Rating: TV-Y
Target Audience: Preschoolers-early elementary school
Episode Length (Pilot): 17 minutes
Well…it’s been two long semesters, countless hours of work (which I’m not even going to attempt to calculate the actual number), but I can honestly say that all of the stress and anxiety was totally worth it. To be able to sit in the front of Mueller Theatre in McKelvey and see my show on a big screen, to see Zuko’s head come up and see talk to a real audience (not just me from a computer screen) was the coolest feeling I think I have ever experienced. At that moment I felt so proud I can’t even begin to express how I felt.
It was a long journey, but the road to Zuko…the Bo…and Me taught me a lot about children’s television and creating TV shows in general. First, there is a lot to think about. Right from the beginning I had to decide what I wanted the show to focus on and make sure that I could keep it simple enough for an audience consisting of 3 and 4 year-olds. That’s hard to do considering that it’s been how many years since I was that age myself. It really helped to watch other children shows to see how they set-up their shows and how in depth they go. Since I had a lot of problems starting school when I was young I felt that would be the best topic for my show to focus on. I understood how scary it could be for kids and could incorporate my own experiences. When writing I also wanted to make sure the dialogue stayed conversational and natural. It really helped that my brother and sister had been talking in these voices for so many years because I could just think of how I would talk to them any other time and that was what I would write. I’m really proud of how natural the dialogue in the show came out. Even in the scenes with my parents, it never sounds like anyone is reading from a script or memorized anything. Its like we’re actually having those conversations in real life. The puppets are addressed and treated as if they we’re real children.
Working with puppets I had to figure out how I wanted to film the show. Since the puppeteers can’t be seen by the audience, you have to have them behind something or below the camera far enough so they won’t be seen in the shot. That was difficult to arrange since there are so many different height between everyone involved in the show. Eventually, I decided on a kind of classic puppet show set-up where the puppeteers are behind the puppet stage…only the stage is actually one of the beds you’d find in a nurse’s office. Then I would be situated in front of the bed where I could look at and talk to Zuko and Bo. That is one thing I really like about working with puppets, you have so much opportunity to think outside of the box when it comes to set-design and filming. For example, we needed to have the puppets moving along with my dad and me during the school tour and it couldn’t be done with Adam and Ashley on their knees, so we got some gym class roller carts and Adam and Ashley rolled around on those. It really worked well and you can’t even tell that’s how it was done.
Another part of the show I am really proud of is the montage of student interviews from my dad’s school. All of the kids I talked to were so polite and so articulate…I was so impressed. They really gave me some fantastic stories and comments about school and how they first felt that it gave the show an even greater level of authenticity. It gives it another level that the audience can connect with and see that it really is perfectly normal to be afraid of starting school…grown-ups don’t just say that.
Zuko…the Bo…and Me has probably been my favorite project that I have ever done!! Throughout the entire two semesters of research and work there was never a time when I got tired of it or wished I had chose a different project. I do admit I got a little stressed here and there (as my family and friends can testify I’m sure), but in the end it was completely and 100% worth it. I am so proud of how the show turned out and so happy with the way it flows from one conversation to another, and one scene to the next. Of course, there are a few things I might change if I could do it over (like using a mixer for the sound) but none the less I am very proud of my show and extremely grateful to all who helped!!!
I love that picture, Ally! :)
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