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Big Idea Productions Grows Los Angeles Creative Department

GailSchenbaum and Karen DiNoto have joined the Los Angeles-based creativedepartment of Big Idea Productions. Gail Schenbaum has been appointedsenior vice president of creative affairs, responsible foridentifying and developing live-action and animated family featurefilms, direct-to-video and television projects. Schenbaum brings withher nearly 20 years of experience in the film and televisionproduction arena. Most recently she was a producer and creativeconsultant for a number of companies, including Pearson UK,Scholastic Inc., Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox and PBS. Alsohired to support Big Idea in its new effort to grow its feature filmproduction division and enter into television production is KarenDiNoto, vice president of creative affairs. DiNoto has an extensivebackground in the television programming and development area and wasmost recently a consultant to The Hallmark Channel. Prior to that shewas a producer/consultant for The Jim Henson Company where sheidentified, developed and oversaw numerous projects for theTelevision Family Movies Division and Children's Television Division.DiNoto spent over 10 years at Fox Kids, first as director, then vicepresident of on-air promotion, then vice president programming anddevelopment and finally vice president, development and creativeaffairs. "We are fortunate to have such established executives asGail and Karen join the company. This strong, creative team willsupport Big Idea's continued growth in the area of feature films anddirect-to-video properties, and our plans to produce high qualitylive-action and animated television programming," stated Big Ideapresident and COO Terry Botwick. Big Idea Productions has seentremendous growth and diversification over the past few years. Thecompany's first feature film, JONAH - A VEGGIETALES MOVIE, will bereleased October 2002 by Artisan Family Home Entertainment. Big Idearecently signed a video distribution deal with Warner Home Video forits animated direct-to-video properties 3-2-1 PENGUINS!, LARRYBOY andVEGGIETALES and the stage show VEGGIETALES LIVE! is currently touringthe U.S.