The Newsstand - KIDS FIRST! News 2007

Ah, the media advertising blitz strikes again. Every time we turn on the TV or Internet radio or look at web pages, we are reminded not to forget our mothers. The blitz certainly caught my husband who was so overwhelmed by the reminders that he thought this past Sunday was the big day. We laughed and joked about it as we munched on chocolate and strawberries purchased for the occasion. Gotta love the power of media.

I am fortunate to have two of the best women in the world in my life as a mother and mother-in-law. This week I was previewing a title coming up in our third quarter KIDS FIRST! Film Festival entitled "Mama Mirabelle." It's an animation in the playful savanna, which opens kids' eyes to a world they will want to explore. More than that, though, it is an endearing example of a beautiful relationship between mother and child as the mother teaches her child about the world. Watching the film, I have a renewed appreciation for the patience and gentle guidance my mother invested in my life as I was growing up (and even now).

Of course, as we remember our own mothers, we also need to celebrate the new moms--even the new moms on the screen. This month we get to meet the progeny of Shrek and Fiona as "Shrek the Third" comes to the big screen. Chris Miller, director “Shrek the Third," tells us a bit about the background of the film in my article below.

Enjoy the next few weeks and Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers out there!

Christine Pollock, Editor

NEW KIDS FIRST! JURORS
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Congratulations to our new graduate, Lee Armstrong!

Armstrong says: I've always been a puppeteer. Puppeteers are always invited to teach workshops, so I've shared my art with thousands of children, teachers and librarians. As a TV puppeteer, I was fortunate to work on Henson's "Fraggle Rock" and continued on many children's and educational TV show, most recently the PBS series "Mustard Pancakes." I work with a talented team at Images In Motion, where we specialize in puppetry for multimedia. I'm also the Video Consultant for Puppeteers of America. I went to the Kids First site last month, because three of the DVD's I'd worked on had been selected. I was intrigued by the selection process. They had adults and children evaluate the titles. In going through the juror training, I sat down with children and watched a video (that I had worked on). In going through the evaluation form, I was intrigued by their answers. I learned a lot and I recommend this process to everyone interested in children's video.

ONLINE JUROR TRAINING PROGRAM
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Concerned about what kids watch? Want to do something about it? Become a KIDS FIRST! juror. It's easy. Take our online training. It will take you about four hours to complete, and we will provide you with your own personal trainer. The $40 fee is 100% reimbursable once you evaluate six titles for KIDS FIRST! . You may keep any movie you approve. What a wonderful way for teachers, librarians, parents, and daycare providers to build their own quality media library while helping evaluate movies for others. KIDS FIRST! Independent Producer members get an additional benefit of one waived submission fee, once they complete the training and evaluate their first six titles. To register or get more information, please visit here.

KIDS FIRST! WEB STORE FEATURES
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Open your child's window to the world with quality media educates, inspires and entertains. The KIDS FIRST! Web Store offers you the opportunity to customize your family movie library with confidence through its blend of studio and independent titles. Search by age or interest and find out what child professionals and kids themselves have to say about the titles you choose.

Red Riding Hood - and More James Marshall Fairy Tale Adventures. Zanily adapted fairy tales ("Red Riding Hood," "The Three Little Pigs," "Rapunzel," "Chicken Little," and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears") by humorist James Marshall, brought to vivid life. Music by Ernest V. Troost. KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror Comments: Classic, familiar tales, in original version. More violent than contemporary stories but the violence is well handled. Granny emerges from the wolf's stomach after being eaten in Little Red Riding Hood, and comments that it's too dark to read in there. KIDS FIRST! KID Juror Comments: Held kids' attention until the end. Each child seemed to relate to a different story best. Chicken Little was a favorite, perhaps because it was the least familiar. Three Little Pigs was also a big hit. DVD. L. 59 mins. Ages 3-8. Weston Woods Studios/Scholastic.

Wheels on the Bus Video, Mango and Papaya's Animal Adventure. Roger Daltrey of "The Who" sings the voice of Argon the Dragon, the driver of the bus, in this colorful musical journey based on the classic children's song. Includes three new songs. KIDS FIRST!™ Adult Juror Comments: Oh, my gosh - really cute! Great music, adorable characters. Mango and Papaya take the bus and visit a zoo, aquarium, farm, etc. and learn lessons about friendship, safety, habitat, and nutrition. Friendly characters; storyline addresses kids' interests. KIDS FIRST!™ KID Juror Comments: Loved this! Watched it three times right away. Loved the characters and the dragon bus driver. Kids all sang and danced along to the Wheel on the Bus song. "I want to go to the zoo to see the zebras." "Can we go to the aquarium and see Nemo?" DVD. L. 33 mins. Ages 2-5. Our Happy Child.

ANN'S AVENUES
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In January, the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival accepted the quirky title "Baranov's Castle" as a film festival selection. This campy and appealing live-action puppet film was shot on location in Alaska and tells the story of Aleksandr Baranov's last days as governor of Russian America.

What started as just an independent film festival selection has grown into a fun project for KIDS FIRST! I sent a screener of Baranov's Castle to the Vice President of Film Distribution at Maitland Primrose. The response was, "Odd, I like it" and within 2 weeks, "Baranov's Castle" was under contract and is now on its way to the Cannes Film Festival!

"Who would have thought an educational, historical puppet movie from a small-town non-profit in Alaska would get a contract with a great distributor like Maitland Primrose. It's evident that great things start with promoting your film with KIDS FIRST!"  ­- Joe Rizzo, writer of "Baranov's Castle."

Joe Rizzo is also the President of the Triumvirate Theatre at the Peninsula Center Mall in Soldotna, Alaska, which is run under the umbrella of The Alaska Children's Institute for the Performing Arts (ACIPA). This non-profit corporation brings the benefits of theater to children. The performing arts teach young people important skills like responsibility and self confidence, and enrich the lives of those who attend productions in the community.

Any money received from the distribution contract of "Baranov's Castle" will benefit the Triumvirate Theater and The Drop of a Hat Players, Triumvirate Theatre's charitable arm, which has raised $30,000 for families in need on the Kenai Peninsula. "As far as the money, any funds made off the film will go to further the mission of the Triumvirate Theater, to promote culture in Alaska and to continue to raise funds for local causes such as kids that need medical treatment in Seattle," said Joe Rizzo.

So, if you happen to be on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, stop by the Triumvirate Theater. They should be screening KIDS FIRST! titles by this summer! The Triumvirate Theatre, Bookstore, & Gallery is open Noon-6:00 PM, Tuesday - Saturday in the Peninsula Center Mall. Soldotna, Alaska. 907-953-7262.

If you know of another great location that should be screening KIDS FIRST! titles, drop me a email and I will send you a free copy of my latest favorite KIDS FIRST! festival title.

SELECTIONS FROM KIDS FIRST! FILM FESTIVAL
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The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is a showcase for new and classic children's films from studios, independent producers and youth producers worldwide that exemplify qualify media for children. The Festival travels year round and is hosted locally by more than 100 different venues including established film festivals, art and children's museums, nonprofit film centers, libraries, schools and local organizations. Venues include: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Newport Beach Film Festival, Avalon Theater in Washington D.C., Belcourt Theater, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Denver Film Society and Starz Denver International Film Festival, Film Center at the Cinema Cafe. To find out what is being played in a venue near you, visit here. For a complete list of all Festival titles currently being shown, visit here.

"Stuart Little Animated Series: All Revved Up!" L. 66 mins.
Contains three fun-filled adventures: "The Meatloaf Bandit" - Some meatloaves turn up missing so Stuart and George bandit-proof the house, lock the doors, train a watchdog and set booby-traps to catch the thief; "A Model Driver" - George wants to build and drive his own jumbo model car. When he takes his car on a ride through Central Park, the accelerator gets stuck and it won't stop. Stuart climbs under the car floor to fix the pedal, and the car stops just before plunging into the Boat Pond; "Team Little" -When it's time for Mr. Little's company picnic, Stuart and George compete in several events and realize that some serious cheating is taking place. Ages 2-5. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

"It's a Big Big World: The Earth Needs You" L. 55 mins.
Join in the adventures of Snook, the charismatic sloth who lives in the World Tree with his colorful animal friends. Together they investigate the world around them and discover how different things live, grow and change. "The Earth Needs You" contains important lessons about caring for the environment. Ages 2-5. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

"Jungle Book: Tikki Tikki Tavi to the Rescue" L. 48 mins.
Deep in the jungle, Bagheera, the black panther, rescues the baby Mowgli from the fierce tiger Shere Kahn. Bagheera leaves the baby with a family of wolves who raise him as their own. In the end, our extraordinary hero Mowgli proves to all that even though he is different, that is what makes him so very special. Ages 8-12. Genius Products.

NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS
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Animusic's mission is to bring joy and inspiration to people of all ages through computer-animated instrumental music. They are a production company and independent label, focused exclusively on creating and marketing innovative music-driven computer animation.

The Brainy Baby Company, LLC produces early childhood educational videos, books, music, toys and games for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Preschool basics like ABC's, 123's, Animals, Shapes & Colors, Art, Music, Spanish and French, are all introduced through fun, gentle, and always entertaining lessons.

Monterey Media is a privately owned entertainment industry company specializing in the creation, acquisition, distribution and sale of motion pictures and other programming. They are actively engaged in all areas of domestic media, including theatrical distribution to theatres, film festivals, and other distinctive venues, and are presently increasing their release slate with a continued measured growth strategy.

MEMBER NEWS
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Scholastic Media Launches New Marketing Campaign for Maya & Miguel. 
The initiative begins with a national sponsorship with US Youth Soccer, which will host Maya & Miguel branded soccer events.  As part of its relationship with US Youth Soccer, Maya & Miguel will have a presence at 12 Kohl's American Cup Tournaments across the US. Additionally, Scholastic is working with Junta Hispana to highlight Hispanic Heritage Month.

The Danger Rangers Safety Rules! Live Show
The show recently began its second season at Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park.  Co-produced by Educational Adventures and RWS & Associates Entertainment, the live 20-minute show is based on the "Danger Ranger" series that airs on public television.  Dutch Wonderland is located in Lancaster, PA.

MEDIA NEWS AND CONTESTS
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The FCC Adresses Takes on TV Violence
In a report released in late April, the FCC said that the current program ratings system and technologies like the V-chip hare not protecting children from violent content on TV. The FCC is now asking lawmakers to give it the authority to restrict violent content in entertainment programming to late evening hours. The FCC maintains that exposure to violence in the media can increase aggressive behavior in children, at least in the short term. Read Article.

Sesame Street to Air in Northern Ireland. 
The localized version of the series will be produced in association with Sesame Workshop, for air on BBC Northern Ireland.  Elmo and Cookie Monster will be joined by two new original Muppets, which are being created specifically for Sesame Street Northern Ireland.  They are searching for a Northern Ireland-based production company to develop 20 fifteen minute local episodes of the preschool series.  Additionally, Sesame Workshop will be hiring and training local puppeteers, and they are looking for local writers, musicians and animators.  Information on various opportunities can be found at http://www.niftc.co.uk/ .

FAMILY AND PARENTING NEWS
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Celebrate Mother's Day with PBS KIDS GO! and PBS Parents
Beginning May 1st, pbskidsgo.org will host a MAYA & MIGUEL Mother’s Day card activity where kids can choose to “make-over” Rosa or Abuela.  PBS Parents will feature information and activities in the PBS Parents “Guide to Creativity,” focusing on creative ways kids can make mom something special, from home-made crafts and cards to recipes for yummy treats from the heart. 

Shrek the Third and Build-A-Bear Workshop team up
DreamWorks Animation has teamed with Build-A-Bear Workshop to give folks the chance to stuff their own Shrek plush.  The Workshop is also offering a Donkey and a Puss 'N Boots outfits for use on any of their plushes.  On May 11, they will add a third outfit of Shrek's wife Princess Fiona, as well as their three plush babies.

FEATURE ARTICLE
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Shrek to Stuart - When Classic Book Characters Hit the Big Screen
by Christine Pollock

If you take a film and load it with classic book characters, will your film become a classic itself? Maybe – if you do it as well as the creators of the animated “Shrek” series. Touted on Amazon as a ”modern classic,” “Shrek” first entertained American audiences at its 2001 debut, with an endearing storyline and brazen twists on classic characters such as the Pied Piper and the Gingerbread Man. How do professionals take old, beloved tales and make them fresh and new? Chris Miller, director “Shrek the Third" aka “Shrek 3” says it isn’t easy, but it’s fun.

Miller works with over 300 artists of various talents. When they set out to make “Shrek 3,” the production team had thousands of great ideas. They wanted the film to have an Arthurian flavor. It wasn’t working. After what Miller recalls as “a year and a half of torture,” they realized that the film wasn’t working because they were telling King Arthur’s tale, not Shrek’s. Once they figured this out and began re-writing it as Shrek’s story, the film took on a life of its own. Miller deems this as, “A meandering path that keeps the art form interesting.”

Each “Shrek” film brings innovative material to the modern viewer. Together, the three “Shrek” films bring over 25 beloved classic fictional characters back to life. In the first “Shrek,” Robin Hood mistakenly tries to save Fiona with the aid of his Merry Men. Later, the film smashes stereotypes by having Princess Fiona choose to become an ogre after seeing the inner beauty of “Shrek.” Puss 'N Boots joined the cast as the second “Shrek” film paved the way into pop culture -- now the norm for many films. 

Miller defines “Shrek 3” as “Character-driven-entertainment, which carries the core message, without being preachy, that people are good and bad and no matter what anyone tells you, you need to decide who you are.” He says the women comedians who do the voices for the princesses (Snow White, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella) are great! They work together fantastically bringing humor and friendship into the film.

While “Shrek” is very successful, you don’t have to be DreamWorks™ to bring classic story characters back to life. In the TV/DVD industry, 60-plus-years after the original novel was written, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing two DVD volumes from the popular animated "Stuart Little" TV series. Filmmakers have brought Stuart, a little mouse created by E. B. White, the author of "Charlotte’s Web" and "Trumpet of the Swans," to the TV screen. Similar to Shrek, Stuart Little brings a classic book character to pop culture.The film revolves around Stuart, a spirited mouse, who has been adopted by the Little family and his older brother, George. Stuart may be a 3-inch tall mouse on the outside, but inside he is a bold, daring and curious youth with a never-say-never attitude.  Our furry hero explores our commonplace world from a fresh perspective, while he and his brother – separated by species, joined by brotherhood – have immense fun together and learn a few lessons along the way.

You can find both Stuart Little and “Shrek” titles in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. “Shrek” is running now and Stuart Little is coming in the near future. Miller regards KIDS FIRST! as “awesome.” He loves the idea of exposing children to storytelling and filmmaking. Miller hopes to eventually take some time off from the studios to work on his own shorts. Maybe you’ll see some of them in an upcoming KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, alongside your own film, as you bring to the screen a whole new generation of future classics.

** "Shrek the Third" is due in theaters May 18.

CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES
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Activity - Paper Gingerbread Men. Complements the KIDS FIRST!Film festival title, Shrek 2

1.Cut the bottom off a paper bag and slit up one size.  This will give you a very long piece of brown paper (you could use a regular piece of paper, but your chain won't be as long).
2. Remember that the key to making connected gingerbread men is to always fold in the same direction and leave part of the main fold uncut.
3. Begin by folding the paper in half. Then fold it in half again, making sure that you make the fold on the same side as the first fold.
4. Continue folding in this manner until the paper is the size you desire, usually at least 4 inches wide.
5. Draw your gingerbread man shape on the paper. Make sure that parts of the gingerbread man will be right against the fold.
6. Cut the outside of the gingerbread man first. Next cut parts of the gingerbread man out on the folded side.
7. Do not cut all parts of the gingerbread man out on the folded side. People often leave the hands and feet against the fold.
8. Open the paper, and you will have a string of gingerbread man connected by the hands and feet.

For more craft ideas, go here.

EVENTS
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May 18 - Seattle, WA. Reel Grrls Spring Gala Screening. The screening starts at 7 p.m., and includes a silent auction, screening of films produced by Reel Grrls, and a reception with music and refreshments. Tickets will be available here.

June 20 - 21 - Centerville, OH. Putting New Literacies Into Action In K-12 Classrooms. This two-day workshop by Dr. William Kist & Frank W. Baker includes: Blogging Across the Curriculum, Nonprint Response Activities, Multigenre Research Projects, Assessing New Literacies and Standards and New Literacies. Information here.

June 23 - 27 - St. Louis, MO. "iPods, Blogs and Beyond: Evolving Media Literacy for the 21st Century." The biannual National Media Education Conference (NMEC), hosted by the Alliance for a Media Literate America, is the largest, oldest and most comprehensive professional conference for teachers, academics, youth advocates, health professionals and media activists to learn about media literacy education. Information here.

July 2 - August 30 - Hollywood, CA. The International Family Film Festival Presents the FreshiFilm Camp and FreshiFilm and Screenplay Festival this summer. Application information here or call for information at 661-257-3131 Patte Dee McKee or 661-993-3152 Kim Turney.

July 9 - 13 - Ithaca, NY. Project Look Sharp is offering a 5-day intensive media literacy workshop includes both the theory of media literacy and hands-on practice with digital/computer technology (Mac-based). More information here.

SPECIAL OFFERS
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KIDS FIRST! Cares
Through the combined efforts of Corporations for Character, KIDS FIRST!, and your generous donation, we can fulfill our mission to provide positive, encouraging movies into each of more than one million children's hospital beds. This effort will provide entertainment for children while they are confined in a hospital. To support KIDS FIRST! Cares, go to www.kidsfirstcares.org. All credit card transactions are secure.

SUPPORT THE COALITION
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Become a Member - If you've found our e-zine and web site helpful, please consider becoming a member of KIDS FIRST! By doing so, your contribution helps help underwrite the various projects of this organization. The Coalition relies on the generous support of its members and donors to support its programs. An individual/family membership is only $25/year. An organizational membership is $100/year. An independent producer membership is $200. To join, visit here or contact our office at 505.989.8076. KIDS FIRST! Travel Site - Support KIDS FIRST! by booking your travel on our travel website here. Prices compare with those of Travelocity and KIDS FIRST! earns a commission on any travel booked here. What a great way to support a nonprofit without having to write a check. Become an Affiliate of the KIDS FIRST! Web Store - By linking with our online store which sells films from our independent producers, you can earn a commission off of each sale.

VISIT OUR MEMBERS' SITES
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Support our members. Visit their sites by visiting our members' page here.

ABOUT CQCM AND KIDS FIRST!
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The Coalition for Quality Children's Media is a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media. More

Our Ratings:

*** = Titles receiving the highest scores are given a three-star rating.
** = Titles that meet or exceed the criteria receive a two-star rating.
* = Titles that meet the baseline criteria but require some extra consideration on the part of the viewer receive a one-star rating.