(Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario--September 12, 2008) Digital animation and visual effects studio Keyframe Digital Productions is co-producing and creating 3D animation for 26 new half-hour episodes of Pinky Dinky Doo, comprising the second season of the animated preschool series produced by Sesame Workshop and Cartoon Pizza, according to Keyframe co-founder, Clint Green.
Green serves as producer and production manager for Keyframe. Keyframe co-founder, Darren Cranford, is directing all 26 episodes, which include 52 segments and 104 games. JoEllyn Marlow is the Executive in Charge of Production for Sesame Workshop.
Created by Jim Jinkins, co-founder with David Campbell of Cartoon Pizza, Pinky Dinky Doo revolves around seven-year-old Pinky Dinky Doo living with her family in “Great Big City.” Pinky colorfully engages kids, and inspires them to learn the basics of literacy and storytelling through her imaginative stories and interactive games that promote literacy skills and introduce many memorable “Great Big Fancy Words.” Jinkins and Campbell are President and Chief Executive Officer for Cartoon Pizza, respectively.
Keyframe came to the project via its long-standing relationship with producing, licensing, merchandising and brand development company Abrams Gentile Entertainment (AGE), with whom Keyframe has worked on such shows as Shining Stars and Littlest Light on the Christmas Tree. AGE was responsible for assembling the team and helped manage and execute the launch of the second season of the series. AGE also took over directing voice work. The sound component of the show is being produced by sound studio Highwire Post, including sound effects, audio mixing and voice recording. The music is written and composed by Dan Sawyer.
Though the first season of Pinky Dinky Doo was produced utilizing Flash animation, Keyframe was able to maintain the visual appearance of the first season, while adding the richer, more fluid and vivid look achieved with 3D animation. Additional workstations were added and Keyframe technical directors wrote innovative scripting for AutoDesk’s 3D Max, which enabled new artists brought aboard to hit the ground running.
“Visual shortcuts were created,” according to Cranford, “that enabled artists to work simply and efficiently with the software interface to achieve the best results in the quickest time.”
“Our approach for the second season,” said Green, “was to produce everything for the least cost, using fewer people, but bringing all the artistic, visual advantageous of 3D, from more character mobility to richer backgrounds and depth-of-field. We were able to keep the total number of people on the animation side, including coordinators, to under 30, which was amazing. Flash is much more time consuming and would have required significantly more people.”
"We are absolutely delighted with the new style animation," said Mandy Kamester, Programme Executive for CBeebies, "it’s really stunning. The quality and depth of animation is just superb. The games are fabulous!"
Compositing is done with AutoDesk’s Combustion.
Keyframe is also busy preparing to provide visual effects for the Prodigy Pictures two-part mini-series XIII, starring Val Kilmer and Stephen Dorff. The mini-series, now shooting in Toronto, is a political thriller based on the 1984 comic book series of the same name created by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance. Duane Clark directed. Cranford oversaw the Keyframe VFX team while Green supervised the VFX shots on set.
Pinky Dinky Doo has over 35 worldwide broadcast partners including NOGGIN, CBeebies and Discovery Kids, and covers over 65 territories.
About Keyframe Digital Productions
Keyframe Digital Productions provides a multitude of digital services including traditional 2D and 3D animation, compositing, pre-visualization and state-of-the-art visual effects with an emphasis on broadcast digital animation and VFX.
Television series the studio has provided visual effects for include The Dresden Files, Monk, Playmakers and Mutant X. Keyframe also provided all visual effects work for the movie Crazy Canucks, a feature length “dramedy” produced by Alberta Film Works and “Victor.”
Keyframe’s feature film credits include Secret Window, Driven, Left Behind, Exit Wounds, Don’t Say A Word, K-19 - The Widowmaker, Bulletproof Monk, and X-Men.
Keyframe is the 2003 Accolade Winner in the “Award of Excellence” and “Best of Show” categories for work on the Littlest Light on the Christmas Tree. The company produced its own original property, The Hugglers, a 3D animated/live-action Christian direct-to-video release for pre-school children. The Hugglers was awarded an Accolade Award as well as Keyframe’s first Telly Award.
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120 nations. Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo. In addition, multimedia needs-driven initiatives provide families tools for addressing such issues as children’s health, military deployment and emergency preparedness. As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic donations support Sesame Workshop’s educational research and creative content for children around the world. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.
For more information about Keyframe go to: www.keyframe.ca
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