Wednesday 30 November 2011

Merchandise Research

My series is aimed at pre school and is a baking program, so I've tried to focus my merchandise on cooking.

Apron and hat

Cake Tins

Character Biscuit Cutters

Book with Sound Buttons

Jigsaw Pieces

Cupcake Kit

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Budgeting equipment Research

For my series I have done research on software, equipment and studio. I've made a list with links to the sites, which show info and prices.

Friday 25 November 2011

I've started budgeting for my series and have been looking at who I need and how much I think it is going to cost. I've looked at a powerpoint and PDF, with a list of employes in an animation series.

To get some more research I've been looking at Stop Frame companies like Aardman and Laika.

Aardman do a T.V show 'Timmy Time' which is a pre school series like mine. So I have looked at the credits at the end of the episode and it included Music, Script Editor, Voice Actors, Storyboard, Character Design, Character Development, Production Design, Assistant Art Director, Model Maintenance, Model Design, Set, Rigger, Runner, Props, Animator, Lighting Camera, Camera Operator, Gaffer, Editor Assistant, Editors, Foley Artist, Sound Design, Dubbing Mixer, Floor Manager, Production Assistants, Line Producer, Creative Director and Executive Producer. This has given me a good understanding of what kind of team I need and what each one does.

I've also looked at 'Fifi and the flower Tots' and in the credits it include Voice actors, Script Editor, Music, Art Director, Storyboard Artist, Studio Direction, Animators, Lighting Camera, Assistant lighting camera, Assistant Camera, Props, Set Dresser, Puppet maker, Puppet Maintenance, Senior Costume Maker, Costume Maker, Sets, Production Manager, Production Accountant, Production Manager, Production Assistant, Computer Graphics, Data Management, IT Support, Audio Post Production, Video Post Production, Creative Director, Head of Production, Commercial Director, Production Manager, Show co-ordinator, Director, Producer and Executive Producer.

Even though Laika focus on film, stop frame, I still did a bit of research in to their crew. I found a lot of information in this company, who employ a lot of different people. One site I looked at was 'IMBd' and I also looked at 'Laika' website its self, which was very helpful showing Executive, Director, Development, Production, Account and so on. Although this crew is for a big film, it will help me pick out the basics of who I need.

So I will mainly get research off 'Timmy Time' and 'Fifi and the flower tots' because they are a series and have less budget and staff.

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Big Cook little cook, quotes.

I've started writing my script and I wanted to include songs and catch phrases in my episode. So I watched Big Cook, Little Cook and found some quotes online, which they use in every episode.

Memorable quotes for"Big Cook Little Cook"

Little Cook Small: So what now, can we play?
Big Cook Ben: Not yet, time to clean up and put away.
Little Cook Small: Hurray!

Big Cook Ben: Remember to get your grown up helper to do this bit because the oven is always Hot, Hot, Hot!

Big Cook Ben: We need a story to help us cook.
Little Cook Small: Let's take a look in Little Cook's book. Little cook's adventures in the big world.

Big Cook Ben: Go Small, go Small, whiz away. I wonder what he'll see today.

Little Cook Small: Have you cleaned the surfaces?
Big Cook Ben: Yes. Have you washed your hands?
Little Cook Small: Yes.
Little Cook Small, Big Cook Ben: All clean and ready to cook!

[Bell rings]
Big Cook Ben: Come on Small, we've got a customer.
Little Cook Small: I'm on my way.

Little Cook Small: I know, Big Cook's big cookery book!
Big Cook Ben: Of course, the big book. There's recipes for everything in there.
Little Cook Small: And where do we look for things to cook?
Big Cook Ben: In the book, in the book, in Big Cook's book.

Big Cook Ben: We're all ready, so take a look.
Little Cook Small: And we will show you how to cook.

Kitchen Design

I have finished my kitchen design and I have done some colour samples.

I have decided that the orange one is my favourite. It's bright and appealing.

Saturday 19 November 2011

set design

These are some sketches of my kitchen for my series. I want it to look in between a cooking show and normal kitchen. I want the oven to be built in the high cupboard and have a big kitchen island where they can do all the preparations.

Table shape design

Out of all the designs this is my favourite. It seems homely and everything can be seen from the front camera view.

Thursday 17 November 2011

Kitchen set research

For my series a just want one set, with a big worktop, fridge, hobs and oven. I have found some pictures of some kitchen sets that are purposely designed for demonstrating cooking.

I also found some kitchens that I wanted to base my colour scheme on.

I liked the white cupboards and colourful furniture and items.

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Final Series Episodes

I have finally finished all 10 episodes and made them the right length.

Episode one – gingerbread men (Listening)

In this episode Annabel and her friends are making ‘Gingerbread men’. The Measuring Spoons are not listening and bring butter instead of golden syrup. Then the Measuring Spoons try to climb up the syrup tin and accidentally knock over the golden syrup and end up sticky and refuse to wash themselves.

Sieve is adding flour, but is very nervous. The measuring spoons again try to be helpful but don’t listen and the flour is spilt all over them and the table. They are so gooey, sticky and messy that they listen this time and wash themselves.

Once the dough is rolled out, the Measuring Spoons listen to Annabel and cut their shapes out with their cutters pushing the dough out when it gets stuck. All the friends have fun decorating the gingerbread men.

Episode two – bread (Sharing and group work)

Today Annabel and her friends are baking bread. The Measuring Spoons feel left out and decide to steal the flour, but leave a trail of footprints that leads Annabel to them. Annabel realizes that they only wanted to join in and invites them to help Measuring Jug count the water level.

Wooden Spoon struggles to mix the dough, which makes Mixing Bowl wobble and fall over. Annabel gets everyone to work together, helping to stir and stable Mixing Bowl.

Once the dough is done, it is cut up in to balls, but there is not enough for one each. Annabel gets everyone to pare up and design and decorate the dough together. Everyone is happy with their bread rolls and learns to share it with their friends.

Episode three – Butterfly cakes (tidying up and losing things)

Annabel and her friends are baking Butterfly cakes. Whisk is excited and whisks too hard and it splatters everywhere. The kitchen and the baking tools are very messy. Annabel turns the cleaning in to a game, but Pastry Brush doesn’t want to clean.

Whisk is ready to mix the ingredients, but things have been tided away and misplaced. Everyone goes around the kitchen to find the ingredients and paper cases with some help from the viewers. Annabel picture codes the cupboard so they are easy to put away and find next time.

Sieve, by accident, knocks over the flour over Pastry Brush, who sweeps the flour with his bristly hair and realises it is fun. At the end the kitchen is a mess again but this time everyone is excited about cleaning up, especially Pastry Brush.

Episode four – Fruit Tarts (measuring and counting)

In this Episode Annabel and her friends are making fruit tarts. Sieve asks to help measure the ingredients, but she doesn’t know how. Measuring Jug helps her and they count as they weigh the ingredients.

Next Tablespoon puts water in bit-by-bit, but gets the measurement wrong and the dough goes gooey. Tablespoon gets upset, but Annabel just puts more flour in and saves it.

When the dough is rolled out the Measuring Spoons don’t put enough flour on the table and the dough sticks to the table and the Rolling Pin Twins. The measuring spoons learn and apply more flour and the dough is rolled out nicely. Everyone calculates how many pastry cases there are and then they each place the fruit pieces on, counting as they go. There are enough for everyone to have one each.

Episode five – Pizzas (Being Patient)

Annabel and her friends are making pizzas. Annabel realises that they have no tomato sauce and puts Mixing Bowl in charge while she’s gone. Whisk is extra excited and cannot wait any longer and starts without her.

Whisk puts all the ingredients in to Mixing Bowl and quickly whisks it together, running all over the place. He gets Rolling Pin Twins to roll out the dough, but they are too slow for Whisk and he gets impatient and tries to roll it out himself with his hands.

The kitchen is a mess and chaotic. Annabel tells Whisk that sometimes the quickest way is to be patient. Whisk learns from this and everyone takes more time and care, and has fun making pizza faces.

Episode six – Toffee Apples (playing tricks)

This is a Halloween special, and Annabel and her friends are making Toffee Apples. Sieve is scared thinking there are monsters about. The Measuring Spoons hear this and tell a story about the kitchen ghost.

The Measuring Spoons start to play tricks on everyone, hiding and jumping out. Tablespoon covered in flour pretends to be a ghost and scares Sieve who runs and hides.

The baking tools decide to pay them back, and one by one the baking tools disappear until it is just the Measuring Spoons. Then a ghost creeps up on them and they jump a mile. The ghost was in fact Mixing Bowl with a white tea towel. The Measuring Spoons learn their lesson and apologise to Sieve, and celebrate with toffee apples.

Episode seven – Scones (Feeling left out)

Today Annabel and her friends are making Scones. As they bake, Sieve is about to volunteer to get the egg, but the Measuring Spoons get there first, fight over the egg, and drop it on the floor. They are very sorry and decide to carry the next egg together.

Sieve tries to put flour down for the Rolling Pin Twins, but Whisk beats her to it. Next all the baking tools grab a cutter and cut out the dough, but there are n cutters left for Sieve. Very upset, she returns to her cupboard.

Everyone feels sorry for her and invite her to put the clotted cream and jam on the scones. Sieve is very happy that she is included and adds the finishing touches to the scones.

Episode eight – Jacket Potatoes (not getting your own way – tantrum)

Annabel and her friends are making jacket potatoes. Everyone picks a potato for himself or herself. The measuring Spoons pick a big one, and Half Teaspoon insists on having the small one, but he is ignored.

Half Teaspoon swaps the pricked potato with a non-pricked one. While they are being cooked the potato pops. The Measuring Spoons are not happy and give the popped potato to Half Teaspoon, who kicks the potato and has a big tantrum.

Annabel calms down Half Teaspoon, and he explains that he has to do what the other Measuring Spoons say because he’s small and nobody listens to him. So Annabel turns his popped potato in to a volcano, spewing with cheese and beans, which the other Measuring Spoons think is cool and apologise to Half Teaspoon. Everyone has fun being creative with the potatoes.

Episode nine – Chocolate Brownie (Sharing and Greedy) – Rolling Pin Twins

In this episode Annabel and her friends are baking chocolate brownies. Annabel puts broken up chocolate in to Mixing Bowl, but the Rolling Pin Twins love chocolate and eat some while no one is looking.

The chocolate is then melted and mixed in Mixing Bowl. The Rolling Pin Twins are still hungry and want more chocolate, but they cannot reach the bowl. Then they notice the cocoa powder.

When Sieve tries to find the cocoa powder, she hears groaning and finds two very sick Rolling Pin Twins, who have eaten too much chocolate. The Rolling Pin Twins sit out and everyone else continues on with the baking. When the brownies are done, Rolling Pin Twins learn their lesson and only have a tiny slice.

Episode ten – Christmas Chocolate Log (family and sharing)

This series ends on a Christmas Special, where Annabel and her friends are making a Chocolate Log. All the baking tools have fun mixing the ingredients. Sieve gets the cocoa powder and makes it look like it is snowing chocolate snow.

As a surprise Annabel brings out Christmas crackers. Some of the baking tools join items and play together, and some swap items and have lots of fun.

When the cake is done everyone lines up and roles up the sponge. Annabel puts a holly leaf on the cake and Sieve sprinkles icing sugar over the cake. Everyone starts dancing under the sugar snow, making snow angles, and licking the air. At the end everyone gets a slice of cake and Annabel leaves a slice for Santa for later that night.

Sunday 13 November 2011

Character development

Here are all my cooking tools drawn up and coloured on photoshop. I wasn't too sure on colour so I've done a few of the same in different colours and then I can choose.