May FableFriday: Tone Thyne, Vice President, Moonladder

After congratulating Tone on his ninth anniversary at FableVision and the rebranding of Moonladder, FableVision’s film and television division, let’s take this oppor-tone-ity to learn more about Tone Thyne. As Vice President of Moonladder, award-winning creative executive Tone focuses on creating, showrunning, and co-producing animated and live-action properties. By drawing on his personal experiences and meeting children at their level, he sets the tone for his broadcasting work, hoping to create educational, inspirational, and relatable content for kids.

“The best show creators are highly nostalgic in nature,” said Tone. “Reaching into the past to dust off experiences and feelings that we remember as kids (or remembering gems from our own childrens’ growing up) is the best way to create characters and experiences that viewers will relate to. Most of the stories I write are ripped from the pages of the Thyne house.” 

Read on to learn more about Tone’s creative journey, advice for aspiring children’s content creators, his latest hobby, and what he thinks about Woody from Toy Story.

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What’s your “journey to FableVision” story?
Sesame Street and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood have always been some of my greatest sources of inspiration. Each show seamlessly educates viewers by way of engaging characters and compelling stories. The learning is never didactic since the content is so entertaining. How can you even taste the spinach when it’s chopped up and mixed into a delicious milkshake? This kind of dedication to create meaningful content with a whimsical twist lines up beautifully with FableVision’s 200-year mission to move the world to a better place through media, storytelling, and technology. I was thrilled to join FableVision in 2014 to create original content with a studio that embodies my outlook on the positive power of children’s media through purposeful storytelling.

Congratulations on the rebrand of Moonladder! Can you tell us more about FableVision’s newest group? 
It’s an exciting time for FableVision. We are expanding in step with the industry’s growing need for original content. Since our studio creates original properties in the audio space with our audiyo-yo group and original games with our FableVision Games team, we felt it was fitting to distinguish FableVision’s original film and television properties with their own distinction as well. And so, Moonladder was born. 

We know that a kinder world begins with the bonds we form between young viewers and aspirational characters. Today, there is a notable focus on children’s media platforms to incorporate learning goals that lead to positive change in our world: diversity, gratitude, giving back to your community, inclusion, mindfulness, equity, and so on. Creating stories that inspire children to think about and interact with others in meaningful ways is in perfect alignment with Moonladder’s North Star. 

Rachel Marcus joined our team in February of this year and we are thrilled that her creativity and expertise in broadcast distribution and financing will help place Moonladder’s meaningful content with appropriate homes on important broadcast platforms around the world.  

Before you found your calling in creating, writing, and showrunning animated properties, you were an animator. Where did your creative journey take you?
I studied animation at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and cut my teeth in the real world at Walt Disney Feature Animation (great place to work, a little bit of a Mickey Mouse operation). I began there in production on groundbreaking films like The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Over my 12 years at Disney, I worked on other animated jewels like Tarzan, Fantasia 2000, Atlantis, and Toy Story. I left in 2001 to follow my lifelong dream of creating educational content for kids and had the incredible opportunity to animate segments on the “Letter I” and the “Letter N” for Sesame Street (it was my IN!). This eventually led to my producing animation at Little Airplane Productions where I produced animated series such as The Wonder Pets!, among others. While at Little Airplane, I co-created The Adventures of Napkin Man! Fueled by the thrill of creating my own series, I packed up my expertise and headed to FableVision to join superhero forces with the dream team at the studio to create some of the world’s most meaningful content. 

What was your time at Disney like, working on blockbuster films that many kids grew up on and cherish? 
It was unlike any experience I had ever had. The Great Masters of Animation were creating world-famous and culturally indelible characters literally right in front of me. I remember being in Michael Surrey’s office while he was sketching out options for what Timon could look like – or in Ken Duncan’s office while he was dreaming up Jane from Tarzan. I had amazing “front row seats” to recording sessions with notable talent like Tom Hanks, Demi Moore, Catherine O’Hara, among so many others. Music meetings with Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. What an absolute thrill. And knowing that the content that we made at Disney has such a global appeal and can impact people around the world in a positive way is nothing shy of heartwarming. Disney was a Master Class in making something from the very germ of an idea to post production and distribution. Being a part of that process helped mold my production skills, allowing me a 360 degree view of every aspect of creating content.

What attracted you to children’s television?
I was born the same year that Sesame Street was born and literally grew up watching the show. It had a profound impact on me, which helped me realize how effective and creative children’s media can be, especially on television. Creating children’s content that has the power to positively shape the citizens of tomorrow is a privilege that I’m grateful for every day.

Wonder Pets! Schoolhouse

What’s the key ingredient for all of your projects?
Quite simply: PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Viewers need to connect with content that they consume. The best way to connect with content is to relate to it in some way. The most effective tool for creating relatable content is to draw directly from personal experiences. Viewers can feel that authenticity. 

On a train one day, I was tickled to watch a playful interaction between a mother and her baby. Each time the mother handed the baby his soft toy, he would throw it onto the ground in a fit of giggles. I was mesmerized. So, when Sesame Street called looking for a short film about counting, I drew on this real life experience and created The Silliest Counting Show, a piece showcasing a little girl attempting to count soft blocks with a playful baby who continuously throws them on the floor. I was able to harness the joy and playfulness of the real world experience in our short film.  

Considering the importance of “lived experiences” in creating authentic content, it’s vital to have a broad range of voices at the table that represent the experiences characters portray on screen, whether cultural, historical, or personal.

What advice do you have for aspiring kids’ content creators?
Create what you know. You can’t tell stories or develop characters that aren’t close to you or it will reek of falseness. 

Also, know your audience. When my daughter celebrated her third birthday, I took tons of pictures of the adorable party, but when I looked at them later, I realized that they didn’t capture the magic of what I experienced in person. On her next birthday, I got down on my knee and took photos that were on an eye-level with the kids. Those photos put me right back at the party. Being on the same level with the kids had a real magic to it. There’s a famous clip of Mister Rogers speaking with a child in a wheelchair on his show. Mister Rogers doesn’t stand up and talk down to him, he crouches next to him, asks him if he can lean on his chair, and talks face-to-face with him. He literally gets down on the same level as his viewers. Metaphorically, children’s content creators need to join our viewers at their level.

And finally, give your characters flaws. Young viewers recognize flaws and relate to them. Showcasing “perfect” characters leaves a void between the viewer and the character they should be relating to. Whether a character is too impulsive or impatient or a little clumsy, young viewers should be able to look at a character and say, “That’s me. I know that person, I can relate to them.”

What are some of your hobbies?
I’ve been converting an old potting shed in my backyard into an art studio with an incredible custom floor. I bought 16,000 classic #2 pencils and created a herringbone parquet floor with a layer of epoxy over top. It’s super fun and immensely inspiring. This is where all the great future ideas will be born! 

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More About Tone

Favorite show? Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, of course.

Favorite movie? It’s a Wonderful Life, of course.

Favorite game?
My kids made up a game they call The Chain Game. We play it on car rides or at the dinner table. One person plays a song, then the next person picks a new song that is linked in some way through lyrics, theme, guitar riff… anything. It’s DJ Round Robin. 

Favorite place traveled? Crayola Experience in Easton, PA.

Favorite type of music to listen to while working?
Somehow sad music helps me come up with great creative ideas. The sadder the music, the better. I search Spotify for “Sad Playlists,” “The Saddest Music of all Time,” or “The Weepiest Break Up Songs.” When I put on my headphones and announce, “I’m going into my sad cave,” everyone knows I have some ideas to come up with. 

Favorite practical joke?
I began my first day at FableVision on April Fools’ Day. I came into the studio with a tray covered in foil and announced that I always bring brownies to commemorate my first day on a new job. When the staff pulled the foil away, they discovered a pile of Brown E’s that I had cut out of construction paper. They’ve never forgiven me.  

Concept art for Woody, featuring Tone’s blue eyes

A Tone fun fact that most people don’t know?
At Disney Feature Animation, the characters the artists create always seem to end up looking like the coworkers they spend so much time with. Everyone there is seemingly somebody. It’s like working at a theme park – Gaston and Pocahontas were great friends of mine and Belle was my boss. Woody from Toy Story bears a striking resemblance to me. Thankfully, my boots are free from snakes though.

August FableFriday: Nick Carbonara, Production Assistant

Production Assistant Nick Carbonara knows nothing brings people together quite like stories and games. His journey has brought him across the spectrum of the video game design process, studying game design and creative writing at NYU, dabbling in programming, and now finding a home at FableVision in the organizational side of producing. Nick’s passionate about relatable themes within unrelatable characters and the tradition of storytelling, something that connects us to our caveman days – when humans would stare at a campfire, imagining stories in their mind, dreaming of what could be. Read below to learn about his North Star (LEGO’s Junkbot Undercover), his favorite narrative works, and past campaign characters!  

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Columbia High School (Maplewood, NJ) Marching Band Days!

What’s your “journey to FableVision” story?
Games have always been a part of my life. Since elementary school, I have played so many games, and loved the ones on the LEGO website, especially Junkbot Undercover. In high school, I played games with a lot of friends, and from there I knew that I wanted to do narrative work in storytelling: that’s always interested me, especially coupled with science fiction and fantasy. 

I focused on narratives in my work at the NYU Game Center, but I ended up being a producer also because you run your own projects there. I realized I liked producing and the organizational side of everything – planning and ensuring we meet deadlines to give us that psychological security. After graduation, I focused on narrative, but also worked as a producer on indie games. 

And that led me to FableVision – this exploration of the production side of media. FableVision is really cool! Everyone has great energy as they create things that help people and educate folks. It seemed like the best place to start that production journey as the environment is very encouraging.

Nick and his mom at his graduation day!

What made you decide to study game design in college?
There are so many small reasons. Building a game is really interesting because you create a system that people themselves have to step into. It creates these scenarios where you’re thinking about the plot but also putting in gameplay, by asking questions like, “how do the mechanics fit with the story? Is there branching? How does that change things?” 

I also like that some games are very social and can bring people together to contribute to a story. And I think there’s the technical component that I enjoy. I do a little programming sometimes – I can look at a script and say, “I can sort-of kind-of maybe kind-of know what is happening here” and I enjoy using those skills. You don’t get to tap into that as much in other mediums.

Presenting at GDC in 2019

What do you think is key to a strong production process?
There are a lot of ways to answer this because production is so multifaceted. The ones that stand out to me are ones you’d expect: milestones, goals, and flexibility. But it's important to think that these goals are not merely practical – they’re also psychological and morale-based. 

In some ways the reason I started moving towards production is because there were projects I worked on in school where I had no idea how I was going to get everything done in time. The idea of having a plan gave me the calm and security I needed to reduce my psychological load to actually do the thing. And for team morale, if you say that you’re working towards a specific vision and can outline it all in a document, that gives you and your team an assurance that you’re going to make something. There may be some upsets, which is where flexibility comes in, but it’s much easier to change plans when you actually have a plan.

Presenting Don’t Split the Party at NYU Game Center Showcase in 2019

What type of projects do you like to work on?
Narrative is something I like a lot – I love storytelling. In that realm, the narrative of projects I like to work on is often a mix of the fantastical, weird, or sci-fi, but with relatable themes.

For my team’s senior NYU capstone, we created Don’t Split the Party, a visual novel-style game about a group of friends who play Dungeons and Dragons and you play as their Dungeon Master, making choices about what happens to them in the campaign. But the friends in real life are fighting about various personal issues and you use the campaign to keep them from having a big falling out. And that was really fun since it had real-world problems instead of just D&D. 

I’m also working on a project right now with others called Untitled Melody. It’s about two friends who move to opposite parts of the U.S. after college to pursue various artistic dreams. Although they're uncertain of their paths, they listen to the same music, which allows them to enter this dream-like state and see each other’s thoughts. It's very abstract and magical. It’s fun to work through real problems of 20-something-year-olds with weird magic on the side.

What would you like to work on in the future at the studio?
In general, each new project always feels a little unique because of the team makeup, the challenge, and the client. As a result, I think that whatever comes my way will be very fulfilling. I do love narrative things, of course, which is baked into most of the stuff we do here at FableVision.

What was your favorite game growing up?
Growing up, I loved LEGO games. I remember this Bionicle point-and-click adventure game where they had to explore the island and solve the mystery; Bionicle was this story-based LEGO line from the 2000s. I also remember the classic LEGO games, like Junkbot, where the main character is a robot who works in an office. 

At NYU I attended Professor Naomi Clark’s lecture, where she mentioned that she worked on the LEGO web games. After the lecture, I talked to her and said, “wait, the LEGO web games?” She explained, “not the big ones like LEGO Star Wars or anything on console,” and I said “No, I know exactly which ones you’re talking about! I played those!” 

And eventually, when I left the lecture hall it was 8 or 9 at night and I called my father and said, “Dad, you’re not going to believe this–”

She was a great advisor and teacher, outside of LEGO-celebrity-status. It was really cool to meet her and work/study alongside her.

Are you currently in an RPG campaign?
Right now, I’m taking a hiatus on RPG stuff because of how busy I am, but for some highlights of other ones I’ve enjoyed: 

A Long Strange Trip was a story that used a preexisting world Ebberon, which is a mix of fantasy and pulp noir – there are detectives, international intrigue, and sometimes science-fiction. My friend took that world and made a story for it inspired by Grateful Dead songs. I played a character who was both a therapist and assassin. It was wild! 

In another, everyone was looking for objects that had powers based on different aspects of reality, but dangerous forces wanted to gather them to assemble more power. My character was a former revolutionary-punk-band-member, but the rest of the band was captured by the state. He was a goofy guy who just stumbled his way through life and hung out with other adventurers. He made a lot of silly mistakes or went on embarrassing adventures that became part of his character. It was a lot of fun to be that slightly-more-clownish, heartfelt personality.

How do you combat writer’s block? What’s your writing experience like?
When I'm trying to wrap my head around a story, I have the hopefully-not-unhealthy habit of talking to myself. I find it’s useful when you’re writing. Sometimes, if I'm stuck, I just go for a walk and tell myself the story out loud. That can be helpful since you can hear it and process it in a straight line, rather than thinking about it all at once. You can think about how it would sound to a reader or a viewer or a player. 

And to get a little more philosophical about it, storytelling is something that humans have always done. They’d just tell stories around a campfire, and I think you can feel closer to that by telling your story out loud.  It helps you answer questions like: “how would I tell my story to others verbally? Would it sound good? What are the exciting bits? What are the boring parts?” 

And then, other than that, I do lots of narrative writing for games when I can. I did some work on short stories way, way back. I’d also like to write for animation and comics one day. 

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More About Nick:

Favorite book: I’m not sure what my favorite-favorite is, but in terms of short stories, I love “Story of Your Life and Others” by Ted Chiang. It was made into the movie Arrival. I also like a lot of graphic novels: one of my favorites is Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon, by writer Matt Fraction and artist David Aja.

Favorite show: I like a lot of animated adventure stuff, like The Legend of Korra and Young Justice. The latter deals with realities of being a teen or twenty-something, which are things that I really connect with.

Favorite pasta recipe: A reliable favorite for me is pasta with cream, tomato, and spinach. It’s really tasty, especially with parmesan cheese on it, and it’s an easy option. On special occasions, though, when I don’t have to be too healthy, I love carbonara. Genuinely. Unironically. It’s a fantastic pasta.

Favorite video game: That’s tough. I played a lot of Halo with my friends growing up, so that has a special place because of all the memories. I also really love the game Prey by Arkane Studios.

Favorite tabletop game: I definitely play Dungeons and Dragons the most, but I’m really excited about smaller RPGs. Lady Blackbird and Dread are both so much fun too. 

Favorite rock band: My favorite is The Anix, an industrial rock act from Los Angeles. I also like David Bowie a lot – my friends and I used to listen to David Bowie when we played Halo. 

Sputnik

Sparky

Apollo

June FableFriday: Andrew Start, Developer

FableVision developer Andrew Start is certainly not a newcomer to building educational games and interactives. With a background in programming and years working in the industry, Andrew brings a breadth of knowledge and experience not only to the projects he tackles at the studio, but also to the teams he works with.

“My favorite types of projects are ones where I can build tools that enable others to make awesome things,” says Andrew Start. “I am always happy to discuss needs, capabilities, and limitations in order to come out with the best possible product. At FableVision, I’m able to do that while working on a range of projects.”

An avid fan of games and an experienced learning games developer, Andrew “starts” his FableVision career bringing his knowledge and passion to help designers and artists build amazing games and interactives. His collaborative mindset, a key trait of FableVisionaries, ensures that FableVision doesn’t lose sight of designers’ creativity while building innovative projects for our clients. And the structures that he creates allow producers and designers to convert the clients’ visions into tangible products. 

Read more to learn about Andrew’s love for games, approach to learning, and favorite llama factoid!

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You’re a new FableVisionary. Welcome to the team! What is your “journey to FableVision” story?
I’ve always loved games, and I realized that I could enter the learning games industry to create games that also teach. I developed educational web games for years at CloudKid and continued that at Jibo, a social robotics company. After Jibo shut down, I focused on freelancing projects, which is how I discovered FableVision. After learning more about the studio development team, and overall culture, I accepted a full-time position here.

What does a typical day in the life of a FableVision developer look like? 
The vast majority of my time is spent head-down building out code structure or fixing bugs. Each day has its own tasks and fixes needed, so no two are the same, but overall there’s a lot of staring at computer screens and pondering involved. I’ll also spend time talking with producers and artists to keep abreast of known bugs and assets that are ready to be integrated, so collaboration and creative problem-solving play a large role in my daily routine.

What is your favorite part of being a developer, and how does FableVision differ from other studios? 
FableVision has a large range of clients and products, which keeps my daily work interesting. I like working on new challenges, whether I’m creating a game for a big-name client, an interactive for a museum, or a website for a small non-profit. FableVision’s varied clients and projects help me learn something new every day.

Technology has changed a lot in the years that you’ve been a programmer. How do you adapt to stay on top of current trends? 
I keep track of the tools that I use and then expand my knowledge to technology and situations adjacent to those tools. I also learn a lot about current trends and resources from helping out with open source projects and chatting with other developers.

What was your favorite game growing up, and how has your love of games impacted your career path? 
I don’t know that I had a single favorite game growing up, but the ones that I played multiple times were Golden Sun, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, and Pokémon Gold. Beyond the puzzles honing my analytical skills, the hours lost in the games fostered a lifelong love of video games, and that pushed me toward majoring in Electronic Game Programming in college. 

As someone who works in educational media, you also love to learn! Where do you go to learn new things, and what is your favorite random factoid that you’ve picked up?
I tend to learn from a variety of YouTube videos and Wikipedia rabbit holes. Most of that information gets packed deeply away, only to come out unbidden when tangentially related to whatever topic I am discussing. A fun fact that I can bring to mind, though, is the herding behavior of llamas: a single llama will form a herd with non-llama animals and aggressively defend them from threats, but two or more llamas will form a herd with each other and ignore other farm animals.

We hear that you’re a big fan of science fiction and fantasy. What are your favorite franchises, and what about those genres appeals to you? 
Star Wars got its hooks into me at a young age and has stuck with me ever since. My favorite part of fantasy and sci-fi media is the world-building—I have admittedly low standards for quality of dialogue and characters, but really value an expansive and coherently crafted universe that I can spend hours (or years) exploring in my imagination.

More About Andrew

Favorite video game: I think I’ll go with my soft spot for the first Company of Heroes game, whose cover mechanics ruined other RTS games for me.

Most challenging board game you’ve ever played: Diplomacy—it’s always a challenge to come out on top of six other players who are looking to betray you (or have already been betrayed by you).

Spring or summer: Trick question—winter is best, with hot cocoa, cozy fires, and no mosquitos.

A new skill you’d like to learn: I’d like to experiment with 3D printers.

Favorite outdoor activity: Ultimate frisbee.

Three people, dead or alive, you’d invite to a dinner party: A random assortment of the game-related YouTubers that I subscribe to—the conversation should be interesting, or we could just retire to the living room for some good gaming action.

May FableFriday: Andrea Hoerner, Associate Producer

Organization, communication, and trust: FableVision associate producer Andrea Hoerner has perfected the recipe for flawless project management down to a science. With a background in journalism and experience in higher education, Andrea combines strong people skills with her knowledge of pedagogy to lead teams that produce media that engage viewers and inspire change. 

The journalist in her seeks to honor the story being told by building strong connections with her team and clients. “The hours and hours I’ve spent with subjects either writing or photographing them has enabled me to build trust with clients and help them articulate their needs,” she shares. “Holding space for people to work through their ideas and observing what excites people are all ways of interaction that I bring with me into every meeting.” 

In her role, Andrea manages the studio’s technical and creative teams, as well as supports the production team on a variety of media projects. Read on for her organization hacks, advice to budding producers, and the sense of wanderlust that inspires her in all her endeavors.

Welcome to FableVision! What initially drew you to the studio, and what do you enjoy most about working in educational media?
When I first heard about FableVision, I had been trying to marry my passion for social impact and education with the work that I was doing day to day. Having come from a background working in higher education, I closely aligned with the studio’s mission. I spent some time doing my own research and connected with a FableVision staff member to learn more about the various types of projects the studio tackles. I was drawn to the work being done at FableVision, and now here I am! 

Here at FableVision, we tell “stories that matter, stories that move.” How do you, in your role as an associate producer, try to honor the different stories being told?
While each project has its own mission, deliverables, and clients, my universal goal as a producer is to ensure that our team’s creative collaboration on every project is a catalyst for the desired result of audience engagement and education. Regardless of the learning goal, I like that the work FableVision does is positive and instills a feeling of empowerment through play or interaction. As storytellers and creatives, the best way to honor different stories being told is through creating connection with audiences emotionally and visually. 

Before joining the FableVision team, you reached out to other professionals to learn more about the industry. What’s one piece of advice you would pass on to someone interested in entering the field?
As someone who loves learning from others and their experiences, I’d recommend a two-part piece of advice. I’d encourage someone interested in entering the field to network to get a sense of how the work and culture can vary at different organizations within the industry. And more importantly, I’d advocate for some internal reflection on your skill sets and experiences (“Me-search,” as I like to call it). I’ve learned that you can talk to as many people as you’d like, which is great; however, if you don’t really know who you are or what you’re looking for, it’s easy to lose sight of your own purpose.    

You manage and support multiple teams at the studio. How do you keep the lines of communication open between departments and ensure everyone works together to get a project over the finish line?
The needs of any given project fluctuate at different times, but constant effective communication remains a pervasive part of day-to-day management. When it’s crunch time for a project or we’re about to enter a new phase of production (QA Testing, animation, etc.), I am a fan of daily team huddles or meetings. These meetings typically last all of 15 minutes every day, usually bright and early, but they provide an opportunity for all team members from different departments to have a 360-degree view. This process helps build trust on our teams, which are different for each project, and I’m often sad when a months-long project wraps after the team has found a great rhythm! 

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to managing a project. What is your secret to staying organized? 
Personally, I love organization on a Marie Kondo level, so it’s not surprising to those who know me that I have many tricks up my sleeve. One of my favorite ways I like to stay organized across my different projects that all have moving parts is through very colorful post-it note lists on my wall. I like the visual display with color and the flexibility to prioritize or de-prioritize action items listed in front of me. 

You have a lot of hobbies. How do you cultivate your interests both in and out of work, and what is your go-to way to relax after a busy week at the studio? 
My hobbies and activities are a bit more limited these days given COVID, but I like to spend as much time outside as possible on the weekends. I’m a National Parks lover, and one of my goals is to visit as many national parks as possible! If I’m not hiking with my camera or kayaking on the Charles, I can be found meandering through the Museum of Fine Arts or dabbling with watercolor. Additionally, I’m always trying to perfect new recipes for baked goods or meals and enjoy sharing them with friends!  

We hear that you’re an avid fan of photography. Who are your favorite photographers and what do you enjoy photographing the most?
Photography has always been about “clicks and connections” for me, meaning connection through my lens with my own photos or the photos of others. I am always connecting to a specific sense of place, time, and often people, which in turn usually helps me learn more about myself. 

Two of my favorite photographers are quite different from each other in style, subject, and time. The first is Ansel Adams, as his images inspired my hiking travels to Wyoming a few years ago. It was incredible to float down the Snake River and see the Tetons emerge on the horizon like he did. I love the way he utilizes light, especially in his black and white pieces. 

The other photographer is James Nachtwey, who is an American photojournalist and war photographer. I remember watching a documentary about his work in high school and it left me stunned by the beauty and raw quality of his work; he has covered tragic events/crises globally from the Rwandan Genocide to famine in Somalia. While many would run away from capturing the individual human experience in conflicts like these, Nachtwey runs towards those at the heart of these experiences to tell their stories and give them a voice through his work.   

We also hear that you love to travel. What are some of your favorite trips that you’ve taken? Where do you look forward to visiting once it’s safer to do so?
I’m itching to get back out West (Wyoming, PNW) again on another hiking trip with my camera. Staying inside most of the last year has made me really miss being out in nature and spending time in environments that are radically different from city life. Outside the U.S., I would really like to visit Norway either in the summer or winter to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights!

If you could: 

Pick up any new skill: Play guitar well.

Live anywhere in the world: London.

Listen to only one album for the rest of your life: Rumours by Fleetwood Mac.

Learn any language instantly: Portuguese.

Have any animal as a housepet: Mini horse.

Have authored any one book that already exists: Too tough to choose!

March FableFriday: Mackenzie Bright, Production Assistant

“I can’t count how many nights I’ve spent absorbed in conversation with coworkers about games they’ve played recently or shows they’ve seen or books they’ve read,” shares Mackenzie Bright. “Or, that one memorable night where half the studio, at 9 p.m., obsessively combed the internet to source a specific item for a video shoot, and didn’t stop until we were successful. It was a great example of the team coming together to share the experience and get something done.” For Mackenzie, a production assistant at FableVision, her favorite part of being a FableVisionary is the people she is surrounded by—unique, passionate individuals who are all committed to the studio’s mission of telling “stories that matter, stories that move.” As someone with a vast array of interests and talents, it comes as no surprise that Mackenzie values the air of enthusiasm that has been cultivated at FableVision.

As a production assistant, Mackenzie manages and works with different producers to help manage a number of projects. No two days at the studio are ever the same, and Mackenzie embraces the organized chaos, effortlessly juggling different projects to produce consistently impressive results. She brings the same spirit of collaboration to her dynamic role as when she serves on the volleyball court, and the same eye for creativity as when she crafts stories in her free time. Read on for a peek into Mackenzie’s journey to FableVision, her love for educational media, and her favorite P.G. Wodehouse novel!

Tell us about your FableVision journey! What about the studio caught your eye? 
I first heard about FableVision in a Children’s Media class that I took during my senior year of college at Tufts University. That class was my first exposure to the world of children’s media and completely changed the trajectory of what I wanted from my career. When I started searching for internships, my professor Julie Dobrow recommended I look at FableVision, since they had such an excellent history. But the first thing that REALLY caught my eye about the studio? The Wall of Inspiration! When I came in for an interview and studio tour, I literally couldn’t look away. It was an incredible touch of personality that had a piece of every studio member on it, and it really helped sum up the things that make FableVisionaries special—individuality and never forgetting the things that shaped you. FableVision is undoubtedly unique because of the people I have the opportunity to work with here. Everyone at the studio is passionate about education and games, and that really shines through in the work we do.

You were a marketing intern before officially joining the team as a production assistant! What benefits did interning provide, and how have you adjusted to your current role?
Yes, I was! Interning had many benefits, not the least of which was a familiarity with the studio and the way our project flow worked. It also gave me an opportunity to become familiar with the people in the studio—ALL of the people, not just the marketing team! As a marketing intern, I was able to talk to and work with people from every other “department”, and they were always eager to answer my questions and get to know me. This made my decision to later apply as a production assistant very easy, because I already knew the work environment, and how genuine and wonderful every FableVision employee was. 

What does a typical day at FableVision look like for you? 
My days at FableVision vary pretty greatly depending on what my current project needs are. As a production assistant, I both manage my own projects and help other producers, so different projects need different things from me. Sometimes I have to dedicate full days to working on one project, and some of my tasks can vary from asset organization to VO recording and cutting. Other times, I spend a full day keeping up with management needs for a number of different projects. 

What has been your favorite project you’ve worked on during your time at FableVision? 
My favorite project at FableVision has been Civics! An American Musical, which we partnered with Maryland Public Television, Maryland Humanities, and Tufts’ CIRCLE as a part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program. I really enjoyed the civics aspect of the project, and as I helped out, I learned a lot about U.S. history. I’m also a huge fan of musical theater, so the opportunity to create my own Hamilton-inspired musical was a blast! 

What makes you the most excited to wake up and (virtually) head to work every morning? 
I am always excited to see my coworkers! At the time I’m writing this FableFriday, we are still working from home due to the pandemic, so seeing familiar faces on video calls is always the highlight of my day. We often stick around for a little while after meetings to catch up or share opinions on TV and music, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

What advice would you give to students who are trying to break into the industry? 
I would tell them to try everything, especially the things they’re not sure they’ll like! Branching out can often lead you to loving things you never would have considered before. 

You grew up playing a number of sports, and were even on the Women’s Varsity Volleyball team at Tufts University! What are some of the lessons you’ve learnt as an athlete that you carry with you in your daily life? 
Teamwork and perseverance are two incredibly important things I’ve learned from sports. FableVision is a team environment at all times, and it’s crucial to be able to work cohesively with other people, especially in production where your team is relying on your communication skills. However, I’ve found that the biggest lesson I learned from being an athlete is that things go better when you love what you’re doing—when you’re enthusiastic and excited about the project you’re working on, the job you have, or the game you’re playing!

In addition to being an avid reader, you also write your own stories. Rumor has it you want to work on writing a children’s book in 2021—tell us what we can expect! 
I have always loved the world of children’s fiction, and it’s my goal to write my own books! The world of fantasy writing as a whole really shaped my own interests, and some of my favorite things to read today are still the books I first read as a kid. Children’s literature always has such a broad range of worlds to be seen, adventures to be had, lessons to be learned, and it’s important to me how crucial these books are to helping kids figure out who they are and what they stand for. Children’s books are gateways to wonder and a better understanding of the world, and I want to see what doors I can open, too!

Favorites: 

PG Wodehouse novel: Right Ho Jeeves. It was the first one I read, and it’s a classic!

TV show: Parks and Recreation.

Musician: John Williams.

Study abroad memory: Traveling to the Isle of Skye in Scotland and hiking up mountains in the rain!

Season: Fall—I love the colors and the weather.

Brunch dish: Fried-egg everything-bagel sandwich with cheese and bacon.