Diary of production of the making of a small scale children's television show.

As you may already know, season one of Jovis Bon-Hovis and the Creation Crew is complete, and it is now going out wordwide on your ipad and smartphone, just get the app at www.ucbmedia.co.uk or if you're in the UK you can watch it on Sky channel 585. Brand new episode tomorrow morning (Thursday), 7.30!

I'M GOING TO DO A DIARY OF THE PRODUCTION OF SEASON TWO!

I've not bee getting a huge amount of visits to the blog.  Some, but not masses. So it's time for a change in approach.

I think it's probably that I ramble a little on non-specifics, it's quite hard to see what the blog has been about, and it's a big much to expect complete strangers to be interested in me just because I'm me.  Who am I that you should care?

So, I'm going to focus some of my article writing around the process of producing season two of the Christian children's TV show Jovis Bon-Hovis and the Creation Crew.

I'm going to keep it intimate and emotional, and I'm going to keep it personal as well as technical, professional and practical.  What I'd like to do is offer you all a well rounded insight into the production of a show from script to screen.

I think this should be quite interesting for the budding producer, scriptwriter, editor or film-maker, as it illustrates the production of something which isn't impossible or unreachable, but is small scale, low budget, and accessible.

So we have an openness from UCB to discuss how we might partner for season two in the new year.  Contracts are not signed so to speak, but it has to be said that this is as positive as we could hope for when season one has only just gone to air.  What it indicates is that they are happy with the show, and how it's turned out.

There are certain issues which came up, which need to be dealt with.  I have referred to all of these in an earlier post.  If you're interested in seeing how we've learned from the mistakes made in season one and how that will be leading to improvements in season two, then read the most titled 'How to make a children's TV show on very a low budget.'

I'm just trying to catch you up to where we are now, and then probably tomorrow the blog will be more of a diary.

So, I'm moving forward on the assumption that season two will get made.  I think it's quite important that I do this, at this point my imagination could do me a disservice if I indulged in all the reasons why and how I could fail.

So I'm not going to do that.  I'll do what I can, God will do what I can't.  I know that we spent a lot more than we intended on season one, so season two will have to be run as a much tighter ship.  I don't have an issue with this, we're doing it for love not money.

I had a wonderful review from somebody who'd watched a friend enjoy the show: "I know a hyperactive child who does NOT watch TV .. well .. unless it's what he calls "Mr Bon Hovis" then he's glued.
All seven years of him, absolutely quiet, too close to the screen, mouth wide open.
His parents appreciate half an hour's silence AND the good things that Mr Bon-Hovis learns from his mistakes."
Please, if you have any questions, I'd love to help.  I know I can talk somewhat, but even I can never cover everything!

So to practicalities, what's first?  Well simply to sit at the computer, open a new folder called 'Creation Crew Season Two' (that was a nice moment) and start planning.  Keep separate and clearly named documents for each aspect of production.  Starting off, a 'To Do' list.  I need to simply have it in black and white in front of me, in a way that I can cross off as they are done.  In the beginning they will be the bigger jobs like write 13 scripts, film 13 VT's, write 13 songs and the like, but as I move into the process they will become more detailed as each 'to do' becomes a heading for the smaller 'to do's' for example 'do drums on songs 7-13.'

It's very satisfying having written a list like this, I can rest knowing that everything I need to do for an entire season of television isn't jumbling around in my head any more  it's transferred safely and permanently to black and white.

The next thing on the agenda for me is to consider the theme for each episode. The whole process is a prayerful one for me and indeed for my wife Ellie, it would seem like an absolute nonsense to me to plough on ahead on a project like this without doing a few important things:

1: Pray and listen, to be sure that this project is consistent with God's plan for our lives.
2: Ask God to come with us and continue communication; it's not like He's sending us off and waving bye bye on the platform!  I've made that mistake in the past, I soon changed trains and ended up in the wilderness!
3: Pray and listen about specific aspects of the project.  I'm not that wise that I think I have a vast reservoir of profound insight to share with children.  Hopefully I have some discernment and balance, but I try to get the teaching and the purpose from God.  I ask Him what He wants me to share with the kids, what He wants me to talk to them about.  And He always tells me!  It's at that point that I feel free to use my wit and talents to bring God's teaching to life.  So I'm keeping it a partnership, with God in the lead!

So that was the next step which I started on yesterday, planning the themes for each show and the various elements of the show.

It goes something like:


Theme :
Revenge!
Introduction and Joke(4min)
Jovis has built a cool spaghetti tower which is really tall.  He then goes and hears a joke from Monkey, he then goes and tells the Joke to woody and shows him the tower. We see Woody sneak over to the tower.  Jovis introduces Through the Window.
Through the Window VT (3min)
Making paper boats and taking them to a stream.
Slapstick element (4 mins)
Jovis finds his tower destroyed.  He tries to rebuild the tower in an fitful emotional state and fails.  He then tapes Woody in his house, goes and gets his chocolate cake and puts snails in it.
Story time (4mins)
Two wolves; one is nasty to the other so one takes revenge.  However, the first wolf apologises offering to share the thing wolf two has destroyed.  Everybody loses!
Song Time (3mins)
What’s the point, when you’re mean to me,
What’s the point, of being mean to you?
Then it’s just two people being mean,
That’s a whole lot of mean, it’s just obscene!
Stop the nastiness in its tracks.
Dora Mouse leading to Scripture time (4mins)
If everybody’s mean it just doesn't stop, things just get more and more horrible and that’s just rubbish for everybody.  As followers of Jesus, it’s our job to stop the nastiness in its tracks!  Two wrongs don’t make a right, you can’t fight fire with fire!  Forgiveness!
Art Crafty time and Goodbye. (4.mins)
Love your neighbour paper Mache picture frames.

What you're seeing above is written only for my benefit, and isn't meant to be a concise communication to other readers, it's planning which acts as signals to me which remind me of feelings, atmosphere, style, it inspires dialogue and structure and purpose for the show.

I'll use this to take the show into the script stage where it will be proofed and rehearsed.

So there we are, that's what I'm doing now.  The next blog probably won't need to be as long winded so sign up, and watch how things unfold over the next few months!  God bless, Joe. xxx