23D Films, an animation design studio, and Weller/Grossman Prods., an award-winning television production company, will jointly produce live-action/animated PALOOZAVILLE, a 20-part signature series staring its creator, John Lithgow. The program will broadcast on Mag Racks Kids Club video on-demand presentations.
A palooza is an invitation to a creative adventure, an activity that keeps kids from uttering those terrifying words, Im bored! according to creator John Lithgow.
The program has a virtual animated set with live-action actors, featuring John Lithgow as the mayor of Paloozaville. At the start of each episode, a new palooza is introduced as a creative project that can easily be constructed from household items, found objects or affordable craft materials. Every palooza has a theme and is inspired by art, history, dance, music, literature and more.
23D Films took a whimsical approach to design and art direction for PALOOZAVILLE, creating architecture, vehicles, and landscapes using wacky shapes, twisted angles and bright, candy colors. "We needed to sets to explode with color but not compete with the live-action elements," said Joe Russo, ceo at 23D Films. "Using bright, 2D plates integrated into 3D architecture achieved this in spades.
Lithgow's mayoral office, which was a greenscreen set with limited physical set pieces, 23D Films constructed a 3D model of the actual set in Adobe AfterEffects, using 2D graphics to generate more than 80 background plates in a variety of perspectives. These background graphics were composited with live-action footage to match the director's camera moves. To give the Mayor's set even more dimension, weather conditions (sunshine, wind, rain, and snow) were animated with alpha channels so they could be inserted into the windows and provide Paloozaville with its four seasons.
For the high-spirited opening title sequence, 23D Films used AfterEffects and Combustion to construct and animate the elaborate camera moves through the 3D Paloozaville environment from 2D design elements, such as the rolling hills, swaying buildings and puffy clouds. The result of 23D Films' combination of 2D and 3D techniques is a magical pop-up book feeling.
John Lithgow has been performing in theater, film, and television for more than 30 years. He first achieved national attention in 1982 for his Oscar-nominated performance in THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP. Since then he has continued to win popular and critical acclaim garnering numerous awards including Tony Awards plus three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for the hit NBC series, 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN, as well as a second Oscar nomination for his supporting role in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT.
Recently Lithgow has turned his attention to younger audiences, publishing six Simon & Schuster picture books for children, all of which appeared on THE NEW YORK TIMES bestseller list; released two CDs of songs for children, SINGIN' IN THE BATHTUB and FARKLE AND FRIENDS; and has sung concerts for children with the Chicago, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Detroit, and San Diego Symphony Orchestras.
Most recently, hes published two activity books, A LITHGOW PALOOZA: 101 WAYS TO ENTERTAIN AND INSPIRE YOUR KIDS and LITHGOW PARTY PALOOZAS: 52 UNEXPECTED WAYS TO MAKE A BIRTHDAY, HOLIDAY, or ANY DAY A CELEBRATION FOR KIDS, and four activity books with kits in a series entitled, LITHGOW PALOOZA BOREDOM BLASTERS, all of which are the inspiration for his television series on Mag Racks KIDS CLUB.
Broadcaster Mag Rack is Rainbow Media's on-demand television network.
Founded in 1996, Hollywood-based 23D Films (www.23dfilms.com) is a full service design, motion graphics and animation production studio. 23D Films provides classically trained character animators and veterans of primetime hit shows, such as SOUTH PARK, THE SIMPSONS, KING OF THE HILL, FUTURAMA and REN & STIMPY. 23D Films showcases innovative and cutting-edge work using 2D and 3D animation and design for DVD Menus, packaging and print graphics, along with character and program development. 23D Films is experienced in film, television, music videos, commercials, studio and network on-air broadcast promos, along with broadband networks and wireless content development. Recent clients include: Disney Internet Group, Disney Online, Sony Home Ent., Starz Ent. Group, Comedy Central, Weller/Grossman Prods., Vidiator Mobile Ent., Rainbow Media, Voom, WE, AMC, IFC, MagRack, Taurus Ent. and Daft Arts.
In 14 years, Weller/Grossman Prods. has become a leader in reality, service, informational, documentary and entertainment television with the production of more than 8,000 shows. Networks airing its series and specials currently include NBC, CNN, The National Geographic Channel, History Channel, HGTV, Discovery Health, Discovery Military, Discovery Home, Food Network and Animal Planet. Weller/Grossman has also produced award-winning programs for the USA Network and Discovery, as well as the Sci Fi Channel, A&E, TLC and ESPN. Its syndication programming has included SAVE OUR STREETS, AFRICAN AMERICAN MASTERS OF INVENTION and HOLLYWOOD SALUTES EASTER SEALS. Live programs include HEROES FOR THE PLANET: FEATURING CHARLOTTE CHURCH AND HALEY JOEL OSMENT and HEROES FOR THE PLANET: A TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC hosted by Pierce Brosnan with John Cleese, Pat Benatar and Dave Koz.
Mag Rack (www.magrack.com) ignites viewers interests and establishes on-demand television as an entertainment destination. Mag Rack is the first television network to produce original entertainment created exclusively for on-demand. With shows such as KATIE BROWN @ HOME; 24seven gamer, GUITAR XPRESS; THE PET SHOP with Marc Morrone and John Lithgows PALOOZAVILLE; Mag Racks TV for Whatever Turns You On puts the viewer in control of their own potential by providing 24/7 always on programming that cannot be found elsewhere on television.
