P2. Pitch document

P2. Post on scheduling

Scheduling research:

Adventure Time:

South Park
http://www.getharvest.com/blog/2011/11/teams-at-work-creating-a-south-park-episode-in-6-days/

Peppa Pig
http://www.kidzcoolit.com/reviews/the-brains-behind-peppa-pig-phil-davis-neville-astley-and-mark-baker-answer-some-kidz-random-questions.php

The Simpsons
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6260000/newsid_6262500/6262584.stm

Frozen

P2. How does my product fit into current trends?

Idea deconstruction - Peter the Pirate

I think that my animation will fit into the current marketplace for pre-school children, because there is a gap in the market for educational cartoons particularly aimed at pre-schoolers. The animation style is simplistic, with bold and simple shapes and colours, which is simular to the pre-school/young audiences of Peppa Pig and Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom. The types of characters are also suitable for the current marketplace - educational and enthusiastic, encouraging learning and working together as a team. The theme of my cartoon is adventure, and action. The narrative of my product is Peter the Pirate himself, which is different to current existing cartoons and animation because they normally have a different voice that to the characters who are narrating. This will distinguish my cartoons from the others.

My animation fits in with the current trends of simple pre-school cartoons, as it has a basic design but with bright colours and shapes. I would air it on Channel Five's Milkshake and Disney Junior at round 7.a.m and 7.p.m, because it will be suitable for young children who get up in the morning and in the evening it's around their bedtime so they can watch it before bed.

P2. Target Audience

Name: Imogen

Age: 6

Average day: Imogen wakes up at 7a.m and watches Peppa Pig while she eats her breakfast. She then gets ready and is taken to school by her Mum - she is in Primary School in Year 2. At school studies writing, reading, science, maths and does PE. At break and lunch she plays schools and families with her friends, and her favourite part of the day is reading to her school Buddy who is in an older class. After school she likes to go round her friend's house to watch television and to play on the trampoline. On weekends she goes to her Dad's house to play with her younger brother and sister, and they watch Cbeebies, Nick Jr and Disney Junior together. Imogen loves to go swimming and walking her dog Madison in the sunshine.

Hobbies and interests: Swimming, dancing, gymnastics. She loves to draw and write stories and dresses up as a princess often

Spending power: Imogen gets money for her birthday and at Christmas but she is dependent on her parents for money spent on her

Typical media consumption per day: Imogen watches 30 minutes of television in the morning when she eats her breakfast, and approximately an hour between coming home from school and going to bed is spent playing on her Mum's iPad or watching the television. Her favourite programs are Peppa Pig, Charlie and Lola, Get Squiggling and I Can Cook.

Why the animation will appeal to them (look, style of animation, themes, main character, humour): Imogen loves cartoons that are 2D and full of bright, eye-catching colours. She doesn't like scary programs, but she loves funny programs that has a theme that she can follow easily.

P2. Legal and ethical in my animation

Jake and the Neverland Pirates - Jake

P2. Budget and Schedule

Pre-production

Production

Post-production

This is my budget and schedule spreadsheet for one episode of The Aventures of Pirate Peter. Each episode will take 12 weeks to make and send out for airing, which is approximately three months. I have listed all of the crew members that I need to use for one episode of my program, and I have calculated the cost of them over the course of the 12 weeks and when they are needed. I used a chart to show the schedule for creating each episode, and separated them into three categories so they are easier to organise: pre-production, production, and post-production. By categorising them like it, I can see when I need to finish planning the episode, when I need to create the animation, and how long I have to edit it all before airing.

One episode costs (£): £80,444.50
One season (six episodes) costs (£): £482,667

P2. Representation and Ethics in Cartoons

Why does the writer of the article believe Rio 2 is problematic in terms of its representations?
Because he believes that certain prejudices are noticeable. For example, the lead characters are white Americans, which is especially strange for Anne Hathaway's character (Jewel) who supposably was born and raised in Rio. The couples long-lost jungle relatives are further evidence as they are not white voice actors: Jewel's father is Cuban-born Andy Garcia, her aunt is Puerto Rico-born Rita Moreno, and her former beau is mixed-race Hawaiian Bruno Mars.

What are PEPs and why are they an issue for racial representation?

• Problem Contexts
• Entertainment Contexts
• Performance Contexts

They are an issue for racial representation because within PEPs, black people and other genotypes have to be associated with vexing circumstances. Dr Charles Da Costa says "Strive to pacify, make others happy and be exceptional or extraordinary - far from 'normal'. Villainy, exoticism, jocularity and athleticism are common indicators of this malaise. Images of ethnicity do not need to be conveyed within the narrow scope of PEPs."

Why does Da Costa believe we end up with stereotypes in animation?
Da Costa believes that decisions on character and performance must be made quickly in order for design and production processes to commence and advance. Therefore, regarding representations of ethnicity and epidermal type, family animation often finds itself in a bind. Da Costa says that "It consciously and subconsciously opts for the 'safe' representational defaults - stereotypes."

What does Turbo say about social mobility?
That social mobility is only available to white characters, the message seems to be, and it's the job on non-whites to facilitate it.

P2. Voice Talent - Peter the Pirate

Name of character from the series:
Peter the Pirate.

Personality of character:
Friendly, enthusiastic, adventurous, excitable, positive, helpful, caring, brave.

Type of vocal performance required:
Young male voice, warm voice, energetic, enthusiastic and a good vocal flow.

Dream casting:
Justin Bieber as Peter the Pirate because he is energetic and enthusiastic, and could bring a unique personality to the character.

What he's been in already:
Justin Bieber, Never Say Never (2011)
Justin Bieber, Believe (2013)

Cheaper Alternative:
John Morris as Peter the Pirate because he has a very young male voice that sounds positive, excitable and energetic. It suits the character of Peter because he's very friendly and enthusiastic.

What he's been in:
Toy Story, 2 and 3 as Andy
The Nightmare Before Christmas.

John Morris

John Morris as Andy

Justin Bieber

P2. Story and Storyboards

I am going to make a short television series for children that is based on a cartoon pirate. Peter the Pirate is going to go on adventures in his episodes, in which are educational for the young audience and are fun and engaging. Peter is friendly, enthusiastic, excitable and caring. He is the main protagonist of the story, and over the episodes he develops and becomes more independent; in the last episode he becomes Captain of the ship when his dad says that he's responsible enough to run it himself. Each episode will include Peter going on a different adventure with his best friend Katie, and the episodes last around 5 minutes each, with six episodes in the season.

Episode one:

Peter meets Katie who is joining him in his trip. He begins taking a tour around the ship to show where everything goes on, and then he has to suddenly help his dad steer the ship when the wind picks up (with Katie helping), and they do it successfully.

Episode two:

Katie and Peter go scuba diving with fish and have to rescue a baby seahorse when it's lost its family, but they manage to get it back safely.

Episode three:

Katie and Peter learn how to steer the ship on their own with Peter's dad.

Episode four:

The ship docks on an island and Katie and Peter find a treasure map (and go on a treasure hunt).

Episode five:

Katie starts to feel poorly and Peter looks after her, and they sing songs to cheer her up.

Episode six:

Peter's dad says that Peter has been very responsible this summer and can have the ship passed down to him for his birthday.


Opening Credits Storyboard for The Adventures of Peter Pirate:

 

P2. Character Profile

P2. Pirate Peter Summary

P2. Regulating Bodies - BBFC

Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films within the United Kingdom. The BBFC was established in 1912 as the British Board of Film Censors, by members of the film industry, who would rather manage their own censorship than have national or local government do it for them; it began operating on 1 January 1913. Its legal basis was the Cinematograph Act 1909, which required cinemas to have licences from local authorities.

All films rated by the BBFC receive a certificate, along with "consumer advice" detailing references to sex, violence and coarse language. If a certificate specifies that a film or video game is only suitable for someone over a certain age, then only those over that age may buy it.

The Video Recordings Act requires that video releases not exempt (music, video games, etc) under the Act had to be classified, making it illegal to supply any recording that had not been certified. Certificates could restrict release to any age of 18 or under, or to only licensed sex-shops. The government currently designate the BBFC as the authority for certifying video releases. As the law requires the certificate to be displayed on the packaging and media labels of the video recording, in practice only UK releases can be legally sold or hired in the UK, even if a foreign release had identical content.

Ratings:

Coraline case study:
Why did the BBFC settle for a PG rating?

At PG the BBFC Guidelines allow some element of 'horror' provided it meets the criteria that 'frightening sequences' are not 'prolonged or intense'. Recently updated BBFC Guidelines go into even more detail about scary moments in children's films in the 'Main Issues' section:

“Many children enjoy the excitement of scary sequences, but, where films are targeted at a younger audience, classification decisions will take into account such factors as the frequency, length and detail of scary scenes as well as horror effects, including music and sound, and whether there is a swift and reassuring outcome.”

• Despite the scariness, the film features a number of ‘mitigating factors’ – elements which lessen the intensity of the more frightening scenes. These included moments of comedy and fun like silly songs, performances by dancing mice and the strange behaviour of the amusing and colourful neighbours. Additionally, a lot of emphasis is placed on the reassuring happy ending.
• The characterisation of Coraline also offered a strong argument for placing the work at PG. Coraline is shown to be a resourceful, courageous girl who, although she may occasionally be scared, always manages to find her way out of a difficult situation and eventually succeeds and defeats 'The Other Mother'.
• The biggest consideration was the fact that in Coraline, some of the scares come from people or places that should feel safe to children - for example their homes and parents. This was one of the reasons the examiners did not feel a U category would be suitable.
• At PG the BBFC Guidelines also state that 'fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor' and Coraline fits in the category of a fantasy film. The examiners recognised that the film's central idea of a parallel world would be a familiar idea for a child audience well used to similar plot devices in fairy tales. The film's fantastical elements: the talking cats, performing mice, and mothers with buttons for eyes, plus the fact that Coraline features animated models rather than human actors, all make it clear that Coraline's world is different from the real world of the audience.