Creative Edu-Gaming group Kneebouncers is taking its popular pre-school brand to TV, and they’ve asked MightyPants to help breathe a little extra life into their content. The series of 20 x 3-minute shorts premieres in April on BabyFirstTV, slotted between other short-format properties like VocabuLarry and Harry the Bunny.
As a dad and long-time subscriber to Kneebouncers.com, it was a real treat to have this opportunity to work with creators Punch Robinson and Kurt Dommermuth. Punch & Kurt are two of the nicest guys I’ve had the pleasure to work with, and treat the property as if it were their own kid. As with any major growth spurt, it’s important to be careful with the transition, making sure the vision holds as the baby grows.
A big part of our job is ensuring the minimalist style translates to HD screens. Do do so, we’re incorporating a layer of richness & depth while staying true to the simple shapes, flat, saturated colors and cut-paper style motion. The creators asked us to add a touch of classic Looney-Tunes style to the brand, so we’re gently plussing the animation with the hallowed “illusion of life” techniques – but, you know, not too much. it still needs to feel like it was induced from a child’s imagination.
The biggest challenge we’ve faced is perfecting the pacing. Being typically focused on older demographics, we’re used to communicating story through faster, more frenetic motion. The tender little brains of preschoolers respond better to a slower, steadier approach, with performances painted in broader strokes. It’s a whole new form of communication for us, and I’m already wondering how badly I’v screwed up my own kids by saturating their brains with Bugs Bunny from day one.
To learn more about the television premiere of Kneebouncers, see the news section of their site.