in this category in 2016.

Congratulations to our partners at 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films, Sinking Ship Entertainment, and PBS KIDS.

Since 1984, the members of the TCA have voted for outstanding achievements in television. As professional consumers of the medium, TV critics are often the first to spot exemplary work in television. Read the official press release here.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Tell us about yourself and how you came to work on Odd Squad.

I’ve been playing with computers since I was very young, and also making art, and so it took a while to find a job that satisfied both sides of my brain. Programming games, it turns out, is an excellent fusion of creativity and analytical thinking. And Odd Squad games aren’t just exercises in escapism; they help kids explore math and science topics, which is something I’m proud to be able to contribute to.

What was your television show when you were growing up?

I don’t know that I had a favorite, but I do have to mention: growing up in Canada, and in a small town to boot that only got a few TV channels with decent reception, I never got to see Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as a child, but I sure did love its Canadian kindred spirit show, Mr. Dressup! The theme song for that show was the first song I learned to play on the recorder.

What are the steps that go into making a game or other interactive experience for Odd Squad?

Our main goal in designing an Odd Squad game is to respect the zany spirit of the show and to present the learning goals within a fun, off-beat play experience. We brainstorm game ideas as a team, and then as a programmer, I write the code that brings the game to life, working with artists, writers, and educational advisors.

One of my favorite steps is watching kids playtest games that are in development. That’s how I learn which parts the kids find engaging and work well at conveying the learning goals, and which parts need to be made clearer, or more or less challenging, to deliver the best experience.

What’s your favorite episode of Odd Squad?

My favorite episodes are the ones that feature Soundcheck. I love the musical bits and can’t get enough of a boy band singing about arithmetic. So Odd Squad: The Movie was pretty great. It includes cast members from both Seasons 1 and 2 and (spoilers) has a VAN that goes to SPACE. What’s not to love?

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I paint and read, and I love to take long walks and explore parts of the city I’m not familiar with. Lately I’ve been playing around in virtual reality a lot. I feel a bit conflicted about VR because I know not a lot of people have the privilege to experience it, but it’s such an exciting technology that I’m looking forward to it becoming more accessible to more people down the road.

If you could create any Odd Squad gadget, what would it do and what would it be called?

Hmmm, I think I’d have to make a Clone-inator, to make copies of myself for short periods of time. I feel like that way we could get the boring parts of my work done much more quickly, and have more time to get on to the fun stuff! That’s the kind of thing that could easily get out of control, but you have to live dangerously sometimes when you’re fighting oddness.

Play Odd Squad digital games here, and watch Odd Squad weekdays on PBS KIDS.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Common Sense Media has named Odd Squad: Odd Beginnings as a Common Sense Selection for Families. The hour-long special kicked off the series' third season, featuring the newly-formed Odd Squad Mobile Unit. The new unit is a "team of kid agents who form a mobile unit response team tasked with investigating any and all odd happenings. To do so, they use math and science skills like units and means of measurement or simple machines as well as teamwork and strong problem-solving skills." The article mentions the special's focus on team-building and teamwork, as well as the concept of using math and science in everyday applications.

Read the full review on Common Sense Media's website. Watch Odd Squad weekdays on PBS KIDS.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Can you share a little bit about yourself and how you came to work at Fred Rogers Productions?

Oh, mine is just a story about a girl who grew up in New Jersey, loved TV like it was her best friend, thought she’d become a journalist, went to a liberal arts college for English, landed happily in the world of educational media after college, and got really lucky when she moved to New York City in 2008 and landed a job working on the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase. I was there for 11 years, and by the time I left, was executive producer and story editor, overseeing all broadcast and digital content and beyond.

When I learned that Fred Rogers Productions had a new puppet series greenlit that was inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and that they needed someone to produce it, I couldn’t say no. I feel there are few, fortunate chances in children’s media to be part of an honored legacy like Fred Rogers’—not to mention launch something completely new. I had visited Pittsburgh a couple times and knew it was a cool town with lovely people. So, I packed up and headed (slightly further) west.

What was your favorite television show when you were growing up?

Where do I begin? There were honestly so many! All my favorite shows, from when I was young to my teenage years, helped me feel like I could “make it”—in small, everyday ways and big, “life” ways. I gravitated toward female characters who were independent and confident (for sure Punky Brewster), fearless and fun (Pippi Longstocking, anyone?), imperfect and relatable (paging Angela Chase from My So-Called Life), and aspirational go-getters (hello, Angela Bower from Who’s the Boss?). I’m so excited that Donkey Hodie is a little bit of all these things—and will be a role model for resilience and perseverance.

What are the steps that go into your role in making Donkey Hodie?

I help guide the series’ curriculum, character and story development, and creative vision overall, and work closely with our amazing partners at Spiffy Pictures. First, I collaborate with our child development advisors to determine which curricular themes we’ll address in our episodes (themes like taking things slowly or facing fears are two examples). The writing team at Spiffy takes those themes and develops stories around them, and I help shape them along the way. Once scripts are complete, the team heads into pre-production, which includes things like set and prop design, puppet design, and songwriting. Then, we shoot! And from there, post production begins, with review of rough cuts, visual effects, audio mixes, and more...

What is your favorite part about working on Donkey Hodie (without giving spoilers)?

Without question, it’s the people. I’m surrounded by talented, passionate, kind, funny, and dedicated people every direction I turn. From our puppeteers and production design team to our writers, crew, and post-production team, everyone’s creative input is making this series so special. I can’t wait to share it with the world soon. (No spoilers yet!)

Is there anything else you can share about Donkey Hodie and her pals?

Well, we’ve created a neighborhood full of quirky, hilarious, and lovable characters in the world of Someplace Else. Some are brand new, like Donkey Hodie herself. She’s the granddaughter of the original Donkey Hodie created by Fred Rogers, now known in our show as Grampy Hodie. Other friends like her best pal, Purple Panda, are also inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. It’ll be fun to watch the audience discover old and new friends along the way.

What do you like to do when you’re not working on the show?

Right now, my main hobbies include following home designers on Instagram and scouting local home and vintage shops (and yes, Target) to pull together my new apartment in Pittsburgh. It’s getting there!

What is it like to be a new Pittsburgher, and do you have any favorite things to do or places to go?!

I’m still learning the ropes! I’ve finally figured out “the Pittsburgh left,” which feels huge. Exploring food spots around my neighborhood has been a top priority, and some of my early favorites are KLVN Coffee Lab, Commerce Bar, Bitter Ends Luncheonette, and East End Brewing/Larder of East End. I have so much more to see and do!

Donkey Hodie is coming to PBS KIDS in 2021.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you came to work with Schell Games.

I didn’t always know I wanted to work in games, I didn’t even realize that was a thing you could do as a job when I was really young. But in the mid 90s, I remember visiting Walt Disney World with my family and being invited to a “sneak peek” of a virtual reality play test. It was for Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride. I recall hearing all the developers talk about designing and making this experience and for the first time realized: people make these things; I could make these things!

After that I got into computer programming, applied to Carnegie Mellon University, and took a game design course, and fell in love. I asked the professor if there were any jobs at the university I could do around his course, and he instead told me he had started a studio, Schell Games, in Pittsburgh, and wanted to know if I wanted to work there.

That was 2005, and I’ve been at Schell Games almost all of that time (I did take some time off to finish graduate school). During that time, I’ve been able to work on theme park attractions, MMOs (massively multiplayer online games), mobile games, interactive toys, and of course several Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood games!

P.S. It turns out that my professor/ boss, Jesse Schell, actually worked on Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride. I didn’t realize this until years later. It really is a small world after all!

What was your favorite television show when you were growing up?

This is a hard choice, but I think I’d have to say Sailor Moon. It featured strong women leaders who value their friendships, justice, and themselves. The main character, Sailor Moon/Usagi, wasn’t the strongest or smartest person in the show, but she was the leader because she was the heart of the group. Her empathy and ability to bring love to every situation was really inspiring.

I think the reason the show sticks out so strongly in my childhood is also because my sister and I shared a special bond over the show. We would get up at 5 AM every morning to watch it. We ended up being so in love with the show, we built a fan website together in the 90s. That time together working on a passion project with my older sister was really important to me and further cemented my love of making interactive experiences for people.

What are the steps that go into your role in making a Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood game?

Typically to start a new Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood project, Schell Games and Fred Rogers Productions will meet and decide on a game theme or lesson we’d like to provide. We then explore how we can take that lesson and make it a fun and engaging experience for kids. What pre-existing games, toys, or lessons can we draw from? What’s a new way of looking at this issue that isn’t explored by other games? What is the strength of the show for this topic so we can lean into it?

As the game designer and project director on the Schell Games’ side, a large part of my job is listening to all the important parties—the show, the production team, the game development team, and most importantly, the kids and their parents. I take all their ideas and needs and try to combine them into a cohesive design.

Once we have a design we like and believe in, we prototype and immediately start testing with kids. I try to run a playtest once a week, and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh has been gracious enough to let us playtest there often. Observing kids and their parents engaging with the games allows us to iterate on the design to ensure that it’s hitting the lesson we want, easy to use, and, of course, that they enjoy playing it!

What is your favorite Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood project that you have worked on?

I love them all for different reasons, but I think if I had to pick it would be the Neighbor Day game. The concept of the game is simple—you and Daniel visit all the Neighborhood kids, and together you complete some task for Neighbor Day at every neighbor’s house. This could be decorating a cake, or cleaning off the party picnic table. I just love that it highlights the simple tasks that we can all do in service of one another, and that by doing these things together, we become a closer community. I like to think that this game, as well as others, answers in some part Fred’s call to “make goodness attractive.”

It’s also one of the last games I got to work on with Cathy Droz (former digital producer for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) before she retired from Fred Rogers Productions. Her wisdom and insight into kids as well as her experience with Fred Rogers himself were really valuable to the games and a treasure for myself. She became a dear friend of mine through the years of working on these games.

What do you like to do when you’re not working on the show?

Well of course, as a game designer, I play a lot of  games. My personal favorites are Minecraft and Stardew Valley. But when I’m not playing games, I’m usually crafting. My crafting includes sewing costumes, needle felting cute little figures, building box mazes for the neighborhood Halloween party, painting, and everything in between! I’m an equal opportunity crafter and love trying new things out. I guess I just really like making things!

With the COVID-19 quarantines going on, I’ve been putting my crafting hobby to use sewing face masks for my coworkers, neighbors, and family. It’s really helped me feel less helpless during this situation. Together we can help make the world a better place.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Warner Music Group’s Arts Music division has entered into a worldwide partnership with Fred Rogers Productions for its hit animated children’s television series, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. The Emmy-winning show is based on the fictional ‘Neighborhood of Make-Believe’ from the iconic Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and features beloved characters from the original program. New music from the show will soon be released under the deal while existing songs will be made immediately available across a broader set of digital services both in the United States and around the world.

Kevin Gore, President, Arts Music said: “I grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and always admired the values of kindness, respect, learning, friendship, fun, and imagination that Fred Rogers conveyed to children in such a personal way. I’m thrilled to be able to be a part of continuing his legacy through our partnership with Fred Rogers Productions for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, a show that perfectly blends the nostalgic with the modern while emphasizing those timeless values. In the same way that Fred’s music helped amplify these positive messages in his original show, the songs from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will delight, comfort and inspire children and families for many years to come.”

Paul Siefken, President and CEO, Fred Rogers Productions said: “Music has always been a key part of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. It’s what helps make the parenting strategies featured in each episode of the series so effective and useful for preschoolers and families in their everyday lives. We are excited about teaming up with Warner Music Group’s Arts Music division to help make these songs and prosocial lessons from the show accessible to even more young fans and their families in neighborhoods all across the globe.”

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood follows the daily adventures of 4-year-old Daniel Tiger (son of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’s Daniel Striped Tiger), and his friends, Katerina Kittycat (daughter of Henrietta Pussycat), Miss Elaina (daughter of Lady Elaine Fairchilde & Music Man Stan), O the Owl (nephew of X the Owl), and Prince Wednesday (King Friday & Queen Sara Saturday's youngest son). Through each adventure, children are taught valuable lessons and practical skills such as managing sibling rivalry and missing loved ones, tidying up, and coping with accidents, all with the help of strategy songs like, “Clean Up, Pick Up, Put Away” and “Use Your Words and Say How You Feel.”

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood was created by Blue’s Clues co-producer Angela C. Santomero in 2012 and is produced by Fred Rogers Productions and 9 Story Media Group. The show will return for its fifth season this summer on PBS KIDS.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to work on children’s television shows as your career.

Since I was a kid, I had two loves: dance and film/tv. As an 8-year-old, you could either catch me watching the Marx Brothers movies on repeat, or going to dance classes after school. So, it was a no-brainer when it came time to graduate high school in my hometown of Windsor, Ontario, that I needed to move to Toronto to pursue my dreams. It's not a typical career path for a Sri Lankan-Canadian kid, but I was lucky enough to have support from my family. Hopefully, it will become a typical path for people like me 🙂

Anyways, I studied film in my undergrad, and came to realize that ultimately, I really wanted to be a screenwriter. So, I studied TV Writing in my post-grad, and worked serving jobs to pay bills while I tried to break into the industry. A showrunner on a kids’ show took a chance on me and read my work, liked it, and since then I've been pushing my way around the industry in full force.

Odd Squad is the crème de la crème of children’s’ television, as it combines the best things: learning and stellar comedy. So, I'm overjoyed to have landed here as a writer and producer, getting the opportunity to work with the amazingly talented creators, showrunner, and writers, as well as the incredible cast and crew!

What was your favorite television show growing up?

Without a doubt, Arthur was my favorite show! I used to wake up early just so I could watch Arthur before going to school, and then if I made it home on time after school, I could catch it again. I even convinced my teenage brother to watch it with me (it's THAT good). Honorable mention to The Simpsons, which I secretly watched at a young age when I wasn't supposed to (Sorry, Amma).

What are the steps that go into your role in making an episode of Odd Squad?

It all starts with us, which is an honor. As writers, we start with just an idea or a concept, and then we turn it into a big puzzle. A puzzle full of comedy, plot twists, and math! Figuring out what story to tell (since the options are infinite), how to incorporate learning opportunities for kids, and how to make kids and adults laugh are all steps we take in the writing room.

Once we've crafted the best story possible, then it's time to film it. As a producer, this means making sure all the things on paper get translated on screen. Does it look like how we imagined it? Or even better? This becomes my main objective once we move past the writing room and actually film the episode. It's hard work, with a lot of details to care for, but it's soooooo worth it. Also, it's really fun.

What is your favorite episode of this season of Odd Squad (without giving away spoilers!)?

This is nearly impossible to answer, but I'll try. I would say, from Season 3, the episode “16 and a Half Blocks.” It's part of the finale, and it really features our beloved Toronto! I won't say anything else...you'll just have to watch and see.

What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

When I'm not working, I'm probably training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with my husband (I'm a purple belt, thank you very much), doing an escape room with my friends, catching the occasional dance class, travelling with family, or...believe it or not... watching TV!

Since March is Women’s History Month, could you share a little bit about women who inspire you?

There are so many incredible women in my life who inspire me every day. I'm surrounded by friends and family that I look up to, and, if I could, I would do a write-up on all of them. But I've chosen one and I don't care if this is a cliched answer—it's true, and here's why:

My Amma (Mom) is one of the most inspirational people in my life, and if you've met her, you'd say the same. She was a Montessori teacher for 30 years, and is STILL dedicated to learning and teaching every day. She always has a creative way to make everything fun, and also a learning opportunity. Every road trip was accompanied by a travel journal that we had to make, which included historical facts/maps/pictures, the whole shebang.

Every birthday, my Amma creates a photo timeline of you and puts it up on the wall as an opportunity to look back and review your own wonderful life. Every holiday was filled with craft-making, talent shows, and roaring laughter as you listen to Amma tell a story. Everything she does is with joy! You're guaranteed to have fun if you're with Kumari, and you might learn something without even realizing it. That's her magic. And that's what I hope to do when I'm an Amma myself.

Watch Odd Squad weekdays on PBS KIDS (check local listings).

 

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Families around the world are practicing social distancing and spending increased amounts of time at home in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

While these measures are important steps towards flattening the curve and slowing the spread of disease, the drastic changes can leave children feeling uneasy and confused. Thankfully, though, there are many Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood clips and resources to help kids with their COVID-19 questions and concerns.

Read more from Romper.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

In 2019, Chris Loggins, Senior Producer at Fred Rogers Productions, was featured in a PBS KIDS Instagram takeover for Black History Month. We are sharing it again for February's edition of Meet Our Neighbors.

We caught up with him in 2020 to answer some questions, too.

Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to produce children’s shows as your career.

I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to do something that is useful in the lives of children and families. My mom is a teacher and I think that was a big influence. One of my first jobs out of school was working with an organization in Pittsburgh called “Beginning with Books.” It was an early literacy outreach group. I coordinated volunteer programming there and I also got to drive the Storymobile, which is like a mobile library. After Beginning with Books, I was able to continue working with children and families in a role with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in the Children’s Department.

An interest in media and media production also led to a position with WQED, Pittsburgh’s public television station. The company that made Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, known as The Fred Rogers Company at the time (Family Communications Inc. before that), was in the same building as WQED.

I got to know some of the people at The Fred Rogers Company and shared my interests with them. I am so fortunate they offered me a position right around the time Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood went into production. Now I’m able to marry my interests and background in a job I love!

What was your favorite television show growing up?

I really liked Fraggle Rock. The theme song makes me happy to this day.

I was a big Nickelodeon fan. I still remember the jingle for Stick Stickly, the popsicle stick that hosted the afternoon block. “Write to me, Stick Stickly, PO Box 963, New York City, New York State, 10108.” I loved shows like Doug, My Brother and Me, Eureka’s Castle, and Rugrats. I dreamed of being on the game shows: Double Dare, Nick Arcade, Wild and Crazy Kids, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and Guts (Do, do, do, do you have it?).

Some other early favorites were The Elephant Show, Under the Umbrella Tree, and Shining Time Station.

My first television memory, however, was watching Mister Rogers and Mr. McFeely show a video about how people make peanut butter on Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. I was mesmerized watching the peanut butter be put into the jars!

So yeah…hard to choose just one.

What are the steps that go into your role in making an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood?

Wow! Where do I begin? As Senior Producer for Fred Rogers Productions, I’m lucky enough to be involved in all aspects of the production, from scripting through final delivery and broadcast.

I work closely with our production partners at 9 Story Media Group to decide the types of stories we want to tell each season. One of the really interesting things I get to do is meet with a group of child development experts, many of whom worked with Fred Rogers, to review every Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood script to make sure it works for today’s children while also staying true to Mister Rogers’ approach to child development and social emotional learning. Sometimes I will consult with experts in specific fields given the needs of any particular episode. We see several drafts of each story and I am responsible for providing feedback to the writing team. You’d be surprised at how much careful thought and attention goes into every one of the “strategy songs” you hear in the final episodes!

Once a script is completed, I provide input on everything from music to character designs to storyboards.

I also help make the live action segments that appear in every episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. I’ve been in several and have even directed a few!

It takes a lot of people to make Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. The show really is the result of the talent and dedication of every member of our team.

What is your favorite episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood?

“Stop think and choose” is a song from the show, but it’s really not helping me right now. There are so many good episodes and it’s too hard to choose. One of the most rewarding things about my job is hearing from people about what their favorite episodes are and which songs have helped the children (and grownups!) in their lives.

What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

I love to take road trips. I often find that some of the best memories are made during the journey, traveling between home and the destination. I also like building with Lego® and playing board games.

Fred Rogers said, “play is the work of childhood.” I think it’s important to make it a part of adulthood, too!

Since February is Black History month, could you share a little bit about representation in children’s television?

One of my personal mantras is that all children should be able to see themselves positively represented in their media…whether it’s books, games, film, television shows or other. I actually picked that up from Beginning with Books. Books are often one of the first representations of the surrounding world for really little babies.

Representation is so important. Anyone that makes content for children has a real responsibility to be mindful about what they are putting out into the world, and it’s one that I don’t take lightly.

Watch the video below to learn what a day in the life is like at Fred Rogers' Productions!