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Drawing from Memory: Wrapping up 20 years with our Wall of Inspiration

We’re strong believers in the power of play. The Wall of Inspiration at FableVision Studios serves as a reminder to keep our inner child’s sense of wonder alive. The wall is one of the first things to catch your eye when you walk through our front doors. FableVisionaries are encouraged to add to the wall with memorabilia, toys, or books—whatever it is that sparks inspiration and imagination in their work. Over the years, the wall has grown to include items from the newest staff members. The pieces each have special, nostalgic significance and it’s a testimony to our 20 years of creating lasting stories that matter, stories that move.

As we wrap up our celebrations, be sure to check out our 20th anniversary page here for more personal anecdotes on what makes FableVision the special place that it is as we continue on our 200-year mission.

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1. Gary Goldberger, President and Co-Founder
The Blue Shoe was the project that started FableVision and launched my career. It was the first movie I directed and had a hand in animating. I remember spending nights and weekends working to bring this movie to life. It was a true passion project and it set me on the path towards creating stories that matter and move.

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2. John Lechner, Art Director and Co-Founder
In the early days of FableVision, Peter Reynolds created a cast of characters called the NaviGuides, who live underground and help people achieve their dreams. One of our interns in the early days, Karen Kukta, created a plush version of the main character, Candu, as a gift for FableVision. Candu has been gracing our studio ever since, inspiring us. 

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3. Karen Bresnahan, Executive Producer
Many of us grew up in the days of lunch boxes, and we created the FableVision lunch box as a fun marketing tool. We would fill it up with surprises and send it out to special people, and it was always a hit. There are still a few of these rare collector’s items left. 

4. Bob Flynn, Director of Art and Animation
I had a lot of fun learning about Pokemon and playing the new game this year. I’m probably biased, but I think these are the best Pokemon starter designs since the original ‘90s game. (I chose Popplio!)

5. Jordan Bach, Senior Developer
These two pins were made for Kickstarter supporters of Zoombinis, a game we made with TERC and Learning Games Network. They're a reminder of all the great fans who pitched in to help fund the project, and also of the fun time we had making the game.

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6. Sarah Ditkoff, Marketing and Client Services Manager
I got this little trophy from the National Spelling Bee booth at my first ISTE Conference. I was new to FableVision and overwhelmed by how big and busy the conference was. It acts as a little reminder of a time I was scared of something but it all turned out okay—lucky for me it's shaped like an actual trophy!

 7. Loren Lee-Flynn, UX/UI Designer
Shortly after I started at FableVision, my parents attended an open house at the studio. My dad immediately noticed the Wall of Inspiration, and loved it. For him, the shelves cluttered with toys and random objects meant that his daughter had found a fun and friendly place to work. The next time I saw my dad, he handed me three grotesque plastic figures that he had painted as a kid. He suggested they would be a good addition to the Wall of Inspiration, and I think he was right.

8. Christina Kelly, Production Artist
While I didn't make the stars inside this jar, I watched multiple people in the office come together over the weeks to fold stars and fill the jar. It started as an activity for a project wrap party, and as people showed others how to make them, filling the jar with stars became an office-wide activity. It inspired me to see the filled jar, a physical embodiment of the studio coming together.

9. Mitul Daiyan, Marketing Coordinator
As I celebrate my first year at FableVision and help wrap up our 20th anniversary celebrations, I wanted to pay tribute to this meaningful year. This framed gallery includes the artists and former FableVisionaries who contributed their take on what makes FableVision FableVision. It inspires me to see the strides we’ve made with the help of a loving, wonderful, crazy-talented community.   

 

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January FableFriday: Drawing from Memory with John Lechner, Art Director and Co-Founder

This is a special year for FableVision. We’re celebrating 20 years of designing and developing a wide array of engaging media that have inspired, taught, and moved people to action. Behind this mission-driven company is a team committed to creating positive media to help move the world to a better place – and at the helm of that team are our co-founders: Peter H. Reynolds, Paul Reynolds, Gary Goldberger, and John Lechner.

We sat down with John Lechner, Art Director and Co-Founder, to talk about this incredible milestone. His history with FableVision gives him a unique perspective on our approach to crafting educational media – and how we’ve kept pace with an ever-evolving industry over the years. “As our company grew and the animation world evolved, we went on to adopt new technology, enabling us to work on more award-winning interactives and web projects,” shares John. “We were always experimenting, always trying new things, and still are.”

Read up on all our anniversary celebrations on our website and stay tuned for more updates from the Drawing from Memory series! 

What do you think is the secret ingredient for the success that FableVision has cooked up? 
There are probably many answers, but I think the secret ingredient for FableVision is story. Human culture is founded on stories, they are how we understand the world and each other. Peter is a natural storyteller, and a natural story-listener. Even the most ordinary ideas are communicated more effectively through a story, and all our most successful projects have been based on storytelling. 

Looking back 20 years ago when FableVision was first developing, what is the biggest piece of advice you’d give to your younger professional self?
As a young artist, I thought life was made up of distinct career paths, and once you chose your path, you had to follow it to completion. But life is much more unpredictable, especially in creative fields. You have to be open to new opportunities, new directions, and often you'll end up in a place that’s more interesting and rewarding than the place you thought you were going. 

What have you learned from the various FableVisionaries you've interacted with over the past 20 years?
Working with so many creative people over the years, I have learned more things than I can count – game design, web design, storyboarding, animation, character design, programming basics, project management, and the list goes on. Every project I worked on was a learning experience, especially the most difficult ones. Most importantly, I learned how to work as a team and collaborate in a positive way.  

What’s been one of your favorite projects that you’ve worked on at the Studio?
One of my favorite projects was the animated film The North Star, based on the book by Peter H. Reynolds. It was a beautiful story to animate. With narration by Tim Curry and music composed by my brother, Tony Lechner, it was the people behind the project who really helped pull it together

How has FableVision played a role in inspiring you to pair together your work as an artist and writer? 
When I started working at FableVision, it opened up a whole new world of digital art and storytelling. The internet was still a new platform for reaching audiences, and we experimented with all kinds of creative projects online. Now I have so many more venues for telling stories than I did twenty years ago, it’s amazing.

How do you expect animation and educational media to evolve over the next 20 years?
With the explosion of new media over the last ten years, I think the biggest challenge now is not to create more elaborate experiences, but simpler ones. I like to think we will start focusing less on how the content is delivered, and more on what kind of stories we need to be telling.   

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An Unforgettable 20th Anniversary Bash!

Love lit up FableVision Studios on Friday. Glowing lanterns and dozens of balloons welcomed over 300 guests to help us celebrate an incredible 20 years of creating “stories that matter, stories that move.” Our Studio was filled with friends, colleagues, fans, and FableVisionaries past and present who came from all over to celebrate and help make this event as meaningful as the past 20 years have been.

Our conference room held people drawing their vibrant takes on the FableVision logo as our 20th Anniversary staff video played in the background. Off to the side, a (temporary) tattoo parlor gave our guests a special way to “make their mark.” Custom #fable20 cupcakes added a tasty touch. As folks wandered through our hallways, some paused to write special birthday messages on our giant birthday card while others illustrated their favorite FableVision memories on our Doodle Wall. Our photo booth was filled with a fun mix of props and laughter as people posed for pictures long into the night.

Thank you for helping us raise a glass and giving FableVision a birthday party we’ll never forget. Thank you to every member of our team, every client and partner, and every supportive “cheers!” we received in-person and online.

The celebration isn’t over yet! Our celebrations last a full year, keep an eye on our blog for our Drawing from Memory series. There’s so much more to come. Want to see more pictures from our event? Check out our Facebook album and be sure to watch our 20th Anniversary video.  

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