FableVision and AETC Collaborate to Promote COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy

With COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and vaccination hesitancy on the rise, educating ourselves remains a priority. By combating false information and taking the time to learn about COVID-19 and other health topics, we can improve the health of us, our family, and our friends. 

To bring humor and movement to complex scientific concepts, FableVision and the AIDS Education Training Center (AETC) partnered together to create an animated series based on the NoiseFilter Podcast and Live Show, featuring infectious disease specialist Dr. MarkAlain Dery and community health expert Dr. Eric Griggs (Doc Griggs). The podcast aims to distill COVID-19 information, debunk misinformation, and correct health literacy.

To extend NoiseFilter beyond a podcast, FableVision created a video series with animated versions of Dr. Dery and Doc Griggs as they digest complicated scientific concepts into bite-size chunks. By using humor, storytelling, and punk rock spike proteins, they provide an easy way for the general public to dispel myths and understand COVID-19 and mRNA vaccines. As Dr. Dery and Doc Griggs’ personalities, dynamic, and humor come to life, FableVision artists use fun visuals, whimsy, and fairy tale analogies to help the doctor duo captivate audiences and explain medical concepts in an easy-to-understand way. 

“Dr. Dery and Doc Griggs have an amazing wealth of pop culture knowledge and a super-cartoony sensibility, which makes the brainstorming sessions ridiculously fun,” says Leigh Hallisey, FableVision’s Creative Director and Head Writer. “They aren’t afraid to push the boundaries with trippy visuals and humor, as long as the science is accurate and engaging for our audience. You’d be hard pressed to find anything else like it in the world of health PSAs, and that makes us really proud.” 

As a studio committed to telling “stories that matter, stories that move,” FableVision is proud to team up with AETC and NoiseFilter to produce a series that aims to reduce health disparities and achieve health equity through creative educational methods. Read on for more information.

A Look Inside

Episode 1: Valiant Vaccine Versus the Vicious Virus
Animated versions of Dr. Dery and Doc Griggs provide a simple way for healthcare workers and the public to discuss COVID-19. With fast-paced cartoons, engaging punk rock music, and superhero antibodies, the pair details how COVID-19 makes people sick, how mRNA works, and how mRNA vaccines fight Coronavirus.

Episode 2: The Big Bad Variant and the Three Little Griggs
The second video uses a Three Little Pigs analogy and more humor to demonstrate how the mRNA vaccine fights COVID-19 variants. By comparing the human body to the three pigs’ houses and COVID-19 to the wolf, the animation delves deeper into how COVID-19 mutates and how the mRNA booster shot helps the body update its security system to fight the mutating virus.

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Established in 1987, AETC aims to improve the quality of life of persons with or at-risk of HIV through high-quality professional education and training.

To stay informed about COVID-19 and to follow Dr. Dery and Doc Griggs’ journey of promoting health initiatives, watch the first two episodes on AETC’s YouTube Channel, the NoiseFilter website, and other platforms. Stay tuned for more episodes to come.

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.

August FableFriday: Michael Fogarasi, Producer

“I was drawn to FableVision because of its emphasis on mission-based projects” says Michael Fogarasi, FableVision Producer. “This coupled with working with creative and technical teams here at the studio brings a uniqueness to what might otherwise be a traditional project management role.” As producer, Michael manages not only his own schedule, but those of his team members. He also keeps track of task lists, reviews, and other items to ensure the projects he produces are running efficiently and delivering high quality content.

Michael is also no stranger to stepping up when it comes to a new project. As evidenced by his transition from Associate Producer to Producer and his role as Production Internship Coordinator, Michael not only understands the production process, but is also passionate about guiding and mentoring FableVision interns so that they can understand and become familiar with it.

Although every project is different, Michael welcomes every unique challenge and works hard to keep the team on track to deliver a project that meets both the client’s mission and the studio’s goals. And since we work with like-minded organizations to move the world to a better place, his managing of our teams is seen and felt by staff and partners alike. Let’s jump in and learn more about his process for approaching new projects, what he looks for in a production intern, and where he’s headed on his next vacation!

How did you come to be at FableVision?
I started college around the time when educational technology websites and apps like Quizlet and Duolingo were first coming out. Once I tried them, I was immediately hooked—they not only became an integral part of my learning experience, but also sparked a passion for educational technology. Pursuing this passion, I ended up as an intern in MIT’s video production department, where I helped film and edit courses for MIT OpenCourseWare. Then, a good friend of mine and former FableVision associate producer Katie Tusch, let me know the team was hiring for the associate producer position, and I jumped at the chance.

You have to balance a lot of schedules when producing projects. What does a day in your life look like? And how do you keep your team(s) on track?
My day starts and ends with a variety of productivity tools and schedules. Every morning, I’ll check in on FableVision’s weekly schedule and my own schedules for each of my respective projects. I’ll then make sure that each person on my team knows what they have ahead of them that day—sometimes that’s through project stand-ups, Slack check-ins, or I’ll just head over to their desk. 

For projects that are earlier in the process, we tend to meet fairly frequently, so I’ll gather the team for brainstorming sessions or production meetings to start the problem-solving process. I’ll also frequently meet with clients to present what we’ve been working on, making sure that we capture their feedback.   

All of this information ends up getting organized on my personal Trello board. Anything that comes my way gets immediately noted and categorized—I rely upon it heavily! I probably run through my to-do list 10-20 times a day to determine the next steps that need to be taken. Then, I’ll do one final swoop at the end of the day to ensure we’ve hit all of our deliverables, while also previewing the next day—just to make sure there are no surprises! 

What is your process for approaching a new project, and what advice do you have for new producers starting their first project?
The beginning of a project is an exciting time—it can go a million different ways and it’s the producer’s job to help find its footing. Beyond setting up all the organizational infrastructure, my advice would be to become intimately familiar with the client’s goals and wishes for the project. I like using the project kickoff to explore the client’s background and reasons for coming to FableVision. Those early conversations can set the tone for the entire project—if you’re able to keep these discussions in mind, you can make sure that every decision is made in the project’s best interest. 

What’s the biggest difference in producing animation and game projects?
Animation and games are quite different in the way they are experienced—animation conveys its information to curious viewers, while games need to get their message across through a series of interactions. 

In animation projects, I like to think of the storyboard as the end-product of the ‘plan’ phase. Once the script has been written and the storyboard drawn—both major feats on their own—our team has a pretty good sense of whether the piece is engaging or conveys the intended message. If we’re happy with the piece at this stage, we can be very confident that we’ll similarly be happy with the final piece—and so it just becomes a matter of executing on the storyboard, which requires tracking all the assets to be created, scenes to be animated, and audio to be recorded. 

Meanwhile, an interactive project’s ‘plan’ is typically a game design document, which describes all the interactions a user may encounter throughout the experience. Ultimately, the design process requires careful testing and tweaking of the document’s mechanics over the course of the development cycle to ensure that we create something fun that simultaneously gets the content across. Because of that, our team needs to act much more quickly—constantly meeting, reviewing game builds, and discussing potential improvements—while also figuring out which assets need to be tracked and created. It’s a process that keeps you on your toes!

You’ve produced some pretty large projects during your time here. Can you tell us a little more about one in very recent memory, Project Here Games? What went into getting that project to the finish line?
Project Here Games was a really fun and challenging project to work on. The project was commissioned by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) as part of their Massachusetts-state-wide Project Here initiative to combat substance use through social emotional learning and healthy decision making. As you can imagine, that’s a pretty hefty task to fit into an engaging website for middle schoolers—but none too big for the project’s creative masterminds, Leigh Hallisey (creative director/writer) and Loren Lee-Flynn (user experience designer). Our team devised a series of quizzes and games, which were designed to model real-world situations and reward healthy decision-making. Combined with a really fun art style from our art team, Keith Zulawnik and Christina Kelly, the website was an instant hit. And collaborating with associate producer, Mikaela Johnson, and really dedicated teams at the AGO, Human Resources in Action, and GE, allowed us  to wrap up the project smoothly and successfully. 

You also project managed The Paper Girls Show! What’s your favorite thing about that animated series?
The series Paper Girls Show depicts two friends, Caily and Reese, who are both totally enamored with STEM and use it to solve all sorts of creative challenges. The show aims to break down gender stereotypes around STEM subjects and empower more girls to join those fields. It was inspiring to work with a team of people who were passionate about the mission. This created a fast-paced, creative environment that was amazing to be a part of—we could barely keep up with all the backgrounds, characters, and designs our art team was producing. And at the end of our first season, it was exciting to receive validation for our hard work once we took home animation awards at Cannes, Palm Springs, and KidsScreen!

You’re also the coordinator for the studio production internship. How do you work with the interns to insure they’re getting the most out of their time here, and what do you look for in a production intern?
At the beginning of a student’s internship, we meet to determine what sorts of projects they are interested in and subsequently pair them with a few. While assigned to a project, the interns become part of the team, helping out in a variety of capacities. When I was an intern at various companies, I didn’t always get a sense of the company’s bigger picture beyond the project I was assigned to, so I also started a series of weekly meetings with our interns, in which studio members discuss their roles and backgrounds. Through these meetings, the interns are able to see how all the different pieces of the FableVision puzzle fit together. 

Regarding prospective candidates, I’m most interested in whether they have demonstrated a real interest in either children’s media or educational technology. We’re looking for students who are really passionate about the field and made efforts to contribute to or learn about it. 

What are your favorite ways to unwind after work?
I really enjoy running, biking, or cooking when I get home in the evenings. I don’t have a car in MA, so I’ve been able to get out and explore the area by biking deep into the suburbs and countryside. I also love trying out and perfecting new recipes, particularly with unique ingredients or new flavors I haven’t experienced before. 

You’ve lived in and travelled to a lot of countries. How have your travels influenced you, and what’s your next vacation destination?
I was lucky enough to grow up in a foreign service family, which meant moving to a new country every three to four years. It’s hard not to love travel with that kind of background. So since I moved back to the US about 10 years ago, I’ve been trying to get out as much as possible. I love seeing unique places (especially city skylines), trying new foods, and⁠—though I’m a bit of an introvert⁠—meeting new people. 

In terms of next destinations, one of my good friends is moving to Argentina for a few months and I’m hoping to get down there in the fall. It will be my first South American destination, but I’m hoping to travel throughout the continent at some point. 

More about Michael:

Current show you’re binge-watching: Anything from Bon Appetit’s YouTube channel.

Favorite game: Mario Kart Double Dash.

Any podcast recs? It’s not the cheeriest rec, but I’ve been listening to Slate’s Slow Burn about Bill Clinton’s impeachment. I’ve been trying to revisit political events from my childhood and this fits in perfectly. 

Go-to dish to bring to a potluck: Homemade hummus or a dip with too much garlic.

Favorite book you’ve read recently: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou.

From the Musical Mind of Laurie Berkner

Laurie Berkner’s music is made for toe-tapping. With roots in early education, Laurie began her illustrious career in the niche genre of “kindie-rock” by producing catchy tunes for her students. Since then, Laurie has made a name for herself with charming, kid-friendly, parent-approved hits that include a creative medley of words and sounds to delight her listeners. Recently, she teamed up with FableVision and our Vice President of Creative, Tone Thyne, to bring the spirit of childhood whimsy to Zebra Penguin Skunk: Beach, the new animation from Sesame Studios that introduces young learners to an early understanding of engineering and creative problem-solving concepts. Right from the start, the project was a perfect fit for Laurie.

“To me, music is about connection. We use it to connect to concepts and to connect to other people, both of which are vital learning tools. The whole musical theme came to me the very first time I sat down and played along to the video,” says Laurie. “With this piece, I was purely inspired by watching the animation. I immediately heard a ukulele—partly because it takes place at the beach and because the uke can be made to sound simple and innocent.”

Read on as we chat with Laurie to learn more about how the two-toned trio of Zebra, Penguin, and Skunk sparked her creativity, her process behind composing a musical score, and all the new projects up her talented sleeves. And be sure to tune into Zebra Penguin Skunk: Beach exclusively available today on Sesame Studios!

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The New York Times calls you the “Adele of the preschool crowd.” How did you become interested in the “kindie rock” genre?
I started out as a preschool music teacher in various schools and daycare centers, and began writing songs to sing with the kids I saw every day. This was long before the term “kindie rock” had been coined. I loved the creativity and immediacy of making music with young kids and was thrilled when I realized I could actually make a career out of it.

What attracted you to Zebra Penguin Skunk: Beach?
As soon as I saw Zebra Penguin Skunk: Beach I fell in love with the animation. I had been thinking a lot about how I would like to try my hand at scoring something visual and paying a lot of attention to other people’s work in that field. It was such a wonderful surprise when FableVision reached out to me to work on this project! I was excited to create music representing these adorable characters who express so much without using words—just the way young children often do—and was immediately inspired the first time I sat down to explore some musical ideas. 

What was the process like working with FableVision and Tone Thyne on this project?
It was fantastic. Tone is not only funny, fun, and extremely easy to work with, he is also exceptionally talented. I fully trust his artistic instincts—especially when it comes to creating content for kids. The process could not have been smoother or more pleasurable.

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Neither Zebra, Penguin, or Skunk speak with words, but your music plays an important part in conveying the engineering challenge the trio face. When you were composing the music for Zebra Penguin Skunk, how did each of the characters inspire you?
I wanted Penguin to start out as the happy whistler and for that happy theme to go away whenever a challenge arose. When Skunk joins him and Penguin starts again to build a sandcastle, we hear the happy whistling come back. When they are both clearly disappointed at not being able to stop the water from ruining their work and Zebra finally appears, there is a pause in the whistling as we wait to see what he might do. The happy theme comes back as Zebra builds a wall—which finally allows them to protect their feat of engineering! I also loved using my guitar to express both the sad moments when the ocean would get the better of their structures and the bright spots of triumph when something they did worked!

Music is a crucial component of early childhood learning and development. As a former music teacher, why do you think music education is so important?
Music provides us with ways to express ourselves so that others understand us better and we get better at communicating. It allows us to use our creativity through our bodies and our minds, so it’s accessible to almost anyone. It is the best way to incorporate new information and to retain it. I think that shared musical experiences give us all a more open way of viewing the other people we share this planet with, both culturally and individually.

Your new book releases November 7 from Simon & Schuster, based on your popular song, Pillowland. What can you tell us about the book and what it was like adapting the song with Camille Garoche’s art?
I am so proud of this gorgeous book. I say that having had very little to do with the artwork! Unlike my previous picture book, We are the Dinosaurs, illustrated by Ben Clanton, where we talked through many ideas of what story the pictures would tell before he started working, Camille took the text she was sent and just ran with it. She uses a technique that is a combination of collage and diorama, and then she photographs her creations and finesses the final pictures digitally. She really created stunning illustrations for Pillowland and invented a visual dreamworld that beautifully expresses the ideas in the song. I love her portrayals of family in the story and characters in the music. 

Do you have any upcoming dates where people can hear you perform?
We will actually launch Pillowland at a release party on November 4 at the Peter B. Lewis Theater at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, NY. I will do a very short musical performance, read from the book, and sign the copies that are included in the ticket price. There will also be an ongoing art workshop based on Camille’s illustrations.

Laurie and her bandmates

Prior to that, I will do a Facebook Live concert on November 1 in honor of National Brushing Day. I’ll be sharing my tooth brushing song that I wrote for Tom’s of Maine and give everyone a sneak peek at the book.

I’m also performing many holiday shows with the band in November and December as well as solo shows coming up as soon as January 2018. You can see all of the details here on the concert page of my website. 

Any other new projects you’re working on?
Yes! We are just starting rehearsals for a project that I wrote the music for. It’s an Off-Broadway family musical produced by New York City Children’s Theater (NYCCT) called Interstellar Cinderella, based on the picture book written by Deborah Underwood,  with script by NYCCT’s Barbara Zinn Krieger. The story is a futuristic and feminist take on the original fairytale that is inspiring and fun! In a totally different musical direction, I also just released an album called Laurie Berkner: The Dance Remixes, where I made EDM (Electronic Dance Music) versions of 14 of my classic songs. I think it came out really well, and it’s a great way to get younger kids up and moving while providing older siblings with a trip down memory lane. 

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Check out Zebra Penguin Skunk: Beach! and be sure to subscribe to Sesame Studios for brand new videos to make you smarter, stronger, and kinder!

FableVision Celebrates Women's History Month 2017

Over the past 20 years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to compelling story-enriched media for learners of all ages – and that includes highlighting diverse and powerful representations of female characters. In honor of  the 30th anniversary of Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating female characters we’ve created and worked with over the years. From purple-haired rockstars to influential educators, we’re proud  to draw inspiration from trailblazing women.

Gathered here are just a few of our favorite FableVision feministas. Check out our portfolio for more inspiring characters!

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Vita
Zebrafish, Children’s Hospital Trust

Vita marches, sings, and fundraises to the beat of her own drum. In Zebrafish, this earnest teenager is all about making a change in her community. It’s not just her purple hair and rockin’ voice that make her stand out, but her desire to make a difference in the world. When her friend Tanya gets sick, Vita uses the power of music to help move the world to a better place.

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Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein
The Powder & the Glory, Powder and Glory Productions

Though they never met each other, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein built an industry that’s now worth over $150 billion dollars. These two women not only revolutionized how makeup was viewed but how women saw themselves. Together with Powder and Glory Productions, FableVision animated sequences for the PBS film, The Powder & the Glory, a documentary that channeled the energy of the Roaring Twenties and life in the 1930s.

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Neshama Ryman
The Klumz, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York and Western New York

At 10 years old, Neshama Ryman has illustrated, written, narrated, and directed her own animated short film, The Klumz. Neshama took the innate clumsiness of her favorite imaginary creature, and turned it into something beautiful. FableVision helped the driven young artist turn her dream into a reality.

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Alice Marriott
Hot Shoppe, Marriott International

Welcome to “The Hot Shoppe.” Opened in 1927 by Alice and JW Marriott, the little cafe grew into what is now Marriott International. Alice was Marriott’s first cook, and acted as co-founder with her husband. Resourceful and driven, she’s a role model for the entrepreneurial spirit. The animated series shares Marriott’s core values and for both hotel employees and the public alike: a fun reminder of their priorities from day one.

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Savannah Harper
Georgia Race Through Time, Georgia Public Broadcasting

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see back in time? With her motorbike and trusty canine companion, Peaches, Savannah Harper does just that. This self-reliant young woman is the star of Georgia Race Through Time, a history game that takes players on an exciting journey across the state of Georgia. As an antiques collector with a special gift of seeing back in time, Savannah is a reminder to celebrate personal uniqueness and do what you love.

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Isabella Reyes
Good Thinking! The Science of Teaching Science, Smithsonian Science Education Center

Isabella Reyes is a confident, funny educator who learns as much as she teaches. In the animated series, Good Thinking!, Ms. Reyes works to dispel common scientific misconceptions. An experienced teacher, Ms. Reyes is a self-proclaimed science nerd who understands the importance of education. With good humor and a bright personality, Ms. Reyes has educators learning and laughing alongside her as she demystifies the science of teaching science.