Cue the Conferences: FableVision’s 2023 Guide

Lunches with partners, new meet and greets, enlightening sessions, presentation opportunities, and exciting cities – what’s not to love about conferences? Check out where we’re headed to learn from industry professionals, share our insights, and most importantly, see you.

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MuseumNext Digital Learning Summit

During the virtual conference, learn how museums can keep up with evolving technology to create engaging and immersive experiences for visitors. Keep an eye out for Kellian Adams Pletcher, our Director of G.L.A.M. (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) Innovation.

When: Monday, June 19 – Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Where: Online

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ISTELive 23

Visit our friends from FableVision Learning at their tables at the Keystones Technology Innovators in PA session on Wednesday, June 28 from 9–11 a.m. and STEM Playground — Tools for Physical Computing and Making from 12–2 p.m. in the ISTE Explore and Create Playground. Paul Reynolds, Andrea Calvin, and Mary Johnston will provide hands-on demonstrations of FabMaker Studio and Animation-ish. Learn more here.

When: Sunday, June 25 – Wednesday, June 28
Where: Philadelphia

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Games for Change Festival

Celebrate Games for Change’s (G4C) 20th anniversary with a summer festival full of events analyzing the past, present, and future of gaming and XR.

FableVision’s VP of audiyo-yo Anne Richards will present a project brief on Nunaka!: Games for Indigenous Cultural Heritage Preservation on Wednesday, July 19 at 5 p.m.

Producer Jonah Gaynor will present a project brief on Wilson Center’s Plastic Pipeline right after Anne on Wednesday, July 19 at 5:20 p.m. Both presentations will be at the Microsoft Winter Garden.

President Gary Goldberger and Communications Strategist Nadya Karpova will also be attending. We hope to see you at both project briefs! The schedule and more details can be found here.

When: Tuesday, July 18 – Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Where: New York City

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Podcast Movement

At the world’s largest podcast conference, passionate podcasters and industry professionals gather to learn from each other and improve the audio community. Anne Richards and Gary Goldberger will surely tune in — don’t forget to say hello.

When: Monday, August 21 – Thursday, August 24, 2023
Where: Denver

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Ed Games Expo 2023

The  Ed Games Expo is a public showcase of game-changing #edtech innovations developed through programs at IES, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and across government. We’ve got a few great things lined up for Wednesday, September 20 at Kennedy Center REACH:

• Between 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., catch FableVision Studios’ Paul Reynolds, Snow Dong, and Nadya Karpova, along with FableVision Learning’s Andrea Calvin and Mary Johnston in Skylight Pavilion at tables S-7 and S-8. We’ll be doing live demos of Civics! An American Musical and Nunaka.

• At 1:30 p.m., Snow will lead a Master Class on Civics! at MoonShot Studio. If you’d like to attend, please register here.

• Between 5:30-8:30 p.m., find us in PT-109 at tables P-3 and P4 for the Ed Games Expo for the Public.

Click here to view the Ed Games Expo agenda.

When: Tuesday, September 19 — Friday, September 22
Where: Washington, D.C.

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Serious Play Conference

Time for some serious fun in Toronto, while learning about creating and using games and simulations for educational purposes and how to move those programs ahead. Make sure to attend Executive Producer Peter Stidwill’s session on Wednesday, October 11 from 2-2:45 p.m. on Five Tips for Researchers Who Want to Make Educational Games. See the full conference program here.

When: Wednesday, October 11 – Friday, October 13, 2023
Where: Toronto

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Hands On! Conference

Hosted by the Children’s Museum Creaviva in Bern, Switzerland, Europe’s largest conference on science education and children in museums will experiment with exhibitions, themes, and learning opportunities. And who’s keynoting? You guessed it — Kellian. More information coming soon — you don’t want to miss this one.

When: Wednesday, October 25 – Friday, October 27, 2023
Where: Bern, Switzerland

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MCN Annual Conference

For MCN 2023, the Penn Museum in Philadelphia will gather over 600 cultural heritage professionals from museums, historic sites, and visitor attractions to advance digital transformations in museums. Kellian and Gary can’t wait to see you there.

When: Wednesday, November 8 – Friday, November 10, 2023
Where: Philadelphia

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This year, Gary, Anne, VP of Moonladder Tone Thyne, and VP of Development Rachel Reade Marcus attended the Kidscreen Summit in Miami. At BostonFIG Online Expo, Kellian presented tips for researchers and developers working together when creating games. We were thrilled to catch up with you at those conferences, and we look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones in the upcoming months.

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.

Educate, Engage, and Equip Yourself this Earth Day

FableVision is celebrating the 51st Earth Day! While it is important to be grateful for the world around us year-round, Earth Day is an opportunity to increase our awareness and knowledge of the ways in which we can take better care of our planet. This includes being more mindful of the impact our actions and behavior can have on the world and its current and future residents—people, animals, plants, and more. Here at FableVision, we understand how imperative it is to educate people, especially youth, to treat the planet with respect. It is also crucial for all of us to stay educated and informed about the value of our natural resources and the impact our every move can have on the earth today and every day.

So this year, we rounded up our favorite resources to showcase the Earth’s beauty and different ways we can preserve and protect it. Whether you’re looking to explore the mysteries of the deep sea, or seeking clarity about natural phenomena you never quite understood, our collection has something for everyone. Keep reading for engaging animation, clever PSAs, and fun games and interactives that will hopefully teach you something new!

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Animated Atmosphere (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research)

Come rain or shine, UCAR’s new FableVision-created Animated Atmosphere series is sure to blow you away! If you have ever wondered why sea levels are rising or what the difference is between rain, hail, and snow, this is the video series for you. Learn more about why ozone can be good or bad, how you can take care of yourself during a heatwave, and what exactly makes the wind blow. Watch these 17 animated videos to answer questions you may have about climate change, the weather, and natural phenomena. 

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Secrets of the Sea (Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access)

Take a deep dive into the magical world of coral reefs! Secrets of the Sea allows viewers to familiarize themselves with the beautiful mysteries of a coral reef and learn from explorers who have dedicated their lives to studying the organisms that make up these habitats and leading the fight against climate change to protect these precious habitats. Immerse yourself in this digital experience, created in partnership with the Smithsonian and featuring FableVision-designed 2D zooplankton and 3D models.

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Sorajiro: PSAs (Big Tent Entertainment)

Japan’s favorite weather mascot has made his way to the USA! In four funny, approachable PSAs, Sorajiro and his friends, Potsie and Kumo, tackle topical environmental issues, such as marine litter, air pollution, climate control, and environmental health. Created in partnership with Nippon TV and the United Nations, this series offers a call to action to viewers. Each 30-second video shows one of the friends committing an environmental faux pas and being corrected by the other members of the trio, ending on an empowering note by suggesting ways in which we can protect the environment. We all know someone who needs a gentle reminder to engage in better environmental practices—go ahead and send them a Sorajiro PSA!

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Go Wild! With Ranger Rick (National Wildlife Federation)

The animals are calling! Go Wild! With Ranger Rick includes three activities to encourage children to get off the couch and outside to appreciate nature! Children between the ages of 4 to 8 collect badges and awards while expanding their knowledge and acknowledging the beauty of the outside world. In Mystery Animal, kids rack their brains to guess an animal based on a range of clues. That’s Wild! seeks to astonish kids with fun facts, riddles, and jokes all based on their favorite animals. And in Rick’s Pix, kids unleash their creativity to decorate photos with stickers, frames, and nature backgrounds, saving their favorites to the app’s scrapbook. Ranger Rick is waiting—have a safe journey! 

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The Paper Girls Show (Global Tinker)

Earth is cool, but have you been to Confetti? Join Caily and Reese, best friends and makers, on their adventures to a fantastic world crafted entirely out of paper. Guided by paper kids Kami and Dev, the girls unleash their creativity and problem-solving skills to bypass obstacles and avoid the wrath of Queen Frivol, discovering solutions to real-world problems along the way. In addition to displaying inspiring ingenuity through their creations, the girls also touch upon and display the importance of sustainable practices, educating viewers on topics such as renewable energy sources and recycling. The 12 animated episodes are centered around storylines with STEAM-inspired curricula to remind young girls that “If you can dream it, you can make it!”

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.

3 Educational Games to Make October Magical

FableVision wishes you a spooky and pumpkin-spiced fall! Leave the lemonade and cherry popsicles behind in favor of a caramel apple and a stroll under the changing leaves. We warmly welcome the season with our new fall banner designed by FableVision lead artist Christina Kelly. As we embark on a school term that looks different from previous years, FableVision is here to help keep learning fun and festive! 

To celebrate the most mystical month of the year, we invite you to play some of our current favorite games. As you get cozy in the colder weather, fly over to different worlds from the comfort of your home. 

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Creep it real with Cyberchase Fractions Quest 

Encounter monsters and excitingly challenging math problems with Cyberchase Fractions Quest! Students join the CyberSquad to defeat villain Hacker while learning fractions and strengthening their problem-solving skills in a series of minigames. This math learning game is based on the popular and award-winning PBS KIDS show CyberChase and combines research-based methods with a high-stakes adventure story for grades 3 and 4 fractions learning. The beta version is available for free for a limited time on FableVision Games. And keep an eye out for our full release of the game later this fall!

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Leaf planet Earth behind in Galaxia 

Hang out with aliens as you stop an evil plot that’s threatening your out-of-this-world boarding school complete with futuristic laboratories, hybrid animals, and floating cafes. Created in partnership with National Health Promotion Associates (NHPA), Galaxia is a bullying prevention game that invites students to work through scenarios surrounding peer pressure, bullying, coping with stress, and more in connection to the evidence-based LifeSkills Training middle school curriculum. Students’ choices in the game affect the trajectory of their path, teaching them the impact that their actions have in order to prevent bullying in all forms. 

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Trick or treat yourself with Make That Paper 

Lace up your work boots and slip on your favorite flannel as you join a team of woodland animals to run a forestry business. Created in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting Education and the Georgia Forestry Foundation, Make That Paper: Careers in Forestry invites high school students to strengthen their career employability skills while learning about the forestry industry. As they soak in the woodsy fall aesthetic, students can interview Deidra Deering, collaborate with Bobbi Bear, review Gabriella Greentree’s resume, and apply forestry science knowledge to industry-related scenarios. Will you succeed in sustainably and efficiently managing your business?