BSA306, Guardians of the Galaxy vol.2, toys and animation review, 29 April, 2017

I LOVED Guardians of the Galaxy when it came out in 2014 and the sequel has been on my "Must Watch" list for months now.

Here's a  popular character who has been enormously popular in 4 version over 2 movies (there is a "teen" Groot, but only shows up in the end credits of GGv2 and no images are online yet).

Groot from GGv1

"Baby" Groot from GGv1 end credits

Baby Groot from GGv2

  Fans love him, he's great in the story AND he's a very popular toy.  

Merchandising brings in so much money for the studios and since this one is a fan fave, there are lots of toys to choose from.  Chibi (Japanese slang for "small person") toys have big heads and little bodies, even if they're of adult figures with normal proportions.  Star-Lord (top left) still looks like fun in his new proportions.  Choosing his battle mask for this over his human face was an interesting choice. 

Another example of the Chibi style toy, these Baby Groots are even cuter than the plushie versions and come in hard plastic/vinyl.

Chibi version of more the Guardians group.  Note the even smaller version of Baby Groot- his head is still big like the others but the small version brings him into line with his scale in the movie.

Groot (no matter his size) and Rocket the racoon are major pieces of the movie.  They're entirely CGI but they feel RIGHT and interact well with the human actors.  A great job of matching eyelines was done in GGv2 when the Yandoo character crouched low to talk to Baby Groot.  It's a credit to the actor and the FX team that there was chemistry and an emotional moment in that scene.

How a raccoon and a tree became the human heart of Guardians of the Galaxy

on set stand ins for groot (man in blue with groot head worn as a hat) and Rocket (man in blue crouching)

Another Rocket stand in, this time a stuffed Rocket sculpture.

Finished Rocket and Groot in action

“James Gunn instinctively had a gut feeling of what was right for Rocket,” said Spruce. “He often wanted to keep him casual and low-key, rather than over-acted. He was very big on the fact that when you shoot live action the actors don’t always look at each other when they’re talking, whereas there’s a tendency for animators to always make characters face who they’re talking to. The animation team worked hard to get all that observational detail into Rocket and became really intuitive to what he would do in any situation.”

BSA306, Motion comics- who knew? film review, 28 April, 2017

Campbell Henderson, dearly beloved and departed (for Wellington) former classmate at SIT, has made a motion comic of his Bob the Libearian comic.

Incredible!  I must learn more...
Walking Dead MC credits sequence by Daniel Kanemoto

Batman Black & White

It's another type of "puppet" animation that I was totally unaware of!  I love it.  The blog post where I found these examples describes the comics:  "by their
very nature a lesser product. Not possessing the nuances of a comic or the visual flair of a cartoon, these things are weird creatures traveling through the night in search of their own identity."

Many of them seem to be made as fan tributes to the graphic novels by enthusiasts who take them apart and give them some movement.  This still takes a tremendous amount of effort- even if the graphic novel isn't theirs, the work it takes to take the pieces apart, repair them, and move them has to be respected.

Here's the original 2 page spread from Chapter 12 of the graphic novel Watchmen by Alan Moore

And holy cow!  Look at this:  Here's what happened when it was animated by Juice Films: 

Sure, the movement is simple, but the animator still had to make decisions about timing, focus, and emphasis as the camera moves around the scene as well as what, if anything, to move. This isn't a "lesser product".   Juice Films, as it turns out, isn't a guy in his mom's basement but a proper little production company hired by DC to work up the comic.  

To do list 1-7 May, 2017

BSA306
design toys and packing x10

BSA326
research proposal, start figuring that out
finish 3D Jellybean

BSA324
turn arounds for Flash, Goldie, Teppy, Jellybean, Girl, Dr. Picklesniffer and Prickles
3D Imagination Warehouse?
Keep storyboarding

BSA325
pull apart storyboard with Reuben and assign workers in Shotgun

BSA303
start contacting internship people
fix up website

curate upcoming Exhibition:
I have
collages for all 7 characters and a group shot
concept art x2 for the Imagination Warehouse
girl gif
script

what else can I make?
finish storyboard
motion studies of all characters
Turn-arounds for all characters
Record scratch track and add temporary music to storyboard
test Jellyean moves in 3D and 2D puppet animation
toy ideas

BSA303, BSA324, research proposal, 17 April, 2017

Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know: An exploration of difficult topics through the lens of children’s television

Introduction

What is the most engaging way of communicating with children, and their parents, about difficult emotional topics?  The aim of this proposal is to outline how producers of children’s television do that and how their research and practices will impact the production of my third year animation project.  Over the course of the year, a short segment of an animated program that deals with anger management and conflict resolution will be produced.  The show follows a little girl as she explores her feelings; with the help of an armadillo and assorted other animals in her imagination, she considers the right, fair and workable solution to the dilemma of the day.  They hang out in a warehouse full of junk, a metaphor for a mind full of lots of ideas.  Each of the animal characters deals with emotions in a way that makes sense to their species and relates to how humans process stress.

There is a strong case in New Zealand for emotional intelligence education starting with school-age children.  According to the Campaign for Action on Family Violence, from 2009 to 2012 an average of 32 men, women, and children were killed each year as a result of family violence; about half of homicides in NZ are committed by an offender who is identified as family.  After analysing their “It’s Not OK campaign in 2014, they also observed that there was a gap in how children and non-English speaking minorities were being engaged.   This animated program seeks to address that gap in public engagement by creating a way of talking about emotions and human interactions during conflict in a fun and involving manner.  It is hoped that children who learn how to name and express their emotions in positive, non-violent ways will grow up to be adults who do the same. 

Literature and contextual situating

While segments of the public may see it as "juvenile fluff", many children's television producers think about their viewers needs as humans and seek to meet those needs in ways that keep them returning for more.  The American television program Sesame Street has had great success teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic and has expanded it’s mission by bringing character lessons to children.  They have created a series called Little Children, Big Challenges to address difficult topics in a family and age-appropriate way that parents and guardians can watch and discuss with their kids.  Topics such as divorce, incarceration, and resilience when being apart from a loved one (even just for the school day) are addressed during each episode. Their favourite muppet characters, Elmo and the fairy Abby Cadabby star in these videos and share how these topics affect their lives in an understandable way.  (Bennett, 2012)

Historically, children’s TV has considered difficult topics of national importance.  At the height of the Civil Rights movement in the USA in 1969, Fred Rogers used his show Mr. Roger's Neighborhood to directly address pre-school-age audiences about finding common ground with someone of a different race.  He and the African-American actor who played Officer Clemmons, the Neighborhood's policeman, soaked their feet in a cool pond together on a hot day.  At the end of the segment, Mr. Rogers dried Officer Clemmons feet with a towel; it was a gentle act of service in a time of social unrest and simply demonstrated care for another in a way child could understand.  Rogers explained the show’s mission thusly: "The show was a platform to give a voice to children: their hopes, fears, pain, joy.  Every question- big or small- was worthy of respect; every feeling- good or bad- was viewed without judgment."  (Bernstein, 2016)

            Creating television that treats it’s viewers feelings with respect is of concern in Europe as well as the States.  The International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television- Germany produced a report for children’s TV producers on portraying feelings on screen.  They praised TV for its ability to help the viewer come to terms with their own emotional experiences and to promote self-healing.  The lack of anger, a normal everyday emotion, in programming was mentioned with regret as the report noted that dealing with that feeling openly and honestly could promote pro-social attitudes.  "There is a great responsibility for promoting emotional competence by telling stories that help children become aware of their and others' feelings."  (Gotz, 2014)

Closer to home, New Zealand children’s television producers use humour to make an engaging and educational product.  Simon McKinney, the voice of "Frank" the Fantail on New Zealand's The Moe Show said that they receive feedback from adults who watch with their children or on their own  and enjoy the humour.  We do "that Pixar thing ... we make the adults laugh too.  We know that if there are kids present, chances are the adults are there too. We might as well entertain them as well."    (Schulz, 2016)

Methodology

Engaging shows consist of interesting characters, good scripts and songs and thoughtful use of the 11-minute length of children’s television episodes to bring the message across to viewers.  My third year project contains characters that are formed from the junk in the Imagination Warehouse, the setting of each episode.  The possum is made from pasta and "eats" herself when she is upset and the beanbag armadillo rolls into a ball for protection. The puffer fish is made from yarn and knitting needles and is hard to get close to, the rabbit is made from computer cables and runs away and plugs into technology, and the tuatara, who snaps and charms to get her way, is armoured on the outside but soft inside.  As a student of animation and a professional puppet and mascot maker, my project will bring those disciplines together to bring this world to life.  These characters have unusual materials and silhouettes and will be developed and tested in 2D and 3D animation packages as well as a experimenting with a puppetry component to discover the most visually arresting look.  The characters have all gone from painted to collaged’ 2D versions and the armadillo has also been sculpted in Maya 3D and Zbrush software with the intention of realising it in foam and fur as a walk-around mascot. Test shots of puppeteers with stand-in puppets will be filmed with the mascot and combined with animated sets and characters in post-production.

          

A series of script drafts will be written and storyboarded before creating an animatic to experiment with putting these characters into action.  The episode will be produced for broadcasting on free-to-air television as well as streaming devices.   As popular as internet shows have become, in New Zealand there is still a demand for the networks to provide children’s programming.  Parents were recently disappointed by MediaWork's decision to replace it's kid friendly line-up on Four with US-produced adult reality TV shows.  Many parents pointed out that not everyone had the data available to them to stream kids' show or wanted to for the short amount of time their children might have to watch television before school.  (Ward, 2016)

  

  Show development- character and set design and construction, scripting and storyboarding, and mascot construction will take place in May, June, and July while animation and filming will be in August, September and October.  A blog, already in progress, will hold collected documentation and will be commented on and analysed for project strengths and weaknesses.       

Ethical and cultural considerations  

            A segment of the finished script involves interviewing school -ge children and filming their reactions to the character’s problem.  Getting children’s participation will require parental consent forms and a vetting of the script by educational professionals.  The intention of the filmed segment and a copy of the script will be made available to the parents of the children so they understand the context in which their children may appear.  However, it is by no means certain that this segment will be included in the half of the episode that will be produced for the third year project.  Should it be selected for inclusion, underage subjects will be treated and protected by SIT’s ethical guidelines. 

Conclusion

There is a struggle between parents, community, and the academic system put in place by the state as to who is responsible for teaching moral values.  Children’s programming can provide a valuable starting point for discussions between parent and child, child and child, and community and child.  The research that is undertaken in support of this project will support the development of a children’s TV show on anger management and conflict resolution that entertains and educates the youth of the nation.

References

Bennett, J. (2012, December 10). D is for Divorce: Sesame Street Tackles Another Touchy Topic. Time. Retrieved from http://healthland.time.com/2012/12/10/d-is-for-divorce-sesame-street-tackles-another-touchy-topic/

Bernstein, A. (2016, August 31). Where the Spirit of Mister Rogers Endures. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/08/the-spirit-of-mister-rogers-endures-in-the-modern-advice-column/497792/

Gotz, D. M. (2014). Emotions in Children's TV: A Few Reminder for Children's TV Producers on Feelings. Germany: International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television, Germany. Retrieved from http://www.br-online.de/jugend/izi/english/publication/Reminder_Emotions_in_Childrens-s_TV.pdf

Schulz, C. (2016, December 20). The Moe Show: The Kiwi show for kids that adults are falling in love with. NZ Herald, p. 1. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11769554

Ward, R. (2016, July 5). Outrage as kids' shows vanish. NZ Herald, p. 1. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11668634

BSA324, kids tv timings and advice, 24 April, 2017

Timmy Time episode
Opening theme song 58 seconds
first problem 1:32
second problem 2:40
something happens 3:52
fun solution 4:35
banging noise 4:50
timmy making door bang 5:50
lunchtime 6:15
every 30 seconds something happens
Timmy stomp 8.00
episode end 9:45

 http://www.dannystack.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/writing-for-kids-tv.html
James Henry (Bob The Builder): “If it’s the pre-school demographic, try not to give any character dialogue that runs for more than two lines. Try to have problems solved with a nice visual/action rather than characters just talking to each other.” 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112136258
Keep it simple A golden rule of development is that if the idea is too complicated to sum up in a sentence or two, it probably won't get commissioned. Phil offers up Cop School - "Can kids cut it as police officers?" - as an example of how to do it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/podcasts/television/article/art20160726093903250
"We have all got to learn from a children’s audience before we all lose our audiences. What a nine-year-old is doing now is what a 25-year-old will be doing in 16 years," says Joe.

BSA324, Opening sequence, storyboard draft 1, 26-27 April, 2017

Storyboard draft 1 vimeo link

I'm no Anna Black, I'll tell you that... she did a 7 minute storyboard for BSA325 in 4 hours and I've completed one whole minute in 6 hours for my project.  
Girl tells us the problem in the first 17 seconds, then goes on to sing verse one and two while seated  on the bean bag.  This is quite static, and boring.  She could get up and dance around and then plop back down in time for it to turn into Jellybean...
Jellybean pops up for verse 3 "Gasp!  An idea you've had?  That's TOO rad!"  I been forced to use ancient 80s "rad" because I rewrote the song lyrics and there was nothing left in the rhyming dictionary and I'm also no Eminem.
The group shows up  for "you're here to help me be me?" and then falls over onto Jellybean and Girl.  They put their heads into a circle and star at the "stars and moon" of the Imagination Warehouse.  The camera goes from critter to critter and their names flash across the screen.  When the camera circles back around to introduce Girl, it pulls back to show her standing in the center of the IW.  I'm very happy that the concept art of that shot actually came in handy!  The set is something I'd like to do in Maya so I can make the assets ONCE and then move the camera around as I see fit.  Can I composite this all together in After Effects like Little Airplane Productions did with Wonderpets and Small Potatoes?

BSA325, Tamarereti legend research, 26 April, 2017

The producers organized a meeting yesterday from 9 to 10:30 to update the group on what's happening with the project.  The marae leaders will not be back from muttonbirding until May 17th and they believe that they were offended by our lack of protocol on the visit and won't be in a hurry to grant their blessing, if at all.  We were given the option of pushing our story away from Bubba the storytellers, or writing a new script and using the assets we've already made for that.  Anna rightly pointed out that a new script would mean throwing out her work and and all new storyboard for her to make.  Kate and Ben watched the storyboard after the meeting with Anna.  Kate asked me to do some research on the Tamarereti story to find another source of the legend.  

Nga Pepeha a Nga Tipuna

By Hirini Moko Mead, Neil Grove

available online

Lore of the Whare-wananga: Or Teachings of the Maori College on Religion, Cosmogony, and History 1 Volume Set

Lore of the Whare-wananga: Or Teachings of the Maori College on Religion, Cosmogony, and History 2 Volume Set

Author:	H. T. Whatahoro
Series:	Cambridge Library Collection - Anthropology

General Fields

• ISBN : 9781108040112
• Publisher : Cambridge University Press
• Imprint : Cambridge University Press
• Contained items : Contains 2 Paperbacks
• Publication date : November 2011
• Dimensions : 216mm X 140mm
• Produced in : United Kingdom
• Availability date : January 2012
• Product Type : books

Special Fields

• Bind : Multiple copy pack
• Pages : 532
• Author : H. T. Whatahoro
• Illustrations : 1 b/w illus.
• Dewey classification : 398.209931

Also available through inter library loan from Otago University in Dunedin

Tamarereti's waka in the stars- placement

Historia Factory blog on facebook

1. McFarlane, Turi(2007), Maori Associations with the Antarctic

Te Waka o Tamarereti Maori oral traditional also tells of the Polynesian explorer Tamarereti who also ventured south to find a “white land”. An article entitled “Voyage of Adventure, Ancient Maori Discovery of the South Pole”, presents a detailed account by Hare Hongi of the voyage by 'Te Rua o Maahu' – the name of the canoe that was to under take the dangerous voyage to the deep south. 4 This voyage may be not mythological as much as it is historic. Although much is unknown regarding the nature of Tamarereti, what is known is that he was not considered of the order of gods, demi-gods, or volcanic deities as is common throughout Maori mythology. Rather he was a mortal being albeit the most intrepid of ancient mariners, but mortal nevertheless, suggesting a historical perspective more so than a mythological one. The Maori had observed the Aurora of the far southern regions, when the whole sky seemed to be ablaze at regular intervals. It was thought that a god may have kept his temple there and that the “darting shafts of splendour were signals of his activities.” Because this was a puzzle to the cosmological Maori sages (tohunga), Tamarereti (Reti) announced that he would voyage to the far south and discover the secret of the Aurora. It is universally accepted in the Maori world that upon return Reti's canoe Te Rua o Maahu brought back with it certain understanding of the physicality of the Antarctic region. Te Rua o Maahu, a magnificent ocean going canoe was built of Totara and ornamented with plumes of feathers and paua shell. Seventy young Chiefs and two tohunga accompanied Reti along with food provisions and fire staffs which could be lit easily. The boat travelled through Te Aumiti now known as the French Pass in Marlborough, a treacherous suction current and headed south directly for Te Kahui Rua-Maahu, the point which the southern cross circles. Eventually after much time passing and anxious sentiment about the welfare of the expedition from the people home on land, the Waka was sited off shore. (4 Hare Hongi. Voyage of Adventure, Ancient Maori Discovery of the South Pole.) 5 Unfortunately the boat was foundering as the crew were exhausted and eventually approaching a rocky shore stuck rock and was wrecked. It was affirmed as Reti's canoe. Reti was killed along with all but two of the survivors. One of the survivors was a tohunga and the other was a member of the crew. The two were nursed reverently back to health and lived long enough to tell the story. The story is brief but concise, the far south was reached as the tale consists of enormous ice cliffs with towering mountain ranges behind them. The ice cliffs were described as having no footing. The season was said to be suited to observation of the Aurora Australis which was a spectacular blaze of colour and eventually after shortening days the sun disappeared completely their guide the stars alone implying that they crossed the Antarctic Circle. Tamarereti is variously remembered by Maori in the stars. For many the Milky Way traditionally represents the waka (canoe) of Tamarereti. The front and back of the waka are seen in the Scorpius and Orion constellations. The Maori name for Crux (the Southern Cross) is “Te Punga” – “the anchor”. It is thought of as the anchor of Tamarereti's waka, where the Pointers are its rope.

Nga Korero Paki o Nga Whetu – The Stories of the Stars http://www.carterobservatory.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=505&Itemid=103

Best, E. (1923). Polynesian Voyages: The Maori as a Deep-sea Navigator,Explorer, and Colonizer. Wellington, New Zealand: Dominion Museum. 

Hongi, H. (1925). Voyage of Adventure, Ancient Maori Discovery of the South Pole. The Weekly Press Christchurch NZ. Thursday June 18, 1925 (Front Page). 

BSA324, script draft 2, 23 April, 2017

Draft #2.  In Word it's 13 pages which translates to roughly 11 minutes.  My next task will be to storyboard it and look for places where I can SHOW what's happening rather than SAY it.  That should help bring the timing down.  

Episode 1:  You’ve Got What I Want

INT: room. GIRL sitting on a purple and yellow beanbag. GIRL is 6-8 years old and is wearing an outfit that looks vaguely school uniformish.  Her pigtails are asymmetrical and her glasses are large and round.  She has a lot of energy and sitting down is clearly an effort.   

  GIRL: (to the CAMERA)

Why am I here?  Little brother wouldn’t give my stuffie back, and HE fell over, and Mommy sent me here for a Time Out to think about it.  That's CRAZY!  What am I supposed to be thinking about?  This makes me so MAD!

The music should sound like it’s being played with toy instruments- xylophone, kazoo, tinny drums, etc. then evolve into a harder rock beat. GIRL sings The Time Out song:

Sometimes I'm Mad!  Not Bad!

What to do I just don't know!

The longer that I must sit here

The more I’m sure to blow!

GIRL kicks her legs energetically and waves her arms.  She's frustrated, and not tantruming.  

Look here- I’m real Glad!  I'm so Sad!

THESE feelings I can show

GIRL mimes putting on acting contrite in order to get out of her time out.

If I keeping faking “It’s OK”

They’re sure to let me go!

Hands come around the sides and give her a hug.  She looks up and the beanbag has turned into JELLYBEAN! 

GASP! An IDEA you've Had?  That's TOO Rad!

          You're here to help me be me?

The others pop into the frame- PRICKLES the Puffer Fish, FLASH the Rabbit, GOLDIE the Possum, DR. PICKLESNIFFER the Dog, and TEPPY Tuatara.  Each character has an introduction moment with their name on the screen.

When I get finished thinking

The answer will be plain to see!

GIRL looks around eagerly and finds that they're now in the Imagination Warehouse. 

INT: The Imagination Warehouse.  

PRICKLES, an orange ball of yarn with knitting needles poking out all over, is looking proudly over a board filled with socks.  He has taken all the care of a Victorian entomologist in his display and categorisation of the socks.  Many of the things in the shelves and on the floor around them create the air of a disused wing of a Museum.   GIRL and JELLYBEAN enter. 

  GIRL: 

          Hi, Prickles!   What are you doing?

PRICKLES:  

(thoughtfully) I’m re-organizing my sock collection.

  GIRL:  

But, you don’t have feet!

PRICKLES: 

Why should THAT stop me?  Socks are awesome! 

          Right now I have them in rainbow order.

PRICKLES waves a fin from across the colour spectrum in his collection- everything is there, from Red to Violet. 

PRICKLES: 

But I just got a new one and I think it will look better if I have them in order by SIZE.

  GIRL:

Nice one!

PRICKLES: 

Thank you.  It came to me when I found THIS sock.

  

Prickles indicates the gigantic striped sock that is now in the spotlight.  

I’ve been waiting my whole life to discover it:  Sockus Gigantus Splendiferous!

JELLYBEAN makes a startled noise and starts to hop up and down in agitation. GIRL looks down at JELLYBEAN’s feet and sees that he’s taken off one of his shoes, revealing that he only has one sock on and it matches the one that PRICKLES has on display.

JELLYBEAN: 

HONK!  Honk HONk!!

                     GIRL: 

Uhhhh… I think that’s Jellybean’s sock.

PRICKLES:  

(dismissive) What?  No, socks don’t come in PAIRS. (panicking) This is the best sock I’ve ever found!  (resolve firming)  It’s mine!  He CAN’T have it back! (furious) NOOOO!!! 

PRICKLES ‘blows up’ in anger.  JELLYBEAN honks in alarm and curls up into a ball.

  GIRL: to the CAMERA 

Yikes!  What‘ll they do next?

  GIRL leaves PRICKLES and JELLYBEAN behind and walks down a new aisle.  She finds TEPPY Tuatara and DR. PICKLESNIFFER about to begin a medical examination.  TEPPY is made out of a tarnished silver teapot and scoop and DR. PICKLESNIFFER from a collection of medical equipment.  There is a small bench covered in paper that TEPPY is sitting on in anticipation of her exam and a number of other unusual “machines” for DR. PICKLESNIFFER to use in the emotional analysis of his patients.  

  GIRL:  

Hi, guys!  What’s up?

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:     

I’m just polishing my stethoscope and getting ready to listen to TEPPY’s heart.  She’s been having a bad day and I’ll be able to hear what she’s feeling so I can help her.

  GIRL:    

That’s neat!  I’m sorry that you’re having a bad day, TEPPY.

TEPPY:     

Thank you.  It has been just TERRIBLE. (eyes the stethoscope speculatively) You know, Dr. Picklesniffer, what would make me REALLY feel better would be trying on a pretty, new piece of jewellery.  I LOVE bling bling!

  GIRL:  

(interested in everything that's going on) It IS a very nice stethoscope.

TEPPY:  

(wheedling)  Oh, please, can I?  Please?  Pretty please?  Pretty like ME, please?  

TEPPY puts on the full charm offensive, batting her eyes and shrugging her shoulders girlishly.

    

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(placating) All right.  Just for a minute.  Then we must start the exam.

TEPPY gestures imperiously to GIRL who puts the stethoscope around her neck.  TEPPY strokes and admires it, striking many glamorous poses, even admiring herself in the reflection of her tail.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(consults another machine) Well, I can see that your mood IS lifting!  Time to listen to your heart so I can see what else is going on.

TEPPY:

(pouty) But I don’t want to.  I mean, look how good it looks with my braces and my nails!

  GIRL:  

(reasonably) It looks great, but don’t you want the doctor to listen to your heart?

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(in full fix-it mode now and wants to get on with it) How about a lollipop instead?

TEPPY: 

(delighted to be changing the subject)    Yummy!

DR. PICKLESNIFFER gestures for his stethoscope.  TEPPY steps back in shock and begins to cry.

TEPPY:  

(tearful) No!  I love it!(resolved) I want it! (bellows) YOU CAN’T HAVE IT! 

TEPPY snaps at him aggressively then smiles charmingly. 

TEPPY:  

(smoothly) I mean, you DO want me to be happy, don’t you? (aggressive to make her point)  DON’T YOU?!  

TEPPY stands menacingly over DR. PICKLESNIFFER who begins to shake like the Chihuahua he is. 

  GIRL: to CAMERA   

Hmm.  How is this going to work out?

  GIRL skips off and finds GOLDIE the Possum and FLASH the rabbit.  They're on an aisle that has seen a huge collapse of stuff that now forms a precarious-looking but super-fun    ski slope.  GOLDIE is a swirl of dried pasta that rustles and shifts as she moves and FLASH is composed of cables and other old computer detritus. 

  GIRL:      

Hello, GOLDIE.  Hello, FLASH.  (incredulous) You wouldn’t believe what I’ve just seen.  TEPPY and DR. PICKLESNIFFER and PRICKLES and JELLYBEAN are all fighting… Is something wrong?

FLASH:  

(exuberant) Nothing could be more RIGHT!  I‘m about to set off to explore the South Pole just like my hero Thadeus Thumper the Third.  I’ve got this great sled and ski pole.  Want to come?

  GIRL:      

Yeah!  (eyes the pile in consideration of where to begin the ascent)

GOLDIE:  

(at wit's end) You’re not going anywhere!  That’s not a sled it’s my baking sheet.  And that’s not a

ski pole, it’s my spatula!

  GIRL:    

Is that true, Flash?

FLASH:

(to GIRL) She said I could use it! (accusingly) You bake all the time and I never get to play ’Trip to the South Pole’!

GOLDIE:  

(losing her nerve) Oh, I know but… but…(pleading) how am I going to make my famous    “Sunflower Seed Surprise” cookies if you’ve got my stuff?

FLASH:

Cookies?  You don’t need more cookies, my fat little friend!  Ha, ha!

GOLDIE:     

GASP!  (hurt) That’s not funny, FLASH! (irate) I’m not fat, I’m fluffy!

FLASH:  

(in full Joker mode)Well, maybe I’ll let you come with me to keep me warm at the South Pole, FLUFFY!

GOLDIE:  

(insecurity has got her now) OH, I need to make cookies now!  Please- give them back!

GOLDIE and FLASH arguing over the baking sheet and spatula with lots of laughing and teasing from FLASH and moaning from GOLDIE.

  GIRL: to CAMERA   

Wow; this can’t be good.  How are they going to work this out?

Solution #1:  Hide the toy

Split screen montage? showing the 3 groups trying to keep their prizes.

JELLYBEAN takes the sock and tries to hide it where PRICKLES can’t find it.  PRICKLES finds the sock and tries to hide it where JELLYBEAN would never think to look.  Sped up shot in the Benny Hill-style where we watch the puppets hide and re-hide the sock with fun music until they’re worn out.  JELLYBEAN catches PRICKLES in his hands.  PRICKLES    blows up and pokes JELLYBEAN who drops him and then rolls into a ball.

TEPPY tries to camouflage the stethoscope by piling on extra necklaces.  She’s got so many necklaces on that she can’t move.  She finally topples over and squashes the frantic DR. PICKLESNIFFERICKLESNIFFER.

FLASH keeps running up the hill and sledding back down again, again and again and again and ignores GOLDIE’s protests.  He zips back and forth as GOLDIE jogs forlornly after him.

GIRL: to CAMERA   

That didn't work AT ALL!

Solution #2- nobody gets it and everybody plays by themselves. 

Montage of everybody sadly sitting off by themselves.  PRICKLES still has his sock collection but he’s missing JELLYBEAN.  And JELLYBEAN’s foot is cold and he’s missing PRICKLES.  TEPPY can tell that DR. PICKLESNIFFER is disappointed in her and DR. PICKLESNIFFER can’t get his work done.  FLASH is starting to feel guilty (and hungry) and GOLDIE is very sad and both miss each other.

     

GIRL watches them all and doesn’t know what to do.

  GIRL: to CAMERA   

That’s not working, either!  I wonder if there's somebody we could ask?  Somebody who has good ideas?  

Ask Someone You Trust

Live action segment with real kids talking about sharing to the CAMERA

What’s REALLY going on here?!  How are we feeling?

Even though he's got problems of his own, DR. PICKLESNIFFER takes time out to ask.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER: 

What’s the matter, GIRL?  You look troubled.

  GIRL:

(bummed) I don’t understand what’s going on today.  Why is everybody shouting?

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(speculatively) Well, I’ll know for certain when I get my stethoscope back, but I’d say that they’re experiencing an emotional overload brought on because they couldn’t share with each other.

Girl realizes it's up to her.

  GIRL: 

Quiet!  Everybody, please be quiet!

The gang stops squabbling and turn to GIRL to hear what she has to say.  

GIRL to TEPPY:

DR. Picklesniffer needs his stethoscope back.  If he doesn’t, our friends will keep arguing and you’ll keep feeling bad, too. (caring) Isn’t feeling better more important than a pretty new necklace?

TEPPY:  

(reluctantly) I guess so.

    

GIRL takes the stethoscope back and places the buds in DR. PICKLESNIFFER’s ears.  He puts the drum against TEPPY’s heart.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(analyzing)When you wouldn’t give me back my stethoscope, it looked like you were doing it just to be mean.  (graciously) But now that I can hear your heart, I know that you were excited and weren’t trying to be rude.

TEPPY: 

(contrite) Yes, that’s right.  I’m sorry, DR. (kindly) Thank you for letting me wear your stethoscope.

  GIRL: 

(checking in) What about you, Doctor?  How are you feeling now?

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:

(surprised) Who, me?  Ho, ho.  Well, I guess I can find out.  

DR. PICKLESNIFFER puts the drum of the stethoscope against his own heart.

Hmm.  I can hear that…(analyzing what he's hearing) I’m happy that I’ve got my stethoscope back, I’m grateful for your assistance, and I’m proud that TEPPY was able to say she was sorry. (proud of his skills)  I should listen to myself more often!

    

GIRL sees the next piece in the puzzle and points.  JELLYBEAN is still rolled up in a ball and PRICKLES is agitatedly bouncing on top of him.  The Doctor is ready to roll his sleeves up and dive into an even bigger challenge, kindly, because he knows he can help.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER to JELLYBEAN:  

Won’t you come out and let me listen to your heart?

JELLYBEAN shudders and refuses to unroll.

  

JELLYBEAN:  

(uh uh) Honk HONK!

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(ready to meet the challenge) Very well, let me try from here… it’s very faint but I can hear… I can hear that you’re afraid.  Afraid of PRICKLES!

JELLYBEAN:  

(affirmative) honk.

JELLYBEAN starts to unroll.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(listening and analyzing) And that when PRICKLES gets angry you don’t know what to say so you avoid him.  Is that so?

JELLYBEAN:  

(relieved to be heard and understood) honk.

JELLYBEAN standing straight up again.

PRICKLES:  

(embarrassed and self- defensive) WHAT?!

JELLYBEAN snap back into a ball and DR. PICKLESNIFFER starts to shake.  GIRL isn’t worried, though, and brings PRICKLES and JELLYBEAN together.

  GIRL:  

(making an offer they can't refuse) What if you were able to say what you were thinking and you could still be friends?

JELLYBEAN:  

(I'd like that) Honk!  Honk honk honk.

  GIRL:  

Yes, that does sound good.  And you’re right- good friends can tell each other anything!

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(back to business) All right, next patient.

DR.PICKLESNIFFER hovers the drum of the stethoscope over PRICKLES, who it is impossible to touch.

You look very angry but I can hear that you actually admire JELLYBEAN.  Is that right?

PRICKLES:  

(stand-offish) Maybe.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

(discovery) And here’s something else… when you’re upset you don’t know how to say it so you “blow up”.

GIRL:

Prickles, what if you were to just say “I‘m angry”  instead of “blowing up”?

PRICKLES:  

(protesting) But, I’m little! (Here's the truth) And if I don’t make a big deal out of stuff, nobody pays attention to me!

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:  

Let me listen in again… I can hear that you’d really like to play with JELLYBEAN more but you don’t know how to ask.

PRICKLES:  

(sadly, starting to deflate) No, I don’t.  JELLYBEAN’s big and everybody’s best friend and I want to be friends, too!

JELLYBEAN takes PRICKLES by the fin and honks encouragingly.  PRICKLES finishes deflating and smiles.

  GIRL:  

(happy) You have a very poky outside but inside you are soft and sweet, PRICKLES!

PRICKLES:

(embarrassed) Ah, not where everybody can hear!

They all now turn their attention to FLASH and GOLDIE.  FLASH lets DR. PICKLESNIFFER listen to his heart.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:     

I can hear that while you are laughing on the outside, inside you’re afraid.

FLASH:    

Well….  Well… Yes.  Sledding is so much fun but there won’t be any cookies unless Goldie gets her stuff back. And I don’t know how to do that without looking like a bad guy.  I’m sorry, GOLDIE.

GOLDIE:  

(ready to forget the whole thing quickly to avoid attention)    That’s all right.  I don’t really mind.  Boy, I’m glad that’s over.  Now I can start baking!

  GIRL:    

Not so fast, GOLDIE.  Now it’s your turn.

GOLDIE:  

(nervous)    No, no!  I don’t want you to listen to what’s in my heart.

  GIRL:    

Why not?

GOLDIE:  

(worried about what they'll think)    It’s too horrible!

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:     

Please, GOLDIE.  Let me help.  Hmmm.  I can hear that you are angry at FLASH.

GOLDIE:  

(stressed) Boo, hoo! He took my stuff, he called me fat, he made me run! And my legs are shorter than his! (exhausted) I‘m so tired of holding it in.

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:      

And I can also hear that you are afraid, too. 

GOLDIE:     

I was afraid that if I told FLASH I was mad he wouldn’t like me anymore!  And now you all know how horrible the things in my heart are!

  GIRL:  

(confiding) You know, GOLDIE, I get angry sometimes, too.

GOLDIE:  

(relieved) You do?

TEPPY:     

Sometimes I feel afraid.

GOLDIE:     

You do?

PRICKLES:     

Sometimes I worry that people won’t like me if they know how I feel, too.

GOLDIE:     

You do?

DR. PICKLESNIFFER:     

Yes, we all have those feelings sometimes, even with our friends.  It’s what we do with those feelings that makes the difference.

Solution #3:  Take Turns with the Toy

As it turns out, JELLYBEAN has TWO socks.  He lets PRICKLES borrow his sock and use it as a sleeping bag.  JELLYBEAN takes the other sock and wears it as a night hat.  They have a sleepover and agree that JELLYBEAN will get the sock back afterwards. 

We see that TEPPY and DR. PICKLESNIFFER are admiring his stethoscope together.  Now TEPPY has a friend that she can dress up in pretty jewellery.  Whether he likes it or not.

FLASH is handing around a tray of cookies and GOLDIE is trying out the baking sheet and spatula as a sled. 

Everybody is sitting together in the center of the IMAGINATION WAREHOUSE on the rugs.  GIRL is snuggled up next to JELLYBEAN.

      

GIRL

I’ve been thinking, and I understand what happened today.  My little brother and I both wanted to play with the same toy, and that was frustrating and I got mad.  Next time, I COULD hide it from him, but that would make him feel sad.  Or I could go play by myself, but that would make ME feel sad. Or we could find a way for us to take turns and play with it together so we BOTH feel happy.  What do you think?

    JELLYBEAN:

          Honk, honk.  (thinks)  Honk, honk, honk.

GIRL:

Yeah, you and the kids were right:  that is the right solution for this problem.  I’m ready to talk to Mommy about what I’ve been thinking. 

JELLYBEAN has moved into position and turned back into the beanbag by now. 

  GIRL: to CAMERA

But don’t worry,I’ll be back. 

(Sings) Sometimes I’m Mad!  Or Sad! 

My feelings are real, I know! 

I'll be back again tomorrow

’cause I’ve got room to grow!