Nick Jr. and Noggin look on the interstitials as a development lab for new shows. Josh Selig's Linny the guinea pig segments eventually evolved into Nick Jr.'s ultra-successful Wonder Pets series. Courtesy of Nick Jr.

"We approached these interstitials as the `world's shortest animation series' instead of an animated logo," says Lawson & Whatshisname's Jiek Weishut. "We needed to promote the broadcaster but knew that if we introduced convincing and identifiable characters in eight seconds we could implement the interstitials on a broader scale, keep the viewers' attention -- and give the broadcaster three animated mascots.

"Normally eight interstitials would have been enough, in this case we started with 40 episodes. They'll be available on Internet and as e-cards. Spin-offs and TV specials starring the characters are on the agenda. The beautiful thing," Weishut concludes, "and a tip for other producers, we used to compete for the programming budget, but we created this series from the [network's] communication [i.e., promotion] budget."

Canada's TELETOON cable channel is adding to its lineup of interstitial series and in the fall will be introducing Futz!, three-minute long segments produced for the channel by 9 Story Ent. in Toronto. A spokesperson for the channel notes that it can be a challenge to produce more mature animated series for "The Detour," its teen/adult block, due to the smaller number of outlets willing to run (and pay for) the programming; as a result, short-form content created for mobile and internet use wind up on the service as interstitials.

PBS Kids Sprout "deconstructs" classic PBS series into short segments, and uses interstitials to link them together. Sprout Diner uses redubbed footage of PBS stars like Barney and Bob the Builder. Courtesy of PBS Kids Sprout.

Back in the children's arena, Martha Speaks is an upcoming preschool series from WGBH Boston and Studio B in Vancouver Canada. With its inspiration a series of picture books starring a talking dog, the show's educational focus naturally falls on vocabulary and language skills.

PBS' children's series run a precise 28:46, with only 1:14 given over to local stations for identification and promos. It's an anomaly compared to other non-commercial children's TV outlets, where shows more often run 24 minutes and interstitials fill out the half hour. According to Carol Greenwald, the show's producer at WGBH, removable interstitials are built into PBS kid shows that "expand on a nugget of information" contained in the show. "Usually the interstitial segments are done in live action to provide a real-life connection to the stories" says Greenwald, citing PBS shows like Curious George, but "in Martha's case we felt animation gave us a better opportunity to support" the show's lessons.

Each Martha Speaks episode contains two interstitials, running between 30 and 45 seconds that explore the words used in the show. "They reinforce the episode's lesson," says Studio B producer Andrew Jiwa. "They tie into the regular story but they can be removed and work as standalone segments that run on different platforms."

PBS Kids Sprout -- a joint venture between Comcast Cable, PBS, HIT Entertainment and Sesame Workshop -- exists as a 24-hour digital channel, a video-on-demand service and an online broadband service. "American half-hour shows are very strange," according to Andrew Beecham, Sprout's svp of programming, claiming that kids lose interest seven or so minutes in. The channel "deconstructs" classic PBS series into short segments, and uses interstitials to link them together. Mr. Mailman began life as a wooden puppet on The Birthday Show, but his unexpected popularity turned him into the world-traveling 2D star of The Many Adventures of Mr. Mailman. Sprout Diner, another interstitial series uses redubbed footage of PBS stars like Barney and Bob the Builder calling the diner as a bridge into segments focusing on nutrition, information reinforced on the Sprout website, where recipes related to the segment are available. "It's all about the short form," Beecham sums up. We're programming to suit the audience, not the schedule."

Joe Strike is a regular contributor to AWN. His animation articles also appear in the NY Daily News and the New York Press.