From left: Michael Fogarasi, Gary Goldberger, Amanda Severin, Keith Zoo, Tone Thyne, Sarah Ditkoff, Keith Lockhart, Dennis Alves, Peter Stidwill
FableVision’s animated accompaniment to Leon Jessel’s “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” on the big screen at the Holiday Pops
FableVision team with Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart following the Holiday Pops performance
2018 was an incredible year filled with new and exciting projects, growing friendships, and giving back. We finished strong with our exciting collaboration with the Boston Pops for the 2018 Holiday Pops season! FableVision provided the concept, art and design, and animation for Leon Jessel’s “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” The animation played on a 40-foot screen in the Symphony hall and accompanied the musical composition performed by the orchestra.
Partnerships like these are one of the many things that keep us excited for and committed to our work. So, join us for a trip down memory lane as we recount our top 10 FableVision moments of 2018!
1. Community Building
2018 was a year for getting out of the studio and into the community (and letting the community into the studio)!
We celebrated Women’s History Month in March by recognizing the women in the FableVision office and the “sheros” who inspire us every day!
We celebrated our first Rose’s Garden Storywalk on the Greenway in August, inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book Rose’s Garden. The book and the storywalk commemorate Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy and the spirit of the community.
179 countries made their mark for the 10th anniversary of International Dot Day on Sept. 15-ish, a day to celebrate creativity and making your mark with Peter H. Reynolds’ The Dot.
2. Another Award-Winning Year
We might need to build another shelf in the trophy case! We are so grateful for the recognition. Check out our award-winning and festival-featured pieces this year:
From left: Tone Thyne, Gary Goldberger, Leigh Hallisey, Sep Riahi
The Paper Girls Show, our collaboration with Global Tinker, won Best Original Digital Kids Web Series at the 2018 Kidscreen Awards.
The Reflection in Me, an animated film from Marc Colagiovanni, Peter H. Reynolds, and FableVision, has been featured in numerous festivals this year, including the Providence Children’s Film Festival and Kids Film Festival for Children.
The Klumz, created in partnership with Neshama Ryman and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York and Western New York, screened at the Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival.
Read to Lead, a series of literacy learning games created with Classroom, Inc. was the recipient of a 2018 EdTech Digest Award.
What is Naloxone? , an informational animation developed in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Education Development Center, won the Fall 2018 Silver Omni Award.
From left: Michael Fogarasi, Adam Landry, Peter Stidwill, Loren Lee-Flynn, Attorney General Maura Healy, Leigh Hallisey, Mikaela Johnson, Gary Goldberger
3. New Partnerships
We’re always looking for new partners who want to help us move the world to a better place! Take a look at our new collaborations from 2018:
4. Continuing Partnerships
Our partnerships are important to us; we keep our relationships strong so we can continue to make stories that move, stories that matter.
5. FableFridays
Our partners are always up to date with the latest in education, technology, and game-based learning. Get to know the people behind our collaborations with our 2018 client FableFridays!
6. Thought Leadership
FableVisionaries truly represent what it means to be thought leaders. Whether it be as keynote speakers, workshop leaders, or best-selling book authors, our staff are no strangers to the spotlight!
Our co-founder Peter H. Reynolds continues to make waves in children’s literature, releasing his new books The Water Princess, The Word Collector, and I Am Human: A Book of Empathy, which debuted at the prestigious #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller List. Peter was also honored with the 2018 Children’s Literature Award from the Massachusetts Reading Association.
Twin brothers, FableVision co-founders, and writing duo Paul and Peter H. Reynolds made their rounds at conferences, sharing their story and inspirations with others. Here are just a couple of their keynote stops:
NCTE Annual Convention Keynote
Peter Stidwill, Executive Producer, made headlines in a University of Cambridge article for his expertise in edtech. Peter also had shared the epic journey of Zoombinis at the Connected Learning Summit, and speak on the importance of immersive, game-based learning in a session at SXSW EDU with Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Creative Director, Leigh Hallisey, was featured in a Funimation article centered around her experiences as a woman in game development. She shares insights on how she got started in media and how far the industry has come. Representation matters!
Senior Developer Matt Brelsford led a workshop: Animating with Code: Making Things Move for Fun & Profit. With more than 10 years of experience programming games, web apps, and weird interactive toys, Matt had a lot to share with less experienced coders!
Another tech-star, Associate Director of Technology Jordan Bach, led his own workshop focusing on teaching game development skills! In the workshop, Jordan went through thedetailed process of making a full blown interactive/gaming application with a pure HTML5/Javascript front-end.
7. New Hires
In 2018 we added five fresh FableVisionaries to the team! They’ve hit the ground running with their creativity and unique ideas. We can’t wait to see how they continue to grow!
8. Social Media Banners
Spring designed by Artist and Animator Hannah O’Neal
Summer designed by art and marketing interns Avital Dayanim and Sam Xu
Fall designed by Production Designer Christina Kelly
Winter designed by Production Assistant Allie Caton
From left (back): Peter Stidwill, Melissa Schoeller, Mikaela Johnson, Bob Flynn, David Welsh, Michael Fogarasi
From left (front): Gary Goldberger, Sarah Ditkoff, Allie Caton, Hannah O’Neal, Christina Kelly, Loren Lee-Flynn, Brian Grossman
9. Doing Good in the Community
We welcomed women from across the field of education into the studio for a night of Q&A and intellectual conversations for the Women in Education: Galentine’s Day Networking Fundraiser. The money raised was donated to Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
Then, we sponsored a reception at Connected Learning Summit 2018. Connected Learning Summit is dedicated to increasing access to participatory, playful, and creative learning through empowering researchers, educators, and developers.
We also gamed for good for 25 hours with Extra Life! We surpassed our original goal of $5,000 and raised $6,609 for sick and injured kids at Boston Children’s Hospital.
10. Extraordinary Intern Projects
We’re so proud of this year’s interns for their hard work and creativity, especially on their independent projects! Check out their incredible work, ranging from interactive games to practical and fun seasonal guides:
Coming up next year:
2018 sure was an exciting year, but we’re just getting started! We already have plenty of new and exciting projects and events lined up for 2019! Catch the FableVisionaries at the ED Games Expo, Kidscreen Summit, and SXSW EDU!
Has our work caught your eye? Message us with YOUR toughest challenge and we’ll help you meet it in 2019!
