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Cause & [Effect] Creates Dora and Thalia Duet

New York-based production house Cause & [Effect] created the music video/promo featuring Mexican pop sensation Thalia, “Canta Canta Canta” for “Dora the Explorer” on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr.

Press release from Cause & [Effect]:

New York-based production house Cause & [Effect] Creative Director/Director Jamie Hubbard and Art Director/Director Justin Acree weave the harmony of the ocean into youthful playtime in the music video/promo featuring Mexican pop sensation Thalia, “Canta Canta Canta” for Dora the Explorer on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr.  The video, produced direct-to-client, features a duet between Dora and Thalia and seamlessly integrates episode footage throughout.  Cause & [Effect] handled the job from start to finish, executing the, production, editing, VFX, compositing, and finishing.

To achieve a practical execution of the desired underwater environment, Hubbard and Acree chose to shoot in a daylight studio so that light would cut through the atmosphere filled space.  The team chose to incorporate television monitors in the background to blend the episode footage with the sing-along music of Thalia and the animated Dora character.  Hubbard notes, “It was really exciting to evolve the idea in a way that brought a lot more visual punch to table in terms of tying together the show episode and bringing it to life in the live action environment.”

The video features a studio performance of the duet, “Canta Canta Canta” between Thalia and Dora, along with her animated sidekick Boots accompanying on bass in the background.  We weave between episode footage on the monitors and the jam-session performance as we hear the lyrics:

“Singing makes mermaids happy.  There is a rhythm like a heartbeat when we’re singing that fills you up with joy.  When you sing with the mermaid, the friendship lasts forever.  There is a melody that plays within your heart.  Canta, canta, canta con dos amigos.  Sing, sing, sing—making music wherever we go.  Canta, canta, canta with all your friends.  Sing, sing, sing and the song will never end, will never end.”

The video concludes with the voiceover, “Thalia guest stars in ‘Dora’s Rescue in Mermaid Kingdom’ weekdays on Nick.”

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.