In addition to working on television, independent shorts and commercial spots, animation studio Buzzco Associates is now an Emmy winner, thanks to Candy Kugel's recent win for her work on BETWEEN THE LIONS' "Polly and the Pirate" segments for the 2008 season.
Buzzco created a brand new series of segments for PBS Kids series BETWEEN THE LIONS called "Polly And The Pirate." "Polly and the Pirate" is an on-going adventure series of segments (like "Cliff Hanger") whose primary mission is to teach locative words (over, under, next to, around, etc.)
Each adventure takes place on a different island with a show-specific treasure they're hunting for: On a tropical island they're searching for a turbo-charged skateboard; on a crater filled landscape they look for a telescope; on an island with bushes shaped like musical instruments they're looking for a set of musical instruments; on an island resembling Ireland, they're searching for a pot of gold and finally on a desert island they're looking for a toy helicopter. The parrot reads the instructions and the treasure-hunting pirate, despite missteps and mistakes, valiantly follows them.
BETWEEN THE LIONS is produced by WGBH in Boston and airs on PBS in the U.S.
Buzzco's latest independent animated short dEVOLUTION premiered at Ottawa International Animation Film Festival this summer. Originally conceived in a time of senseless warfare, unfortunately, it is still relevant today demonstrating that warfare is the antithesis of evolution. Longtime Buzzco collaborator Hal Silvermintz drew the storyboard, upon which dEVOLUTION is based, during the Vietnam War era. Vincent Cafarelli wanted to turn it into a film, but it didn’t happen. He kept the board in a drawer for over 40 years and when he unearthed it, showing storyboard samples to a friend, he and Kugel determined that the time was ripe. Silvermintz, who is now retired and living in Florida, was happy at the notion that his work would finally be realized and was delighted with the final results.
Credits:
Directors: Candy Kugel a Vincent CafarelliDesign: Hal Silvermintz and Candy KugelAnimation: Candy Kugel and Vincent CafarelliMusic: Lanstronaut & the GaragebanditsProducer: Marilyn Kraemer
Another recent project Buzzco worked on was a new SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK episode. When veteran animation producer/director Phil Kimmelman telephoned Buzzco to see if they would be interested in creating a new episode for SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK, they jumped at the chance.
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK is a series of short educational musical pieces that has aired on ABC Network since 1973. Kimmelman's studio was responsible for such classics as "Conjunction Junction" and "I'm A Bill." SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK was created by David McCall (of the advertising agency McCaffery McCall) and many of the original creative team are still executive producing this new series for ABC/Disney.
By coincidence, Kugel was going to south Florida on vacation and was able to meet with Kimmelman, who lives in that area. There she heard the demo of "The Rainforest" a song written by Lynn Ahrens. Kugel started drawing the local tropical plants and photographing the trees around her hotel.
Kugel was asked to design something very different from the traditional Tom Yohe design. The producers were interested in Buzzco's independent films -- specifically the neon color on black (like A WARM RECEPTION IN L.A.) and the painterly FAST FOOD MATADOR. Kugel drew a colored storyboard in time for the final recording, sung by Tituss Burgess, currently performing in THE LITTLE MERMAID on Broadway.
Credits:
Executive Producers: George Newall and Rad StoneMusical Director: Bob DoroughProducer: Phil KimmelmanSong "Rainforest" by Lynn AhrensRecorded at: Clinton StudiosSung by: Tituss BurgessPost Production: DJM Post Production
For Buzzco Associates, Inc.Directors: Candy Kugel & Vincent CafarelliDesigner: Candy KugelAnimation: Vincent Cafarelli, Rick Broas and Bryon MooreProducer: Marilyn Kraemer
