February FableFriday: Snow (Xue) Dong, Producer

Some places have winter wonderlands that last a few months and others sparsely get a few snowflakes, but lucky for us, we get Snow all year round.

FableVision’s Producer Xue Dong, who goes by Snow, joined FableVision to pursue her interest in children's media. An artist herself, she brings her creative eye to each project, combined with her strong project management, communication, and teambuilding skills. To ensure that client needs are met while taking the thoughts of artists, developers, designers, writers, and others into consideration, Snow creates a safe working environment and the opportunity for anyone to speak up.

“I’ve enjoyed projects where the team is collaborative – everyone brings their skillset to the table, we bounce ideas off each other, and we learn from one another,” says Snow. “I make sure to ask everyone’s opinions, which can be challenging, but ultimately rewarding.” 

Keep reading to learn more about Snow’s approach for producing the best possible projects, how her Chinese upbringing helps her pay attention to small details, and the type of art that she loves to create.

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What’s your “journey to FableVision” story?
As I studied sociology and animation in college, I didn’t know what I could do with those two fields, but I knew I wanted to do something creative and educational. While taking an animation class, I started researching what other Harvard students did with this degree, and I found Lead Animator Didi Hatcher’s work. I met up with Didi in the old, quirky FableVision office and it was a great opportunity for me to see how smaller organizations create purposeful media. After college, I met Executive Producer Peter Stidwill when he spoke at a local event. I introduced myself and learned about his FableVision experience. There weren’t openings then, but a couple of years went by, and I applied to an open producer role… and here I am!

Why are you drawn to children’s media?
Growing up in China, I took great pride in learning English at a young age and being good at it. Disney movies were a main resource for me, so the media was very impactful for my own childhood experience. As I worked on personal animation projects in college, I had so much agency over my creations, since I was the film director, writer, storyboard artist, and animator. The children’s piece comes in due to my sociology background. I was really interested in how education plays a part in our society, and I thought it would be cool to see how media could influence kids at a young age and facilitate learning in a fun way. I also watched Mr. Rogers for the first time in college, since he’s not famous in China. He has such strong beliefs in what media should do for kids, and he became a huge inspiration for me.

Why did you decide to go into producing? How did your background prepare you for this role?
Producing makes so much sense to me since it combines my strongest skills, knowledge of art and animation, and creative eye. My past experiences have helped me organically find how to best position myself and use my strengths. In my previous job, I worked with others, managed projects, facilitated communication, focused on timelines and deliverables, and made sure we got things done. So being a producer at FableVision was a great fit and once I started working here, everything felt familiar and comfortable to me.

What types of projects do you like to work on?
I love projects where we can collaborate amongst ourselves and with the client to come up with a great solution. It’s cool to see the problem solving that takes place in a project. It’s rewarding when a client wants our input, since we have more creative agency over the project, and it takes us some figuring things out along the way. And of course, every project is different, so you have favorite art in one, a favorite game in another, and so on.

How do you work with other team members to produce the best possible projects?
Proactive communication is so important. Since our projects are educational, they’re research-based with a lot of information, and we have to be careful to deliver the right information and content. I help team members be in sync, especially since people may be working on multiple projects, and I never assume that someone just gets it. I check that everyone is on the same page.

A lot of our projects are interactive games, which involve designers, artists, and developers. Everyone works on different pieces, but still needs to have a global understanding of the project, so that no one falls out of the loop. I try to remind myself that everyone’s ideas matter, and the most valuable opinion might come from someone who is two steps down the pipeline.

Lastly, I focus on the client relationships. Producers are the bridge between the client and the project team, so I make sure to connect them with each other and ensure there isn’t miscommunication.

How has your experience growing up and studying before college in China shaped your perspective?
I’ve lived in the U.S. for about seven years now, but having my own upbringing that is different from people in America, even though America is diverse, keeps me very curious. I have to remind myself to educate myself more and ask questions, which makes everything more interesting. Something may be common for Americans, but for me, it might feel new or different. It also helps me be a conscious observer; the things that are new to me might not trigger the same questions to those raised in the U.S.

It makes me appreciative of the American education system’s resources, but also raises more questions. For instance, even though there is an abundance of resources, not everyone learns and discusses complicated topics, such as race, in the same way. I love seeing what’s on American public television. There are many thoughtful creators, and it’s great knowing that FableVision is adding good content to that repertoire.

Lastly, it keeps me inspired to bridge the cultures. I’m working in an all-English environment, but I would love to at some point connect with Chinese creators and work on a Chinese project.

We heard that you’re also an artist! What type of art do you like to create?
I love figure drawing, which I’ve done since childhood, and drawing faces. I took a drawing class in college with live models, which helped improve my drawing since the human form is full of wonderful geometry, shapes, and textures. I would invite friends over, do portrait sketches, and show them my work. People usually liked what they saw and that felt rewarding. When I retire, I want to bring an easel to the farmer’s market and do free portrait drawings. I did this in China for a month where I would go to a cafe and sketch people. Once, I asked those who sat down with me to play their favorite songs, and the songs informed my sketching styles. For example, if it was a sad song, I would make the linework more somber, and if it was happy, it would look almost like anime.

I also want to improve my children’s illustrations. One of my goals is to create a small children’s book for my friend’s 4-year-old kid, who I’m tutoring in Chinese. I’ve been procrastinating, but I’m halfway there. It’ll be in English and I want to illustrate it myself. 

On a very different note, I tried songwriting during the pandemic. I played a little guitar in college, so I wrote some silly tunes, took an Ableton class, and tried producing my own songs. 

And you’ve been dabbling in baking?
I started baking also during the pandemic, which I found very comforting. I hated the idea of baking before, but once I started, I leaned into it and went all out. Originally, the measuring system really got me… ounces? Cups? Tablespoons? Teaspoons? They didn’t make sense. One time, I mistakenly put a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon of baking soda and everything tasted like toothpaste. But, my key moment was buying a baking book. I followed the recipes exactly, so my baking would turn out really well, and I would feel super accomplished. And I love sweets and sharing them with people – that makes me happy too.

Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m an aspiring cat parent! I’ve always loved cats and have recently been surrounded by cat people, especially at FableVision. Fingers crossed, before the end of 2023, I’ll have my own orange cat.

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More About Snow:

Favorite book?
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.

Favorite film?
Princess Mononoke.

Favorite game?
Ransom Notes.

Favorite holiday?
Mid-Autumn Festival because the traditional food for this holiday is moon cake, and it’s delicious.

Favorite American idiom?
“I’ve got bigger fish to fry” – when I hear this, it reminds me of a villain in an animated movie moving on to their next scheme, the next problem that they’re going to cause.

A Snow fun fact that most people don’t know?
In Chinese schools, some students are asked to give motivational speeches that they prepare ahead of time. Our school would have a speaker every Monday, usually a different student, and I’d be called up quite frequently. Outside of school I competed in public speaking contests. A super niche and buried past of me!

June FableFriday: Jill Letteney, Producer

With an extensive background in project management and event coordination, FableVision Producer Jill Letteney brings her masterful organization skills to every project she works on. She ensures that everyone knows what’s going on and there’s no miscommunication between the client and the creative team. 

“It’s certainly a balancing act with creative and timeline – they are equally important on all of our projects,” says Producer Jill Letteney. “I throw a lot into planning and scheduling in the initial stages, planning backward to ensure that we can meet deadlines.”

Read the FableFriday to learn more about Jill’s favorite type of work, most rewarding part of producing, and love of museums.

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What’s your “journey to FableVision” story?
My introduction to FableVision came quite some time ago from former Developer Erin Carvalho. I remember her telling me about the animation and games she developed from a studio housed in the same building as the Boston Children’s Museum.

Years later, once my kids went back to learning in school, I expressed interest in freelance work and Executive Producer Peter Stidwill reached out about producing a short animation for the National Action Alliance. I had the best time working that summer with the FableVision team and felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment when we completed the project. I knew I wanted to do more. When FableVision offered me another animation project, I jumped at the chance and I’ve been happy to work alongside such creative, fun professionals ever since.

Kiawah Island

You have an extensive background in project management and event coordination. How did you transition to production?
Project management has been at the core of every job I’ve held. No matter the role, special projects and events pop up, and I’m happy to take on coordinating. Transitioning to production was easy since it involves scope, scheduling, planning backward from a deadline, and breaking large tasks into smaller ones. At FableVision, I know who to turn to if I run into obstacles. Troubleshooting issues can be fun and productive when you are working with the right people.

What type of projects do you like to work on?
I really enjoy animation and seeing the components of a story unfold over time. There are so many little details that we have to think about when it comes to character designs, backgrounds, and story. It’s like assembling a vibrant, moving puzzle. 

I also like producing live-action projects, from getting to know the crew to working on set. We recently filmed a series of videos where we put in a lot of hours to get everything shot in two days, but it was a lot of fun. And the studio we partnered with, Sound and Vision Media, featured us on their Facebook and YouTube pages.

Cliffs of Moher

How do you work with other team members to produce the best possible projects?
I try to stay as organized as possible so team members have access to everything they need to do their best work, like art assets, script copies, brand guidelines, storyboards, and schedules. I work to facilitate communication between clients and project team members so people aren’t spending time shuffling through various communication tools. It’s a challenge to tell a story or deliver information in short form and I’m always amazed at how effortlessly our artists, writers, and developers can work to pull it all together.

How do you balance the creative and timeline on complex projects?
I’ll share a high-level schedule with our clients so they know where we are throughout the project. I try to schedule meeting time with team members before we enter a new phase, like design, animation, or development, so we can discuss our project goals, assess existing work, and address any concerns or potential conflicts. 

Once I’ve established a solid structure for the project and we know our direction, it’s easy to let the artists take charge of their work. And I’m never disappointed with the quality and quantity of work they put out. I truly believe we have some exceptional talent here!

What are the most challenging or the most rewarding parts about being a producer?
The most challenging part is keeping track of the moving pieces as we near a deadline. Fortunately, we use tools like Basecamp, Slack, and Trello so I know where we stand. I also work with fantastic production assistants who jump in to support so I can focus my energy where it’s needed. And without a doubt, the most rewarding part is hearing and seeing how happy our clients are at the end of a project. When they return later with new work, I get all of the good feelings again.

What advice do you have for aspiring producers?
Don’t overlook your creative intuition! Trust your gut and speak up when you notice something – that will help streamline the projects and bring them to their fullest potential. 

You’re involved with several Harvard groups! Can you talk about your work with Harvard Square Script Writers and Harvardwood?
These writing groups kept me connected with people and the outside world during the pandemic! Screenwriting is such a craft – I admire writers who can tell a meaningful, visual story in just 90 pages. Depending on my schedule, I try to review one or two scripts per month, providing notes and feedback to help writers craft more realistic characters and dialogue. I’ve read some amazing work and I always leave these meetings inspired to write and collaborate. Fortunately, I can carry that into my work with FableVision. It’s a great feeling to have my hobbies inform my professional life and vice versa.

We heard you’re a big fan of museums – tell us more!
I love museums – they’re the first thing I want to see when I travel somewhere new. When my dad moved to Philadelphia, he and I visited four museums in two days. As an undergraduate student, I studied Classics and Historical Linguistics and spent a lot of time at the MFA deciphering funerary inscriptions in Latin and Etruscan. Then I got my graduate degree in Museum Studies and worked closely with the MFA Boston, Harvard Museum of Ancient Near East, and the Brooklyn Museum on various research projects.

Museums are responsible for so much when it comes to their audiences: quality content, meeting educational goals, and online and in-person accessibility, among others. Exhibition design has similar processes to multimedia production, except I don’t have to handle fragile, ancient artifacts.

More About Jill

Favorite show?
Mad Men! I’ve rewatched the entire series five times and always discover something new. My husband bought me the box set recently so now I’m enjoying the director’s commentaries.

Favorite game to play with your kids?
Mario Kart – I used to be able to beat them. I’ve also been playing a lot of FableVision games with them recently, like Echo Explorers, Bubble Build, Claw Control, and Lights, Camera, Budget!, to prepare for new projects. It’s fun to see what attracts their eye in games and they give me very honest feedback when it comes to what they like and what they don’t like.

Favorite holiday?
My grandfather’s birthday was March 17, so St. Patrick’s Day was a big deal for my family. We celebrate every year with a parade, live music, food, crafts, games, and prizes. I basically start planning right after Christmas because it gives me something to look forward to in the spring.

Favorite band?
I love Radiohead but I haven’t seen them perform live yet. :(

A Jill fun fact that most people don’t know?
My cousin Dillon and I inspired a children's song: “Jillian Dillon (The Hippoplatypus).” (For the record, I am neither part hippo nor platypus, but I hope to see each in their native habitats one day).

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.

April FableFriday: Peter Stidwill, Executive Producer

“When there’s a lot going on, it’s a bit like conducting an orchestra,” shares Peter Stidwill, FableVision Studios’ executive producer. A working studio has many moving parts—departments, research cycles, partners—and Peter works with all of them to ensure harmonious production. 

Peter originally connected with FableVision during his time at Learning Games Network (LGN), a longtime FableVision partner, with whom the studio collaborated on the award-winning Quandary. His background includes jobs at the BBC and the UK Houses of Parliament, where he worked on game-based learning and digital educational tools.

In his role, Peter manages multiple animation, games, museum interactives, and other media, as well as oversees staffing to ensure that teams are set up to meet the varied needs of all projects and clients. From finding potential new partners to creating initial timelines to reviewing user feedback, Peter guides projects from inception to completion. “As a producer, I absolutely love being the ‘vision holder’ of a project,” shares Peter. This “vision” allows him to oversee every aspect of a project as the ultimate production maestro. You can catch him representing the studio at various panels at industry conferences—including an upcoming one in June! Read on for more details. 

What does a day in your life as executive producer look like, and how has your daily task list changed since first joining FableVision?
Although my transition to executive producer meant taking a step back from some of the detailed day-to-day production tasks, it allowed me to play a bigger role in finding and meeting clients and partners—brilliant people doing engaging and impactful work—and collaborating with them to shape the overall approach of new projects. A typical day for me includes talking to potential clients to scope out new partnership opportunities, mentoring and supporting our talented team of producers, working with FableVision’s skilled art, technical, and creative directors to plan resources, and meeting with individual production teams to kick-off new projects and review deliverables. And snacks. Lots of snacks. (Is it snack time yet?)

What sets FableVision apart from other studios?
It’s all about the amazing diversity of people and projects. My FableVision colleagues bring enthusiasm, joy, and thoughtfulness to all our projects. And our clients and partners allow us to create some of the most worthwhile and important products, campaigns, and media that I could hope to work on, whether that’s bringing age-appropriate playful assessment to kids across the State of Georgia, or helping children and parents destigmatize conversations around mental health through an animation and graphic novel right here in Massachusetts.

What is challenging in your role? What is rewarding?
Each of our projects is unique at FableVision, and that’s what keeps them both challenging and rewarding! We have strong, solid processes for all the different types of media we create. At the same time, we constantly refine and customize our tools, approaches, and skills in order to meet specific goals, leverage new technology, and react to user feedback. It’s truly inspiring to see our production teams create so much fun content every day across such a broad range of projects, whether it’s a digital prototype to test a game mechanic, a cute raccoon character for an animation, or music for our latest app.

You’ve worked on large projects like Zoombinis and Quandary! How do you approach projects of that scale, and what’s your favorite part about working on those kinds of projects?
The idea for a Zoombinis relaunch began while I was still working at Learning Games Network prior to joining FableVision, so I was excited to be a part of the team making the game a reality after coming to FableVision. One of my earliest roles was to write the game design document, which required me to have a strong understanding of the original game in order to reverse engineer the game logic. We also made alterations to the logic according to feedback we received from fans of the original and the original game designers: Scot Osterweil and Chris Hancock. The project truly was a team effort between TERC, FableVision, and LGN, and that strong partnership—as well as always honoring the original vision of the game while also modernizing it to maximize its impact of end-users, both those who have been fans for years and first-time players—was truly what made it a success.

Quandary was my first project at LGN, and being able to see the process from both the client and developer sides was very interesting for me. With a game like Quandary, which teaches ethics and perspective-taking through story and a card-sorting mechanism, it’s important to keep the game goal top of mind, along with considering scale, timeline, and other budget needs. In approaching a game like Quandary, the learning objectives and the impact of the game on the user are important to consider throughout the game design process. We’ve received incredibly positive feedback from educators and students, as well as the educational gaming industry through conference awards and talks, which really show the impact that a game can have on teaching social-emotional skills, such as problem-solving and comprehension.

In my role as executive producer, one of the most fun parts of a large-scale project is to map out the overall approach, beginning with an empty slate and blank timeline, and sketching out the components of the project, as well as balancing everything out to meet the needs, timeline, and budget. It often involves a lot of number wrangling in spreadsheets and planning software, but I find it to be a rewardingly creative and collaborative process in its own right.

You have a background in engineering, with a focus on “virtual learning applications.” How has your background influenced your work at FableVision?
I always knew I wanted to combine art and technology in a way that helped inform and entertain. I also knew that I loved creating—be that films, games, or elaborate models of theme park rides. So educational media and technology was a perfect fit. That’s what I specialized in during my engineering degree, where I focussed on researching, creating, testing, and iterating on technology approaches that made a real impact for teachers and students. I’ve always tried to build on that experience and approach throughout my career.

You came to FableVision from Learning Games Network, who we’ve had a strong partnership with for years. What was it like working with FableVision as a client? How was the transition into FableVision’s production process?
I absolutely LOVED working with FableVision as a client. FableVision genuinely took the time and effort to understand and build on the goals of the projects I worked with them on. I think that’s part of FableVision’s secret sauce: each team member that touches a project during its development is empowered, encouraged, and motivated to add creativity to the finished product. It was a natural transition from LGN to FableVision, as I knew the people and mission was aligned with my own.

You’re presenting in a Serious Play Conference panel in June on game-based assessments with MIT Education Arcade and Playful Journey Lab. How are game-based assessments gaining momentum in the edtech industry, and how has FableVision stayed at the forefront of this trend?
Game-based assessments are becoming more popular as an alternative to traditional testing that often takes the stress out of the assessment process. We’ve found that game-based assessments show a lot of promise in their ability to level within grade levels for students struggling with mastery of the standard. There are multiple entry points along the learning continuum to assess the standards in a game.

In designing game-based assessments, FableVision tries to approach them in a similar manner to our non-assessment projects, marrying content and game design. Good games—whether educational or not—inherently assess the player’s ability to perform in the game and provide appropriate leveling, feedback, rewards, and challenges in real-time. That’s what makes games such a great learning tool. And as they are digital, there is huge potential, but also potential pitfalls, with capturing that data and presenting it back to players and teachers. So when designing game-based assessments, we try to bring in our extensive knowledge of game design and user engagement, while adding on the additional assessment layer. 

Formative assessment, in particular, we find is where the benefit of a gaming approach can really shine through and where teachers can get insights into how the kids are doing and provide targeted interventions to help them. We design the backends of our assessment games so they collect data throughout and present that information to educators. The data that we deliver to teachers is always at the forefront of our minds. We are fortunate to have worked and continue to work with incredible partners and clients, in both the commercial and academic worlds, to apply the best practices from researchers, the feedback and insights from educators, and the experiences of players in this field over diverse subject areas and for all ages across a large number of games.

You’re also an avid gamer—both playing and creating! What is your favorite game at the moment, and what overlaps do you see between the work you do at FableVision, the games you play for entertainment, and the projects you complete in your spare time?
I’m currently playing A Short Hike, a delightful and relaxing exploration game that builds a wonderful sense of place and adventure. Like many of the games I play and that FableVision makes, it fuses story, characters, and mechanics to create a fun, uplifting, and moving experience.

April showers bring May flowers! What’s your favorite rainy day activity, and how do you keep yourself entertained while stuck indoors?
Rainy days are always a great excuse to play both computer and board games. I’ve also recently got back into an old hobby of mine: video editing. While I love making non-linear experiences, I also find a lot of joy in the creativity of compiling linear stories.

More About Peter:

Next on your to-read list: Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood.

Favorite hiking trail: Franconia Ridge Loop Trail, White Mountains, NH—conquered on my second attempt!

Best ride at your favorite theme park: Avatar: Flight of Passage, Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Public figure you’d most like to meet (dead or alive!): Kylie Minogue.

Favorite word: Omnishambles.

Preferred way to have a cup of tea: PG Tips with milk! (Good old English builder’s tea).