Way back in July and August I mentioned the new PBS series from
Bear in the Big Blue House creator Mitchell Kriegman called It's a Big, Big World. At the time the
show was still in production and facing a writers strike. I pretty much forgot all about the show when it finally
aired, but I've since caught a few episodes, and I must say, it's quite impressive, at least visually. The show uses a
technique called "shadowmation" which combines puppetry with animated backgrounds using what appears to be a
blue screen effect. The result is a varicolored jungle world that jumps off the screen like a pop-up book. The
environmental message of the show is a good one as well, even if it does get a little too "kumbaya" at times.I'm digging It's A Big, Big World
Way back in July and August I mentioned the new PBS series from
Bear in the Big Blue House creator Mitchell Kriegman called It's a Big, Big World. At the time the
show was still in production and facing a writers strike. I pretty much forgot all about the show when it finally
aired, but I've since caught a few episodes, and I must say, it's quite impressive, at least visually. The show uses a
technique called "shadowmation" which combines puppetry with animated backgrounds using what appears to be a
blue screen effect. The result is a varicolored jungle world that jumps off the screen like a pop-up book. The
environmental message of the show is a good one as well, even if it does get a little too "kumbaya" at times.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-25-2006 @ 9:43AM
antonio said...
My nine month old son loves the show, he likes cartoons but doesnt love them because he is easily distracted, but he will watch an entire episode without taking his eyes off the screen. He even claps when it comes on. It works out well for me getting ready for work in the morning when he is eating star puffs in his high chair. I'll buy the dvd when it comes out. :) DVR for now
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1-23-2006 @ 2:08PM
Danny Cohen said...
My first thought is that this Sloth character is high. They all live in this crazy tree commune thing. "Welcome Animals, We are all animals!" Alright, now they are singing about getting up in the morning. This stoner sloth is talking about "de-tangling vines." "Whoa.... rewind."
The images do look pretty cool, though. Fluid camera work, sometimes skewed camera. You can notice the masking done around the puppet on green/blue screens. It does look really 3D though. Sometimes the puppet seems to float on top of the images instead of sit in them. Also, I don't think that any of the characters are racial short hand. The lighting on the puppets is gnarly.
I would let my theoretical hypothetical children watch this program. it promotes the environment, which I am a fan of.
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1-23-2006 @ 3:55PM
Nicole said...
My thoughts exactly. I recorded the first episode and put in on while I was cooking dinner, and my husband came home, caught a few minutes of the show, and was like "What STONER show is our son watching???"
It IS cute, but that sloth seems really high. Even has the hippie shag hair-do.
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