Tails of Whimsy has been blessed with friends and helpers as we move
towards animation and publishing. We would like to thank a very talented bunch of
professionals for their expert advice and hands-on work over the past, very
busy six months. You are helping us move forward quickly with vision and a more assured footing than we could have believed possible.
Rob
Pulleyn: A lunch with Rob awhile back gave me a bird’s eye view into
the pitfalls of publishing Daryl’s storybooks and why getting traction in the
field is like a slow ice melt. He inspired me and gave us the insight to move
forward PLUS contacts right here in Asheville that might be willing to offer
hands-on skills. Rob, everyone
I met with mentioned how much he or she misses you and Lark Books. Thanks for
sharing your knowledge and contacts with Daryl and me.
Joe
Rhatigan: Former Children’s Book Editor at Lark, Joe is itching to
get back into publishing full time. He continues to write, edit and package
books of his own and/or others with a long list of credits to his name. Joe
shares our passion for children’s stories and has worked with us on another
round of edits for Scooter and Boots to the Rescue and The Mighty Machines of MackieMcKeens. He helped us prepare for our first showing at Book Expo America this year and to make
(and meet) important contacts at in the industry. Most of all, he served as our
“tour guide” as we ventured along aisle after aisle of writers, editors,
publishers, printers, and booksellers at BEA. The new challenges of digital,
print on demand, independent publishing and more provide new options for Tails
of Whimsy to bring our books to parents, teachers and kids everywhere.
We love Joe’s passion and unique, creative vision. And we love working with
you. More at JoeRhatigan.com
Beth
Sweet: More than the endearing name implies, Beth is a social
media whiz with energy, vision and the organizational skills to get our stories
out with special zing and on time! Beth inherited work on our Scooter and Boots Facebook page, with
its fan base of 10,000+, when her friend and our former go-to Amanda Carestio
of JB Medialeft on maternity leave
and moved to Colorado. At Lark Books, Beth handled social media and marketing
for their vast array of publishing pursuits. With Tails of Whimsy, Beth is
helping us grow our social media presence using all of our character and
storybook assets.Though we
continue to build Scooter and Boots on Face Book and Twitter, you will be
seeing more about them as well as Mackie McKeens, The Book Mytes and Wundernauts in our blog posts,
our upcoming E-News, and forthcoming retail sites for books and products. Beth,
we love how you have acquired the “voices” of our characters. Keep on
posting!!!
Dawn
Cusick: Inevitably, the magic of the trade show wears off and it’s
time to buckle down to basics. Dawn, another Lark “graduate,” has helped us set
a path to publishing, avoiding unnecessary steps that waste time and money.
Dawn publishes amazing science books for kids through her independent
publishing company, EarlyLight. She has shed new light on Mackie McKeens as an editor
and publisher and has encouraged us to take the extra step of adding supplemental
educational pages to our book. This provides special value for teachers,
librarians, homeschooling parents and others. Wisely, she has suggested that we
minimize costs and maximize exposure as we expand our horizons. Thank you, Dawn,
our special friend and advisor. You are an amazing teacher.Learn more at DawnCusick/LinkedIn.
Vicki
Whiting: Following up on Dawn’s editorial suggestions for supplemental
content, I immediately contacted the brilliant Vicki Whiting at KidScoop News to identify a clever and
experienced curriculum writer for The Mighty Machines of Mackie McKeens. Bummer: She was leaving the office for a
10-day family trip. Miraculously, Vicki offered to do it herself while on vacation! Right on time, I
received the most amazing projects for kids based on STEM core curriculum:
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Vicki Whiting is president,
editor and founder of Kid Scoop News, a monthly newspaper for children and KidScoop, a weekly newspaper feature geared to children ages 7 to 12, which
appears in over 300 newspapers with a combined circulation of more than 7.5
million. If you teach children, home school your kids or embrace creative
learning activities, you will love this resource. And Vicki, we love you, your energy and vision for education. Yes, we have so much to be grateful for at Tails of Whimsy. Thanks to our team and all our friends!
You may have
met the Candy Witch before. She’s one of Daryl’s creations, and she pops up in
stores across the country, thanks to our licensee Raz Imports. Raz fell in love with Daryl’s Halloween characters
back in 2012 when we showed at the National Stationary Show in New York. Their Candy Witch Collection comes with two
funky figures to grace your front porch or for retail display. We are proud to
say that they continue to sell each year having become staples in some stores.
Greetings from the Candy Witches on our front porch
We generally
put a big bowl of candy in our Candy Witch’s lap so that kids can pick their
favorite when they visit our house. Daryl and our dog, Sheba, dress in
costume for the occasion to welcome families into our neighborhood. And this year, our three year old grandson Leo will trick or treat with us as a fireman!
As you may have guessed, Halloween is Daryl’s favorite holiday!
For more of Daryl's imaginative Halloween characters like Franken-Ape, Trick ‘r Tree, and Dracula,
go to:
Licensing is a long, slow process, but when it gains speed, it’s
like a tornado. Or, in the case of The Wundernauts, Daryl’s new graphic
novel begun in July, it has meant a whirlwind summer full of work in his
studio.
Daryl at work in his studio, creating The Wundernauts
From research to concept development to creating characters and story,
building a property of this kind in a few short months requires an intense
creative focus. The Wundernauts, a
new intellectual property for kids aged 4-8, will be submitted to publishers,
studios, and retailers before Halloween. You should see graphic novels, plush,
and T-shirts in the marketplace in 2016. Here’s a good example of where Daryl’s ideas come from: Over a breakfast in Vegas with our agent Leo Valencia of Quantarra and Radio-Days, Leo expressed interest in creating a new project for broad distribution that would combine futuristic elements with some down-home goodness. Now, Leo is kind of a Renaissance man, and besides being a brilliant licensee of well-known images, he is an artist, accomplished musician, and proud Dad to Savion. We met Savion at Licensing Expo, too, and he’s quite a charmer. He also shows signs of being a great character artist. Why not, thought Daryl, create a clever mash-up of classic and contemporary story elements with some of Savion’s monsters in the mix.
Scooter tells Savion a big secret at Licensing Expo 2015.
Check out this sneak peek at The Wundernauts! Savion's monster is on the sign.
Now, meet one of the Wundernauts: P.U.P, a strong
and loyal Pumped Up Powerhouse! P.U.P. is one of a large cast of characters
that you will meet when The Wundernauts
show up in stores and on digital devices.
Meet P.U.P., one of the Wundernauts!
So here’s your very first look at P.U.P. and some of the many Wundernauts.
Stay tuned for more! Books, T-shirts and plush are due in stores soon.
We make a
lot of friends at trade shows, but rarely do we meet anyone as creative,
professional, and intuitive as writer Meagan Meehan.
Arriving at our booth at Book Expo America 2015, she absorbed all she saw
in Daryl’s illustrations and quickly determined that our shared interests would
make us “fur-ever” friends.
As you might guess, Meagan’s love of animals rates
high among her vocations and avocations. Meagan also loves stories, humor, pop
culture, and art and combines then seamlessly into her writing and other varied
pursuits. She contacted us for an interview shortly after our return to
Asheville.
Here’s what Meagan had to say about Daryl:
“Daryl
Slaton is rare in the media world since he can work in the styles of both
illustration and cartoon. Additionally, as author and illustrator, he creates
all the characters and stories that appear in the properties. His rare
versatility and creative flexibility make his work attractive to publishers,
studios, manufacturers, retailers and agents.”
Meagan Meehan is a published author of poems,
short stories, novels, and articles in numerous publications. She is also a cartoonist
and an award-winning abstract artist. We love her passion for children’s
stories, art and education. She’s a tour de force with consummate passion,
commitment and creative talents. Watch
for her award-winning features at examiner.com. Explore Meagan’s colorful art on the RAWArtists site.
Daryl’s work really stood out at Licensing Expo 2015. We re-acquainted with contacts from previous shows and made lots of new friends, too. Though the summer is generally slow with the prerequisite recovery time from the trade shows, Tails of Whimsyis already getting calls about potential licensing deals. This was our third year showing in Las Vegas and here is what we have learned:
Mackie McKeens appeared to be the top favorite at Licensing Expo 2015
If you want
to make your intellectual property a commercial success, you have to learn the
licensing trade (and lingo) inside and out and talk to lots of industry professionals.
Go to
Licensing Expo in Vegas or KidScreen in Miami.
Industry trade shows are where you make contacts.
Exhibit more than one property or character. Build them each into a story.
Keep at it and learn that “no” now might really mean “maybe yes” at a later date! Be patient. Slow and steady wins the race.
This year, The Mighty Machines of Mackie McKeens (or M4) received the most interest. And lots of folks loved Daryl's new characters in The Book Mytes. This came from publishers and marketing agents looking for stories with edutainment value. These books and characters are age-appropriate for learning.
Mackie and his sister Mika create astonishing machines of a Seuss-ian nature that help cities solve problems. Educators call this STEM: a concentration on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. M4 does it all but in a throughly fun and whimsical way. Think Richard Scarry with robots!
Two page spread from The Mighty Machines of Mackie McKeens
The Book Mytes are a magical troupe of six characters in animal "jammies". The story unfolds in a bookstore at night where any story can be mixed up and made up with a few choice selections of words. These new words come from familiar books we all know and love, thus adding to the thrill of discovery. The power of words is the message in this book, and licensees took notice.
Meet some of the Book Mytes looking for words
Stay tuned as our progress unfolds. Now, for some much needed vacation time!
Book Expo America gave Daryl plenty to think about as Tails of Whimsy considers publishing options
Getting a book published is not for the faint of heart.
Daryl has authored and illustrated three children’s storybook properties to
date: “Scooter and Boots to the Rescue,” “The Mighty Machines of Mackie McKeens,” and “Book Mytes,” which is about 90% complete. Even with our wonderful agent Jeanette Smith of
All Art Licensing, response from major publishers is excruciatingly slow on Scooter and Boots as are our pitches for the others. With additional publishing options now available, digital and print on demand, Daryl and I set out to find out if newer (and faster) opportunities exist to get our books to their target audience.
Therefore, this year, we put our characters and stories on display at Book Expo America, perhaps the largest of all publishing shows. Louise worked with our children’s book editor Joe Rhatigan to get lots of appointments with publishers and editors. And Joe, with his valuable industry experience, accompanied us to NYC to meet with publishing company contacts. We are grateful to him for serving as tour guide so that we can
better understand how independent and digital publishing is impacting
traditional print. Also, we gained insight into how Tails of Whimsy might restructure
to include independent publishing onto our business mix.
Joe Rhatigan helped us meet, greet and pitch
at Book Expo in New York
We introduced ourselves as a full-service studio, so you may hear more about Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio. With Joe on our team, we are also available to help other writers develop their content and graphics as well as edit and package their books for print and distribution.
And, we introduced attendees to our new plush dolls of Scooter and Boots. They were shipped to us from our factory in Hong Kong, arriving at our hotel in NYC just as we did.
If you wonder what “independent” publishing means, it now extends to being a self-publisher, author-publisher, do-it-yourself publisher, or “traditional” publisher. Needless to say, Tails of Whimsy has lots to think about as we look to the future.
Scooter and Boots kept their eyes out for visitors to the Tails of Whimsy booth.
The Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio is excited to be attending Licensing Expo '15! We're here to connect with people, publishers, and licensing agencies about three of our great properties:
Book Mytes
The Mighty Machines of Mackie McKeens
and
Scooter & Boots
If you're here at Licensing Expo 15, we'd love to meet you. Come visit us at our Art and Design Booth G21 and shake Scooter's paw--he's been practicing his tricks.
Here's a bit more about the Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio properties:
Book Mytes
Imagine whimsical, cuddly critters that roam bookstores come
twilight. They feast on good stories and play havoc with words through the
magical world of artist/illustrator Daryl
Slaton at Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio.
Using delightful illustrations and playful fonts, seven
adorable costumed characters jump off bookshelves and into books, as they
gather words and pictures throughout the store to create their own stories.
Though words are few, readers see how one well-chosen word can make a world of
difference, and how one sentence can change the adventuresome world of the Book
Mytes!
The Mighty Machines of Mackie McKeens
Mackie Mckeens is a cuddly, industrious bear in green overalls. In his massive
high-tech workshop he builds remarkable “mighty” machines for any use.
Appealing to inquisitive children with imagination and whimsy, Mackie gets kids
thinking early with his high-tech machines that solve problems with such
efficiency that your immediate response is, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Helping him construct machines for land, sea and sky is his daredevil pilot
Mika (his sister) and a crew of zany mini-robots.
Scooter & Boots
Scooter the dog and Boots the cat are dedicated to
helping homeless pets find forever homes. The Scooter and Boots brand was born
in the licensing arena, and the engaging characters have already been warmly
received by production studios as pilots for TV. Check out the Scooter News Network (SNN) for news segments on
cooking, reading, animal rescue, crafts, and more! And join Scooter and Boots on Facebook, where they shine a light on pet rescue, reading, and the awesome community of pet-lovers worldwide.
Have you ever used celery (yep, celery!) to make handmade heart stamps? It's as easy as it sounds, and handmade stamps are an easy way to make all kinds of paper products fun. Join Scooter in his newest Scooter News Network video as he stamps paper plates and napkins for a party he's throwing for his friend Boots.
So what is our Scooter News Network? Scooter News Network (SNN) is a series of children's television pilots featuring our beloved character, Scooter D. Pup. . .
What
began as a lark at the 2014 Licensing Expo has turned into a pilot for
children’s TV, and we've been gaining momentum for the past year! Scooter News Network (SNN) will be presented for the first time
at Licensing Expo 2015 through a partnership between Tails of Whimsy and SaviRanch Studios. The TV pilot providesfun
and factualcontent with puppet
Scooter D. Pup as a news anchor presenting features and stories relating to
animal rescue and care worldwide.
SNN’s format would be considered a cross between a nightly
news cast combined with interview segments such as seen on the Today Show.
Regular features include: Health, Sports, Celebrity Animal and Book Reports as
well as cooking and crafts features, all with Scooter the puppet as news
broadcaster and Roshelle Baier as co-anchor.
Check out a collection of some of our Scooter News Network pilots:
An Introduction to Scooter News Network
Book Report: Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light
Cook's Corner: Scooter Makes Hot Pink Hummus
Celebrity Repor: Cosmo the Dog Runs for President
Crafts Report: Scooter Makes DIY Heart Stamps
And if you'll be attending Licensing Expo 15, come find us at Booth G21. Scooter will be there, and he's eager to wag his tail with you!
We’re excited to offer our illustrated manuscripts as
well as services to independents seeking:
Art
Illustration
Content
Design
Character creation
Editorial services
Meet some of our Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio characters:
Scooter and Boots
Scooter the dog and Boots the cat are dedicated to
helping homeless pets find forever homes. The Scooter and Boots brand was born
in the licensing arena, and the engaging characters have already been warmly
received by production studios as pilots for TV. Check out the Scooter News Network (SNN) for news segments on
cooking, reading, animal rescue, crafts, and more!
And join Scooter and Boots on Facebook, where they shine a light on pet rescue, reading, and the
awesome community of pet-lovers worldwide.
The Mighty Machines of Mackie McKeens (M4) Mackie McKeens is a cuddly, industrious bear in green overalls. In his massive high-tech workshop he builds remarkable “mighty” machines for any use. Appealing to inquisitive children with imagination and
whimsy, Mackie gets kids thinking early with his high-tech machines that solve
problems with such efficiency that your immediate response is, “Why didn’t I
think of that?” Helping him construct machines for land, sea and sky is his daredevil pilot Mika (his sister) and a crew of zany mini-robots.
Book Mytes
The Book Mytes are little creatures who LOVE to read.
They’re so tiny that they live inside books, and they borrow words from those books
to create their own stories. From sailing moonlit seas to spelling with a T-Rex, the Book Mytes make reading an adventure. Ask Daryl and Louise about Book Mytes and where
they’re heading next!
. . .
Meet the
Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio leadership team:
Daryl Slaton is an
artist with theatrical training and a great sense of humor. With years of work
experience in all forms of media, Slaton embraces Tails of Whimsy with a full range of creative talents: art,
illustration, animation, graphics and more.
Joe Rhatigan is a pro in
children’s book publishing. With years of experience in writing, editing and
book packaging, Joe’s talents range from
finding just the right word to finding all the right words, from developmental
editing to project management.
Louise
Glickman is a writer and designer with a marketing background. Glickman also brings business management skills to Tails of Whimsy having owned a
nationally known public relations company.
Find Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio -- and Scooter the puppet! -- at BEA Booth 760.
We here at Tails of Whimsy Storybook Studio wish everyone a very Happy Memorial Day, and we celebrate the lives of the men, women, and animals who have served our country with great honor.
Who loves hummus? Scooter does! Join Scooter as he makes
pink hummus (yes, pink!) for his good friend Boots in this latest Scooter News
Network video. With just a few simple ingredients, you (and your kiddos) can
whip up this recipe in no time. Hello tasty puppy platter – er, we mean party
platter! .
.
Here’s the recipe for Hot Pink Hummus, which Scooter made
from Barbara Beery’s cookbook, “Pink Princess Party Cookbook." Learn more about Barbara Beery at Foodie Kids.
(Psst: Tail wag alert -- this hummus recipe is
gluten-free and vegan, which makes it
fun AND healthy!)
Hot Pink Hummus
Recipe – makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:
2 cups canned chick peas, drained and rinsed
2-3 medium sized beets, cooked or roasted, coarsely
chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Garnish: Olive oil and flat leaf parsley
Instructions:
1.Place chickpeas and chopped beets in the food processor
along with the garlic, lemon juice, and water. Process mixture for about one
minute. Add more water if needed to form a smooth and creamy consistency.
2. Add cumin and paprika and blend another 30 seconds to
combine all ingredients.
3. Garnish with oil and parsley. Serve with sliced
cucumber, carrots, or other favorite veggies.
Daryl
was recently interviewed by J’Net Smith, the ART licensing coach behind All Art Licensing, and he enjoyed talking
about the origin of Scooter & Boots, how our concepts have evolved, and
where Scooter & Boots are heading next. (Spoiler alert! We’re developing a
storybook studio and getting into children’s publishing!)
J’net Q:Many
of my readers are interested in developing characters and character-based
properties. I have been representing the publishing aspect of BrokenHeart Pets Rescue. Can you tell us a little
bit about the characters? Daryl A:Scooter,
the dog, and his sidekick Boots, the cat, were once homeless but have now found
loving, “fur-ever” families. They wear a broken heart emblem on their chests in
solidarity with other homeless animals and their whimsical stories focus on
ways to rescue and protect them. I have written the story and created the
character art. My partner (and wife) Louise Glickman is a writer and designer
with a public relations and marketing background, and also brings business
management skills to Tails of Whimsy.
Q:How did
the concept for Scooter and Boots get created?
A:Louise
is from New Orleans and, though we now live in Asheville, NC, we had both given
time to saving animals in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The head of the non-profit Louisiana SPCA and hundreds of volunteers developed ways to save over 9,000
pets and were able to return over half of them to their original homes! We were
honored when they asked us to create something “special” to thank the
volunteers for their efforts Christmas of 2005. Thus,Scooter and Boots first appeared as animation on the Louisiana SPCA's website.However,
they didn’t surface again until we needed one extra banner for our Licensing
Expo booth in 2013!
Q:How have
you developed the market for two key characters? A:It
feels like Scooter and Boots have become late-in-life children for us. We talk
about them daily and have been fortunate enough to tailor them into a portfolio
of products that bring their stories to life.
In January 2014 we decided that we needed to test market them
by building a fan base on social media. We had Scooter made into a puppet and
began posting images of him around town as well as creating cartoon posts of
both characters. We now have over 10,000Facebookfans and remain active on Twitter, LinkedIn and onour blog.
Q:How have
the characters and story evolved based on your ideas vs market needs?
A:After
exhibiting our first time at Licensing Expo 2013, our initial feedback was that
our story of homeless pets was “just too sad.” People loved the characters but
despite repeated attempts to show the upbeat side of the Scooter and Boots’
back story, licensees and publishers remained unconvinced.
At Licensing Expo 2014, we brought puppet Scooter to “meet”
visitors to our booth. The truth is, you can get away with a whole lot when you
speak through the voice of a puppet.
On a whim, Scooter did a short interview with ArtMoose, a production studio. I was curled up
under the desk performing as Scooter, but I’m not a puppeteer. For a first time
try, we got a huge response. A group gathered and applauded when the interview
ended and an entertainer with her manager came by and asked Scooter to come to
Sacramento for a show (which he did last August). But best of all, we partnered
with ArtMoose to create a TV pilot called “Scooter News Network.” It’s ready to
show to networks, sponsors and underwriters at Licensing Expo 2015. Scooter
will be also doing “live” broadcasts this year at the ArtMoose booth.
Q:Why do
you think your characters are different and unique? A:I
have thought long and hard about the voices of Scooter and Boots. To our
knowledge, there isn’t another whimsical property that is so focused on finding
homes for animals and on care and conservation worldwide. The trick has been to
keep their humor and character intact, delivering their targeted message but
still staying funny and fun. They are more entertainment than education and we
always have to balance their voice carefully as well as keep it focused on our
target audience of children 3-9.
Between 5 and 7 million companion animals enter shelters
nationwide every year, and only 1 out of 10 dogs born ever find a home. Stray
cats alone may be as high as 70 million annually in the U.S.
Q:What has
surprised you both most about this journey?
A:Two
things, really.
First and foremost, how long it takes to monetize a property
after you’ve developed a character. A good part of my commercial art career was
built on my ability to create characters for corporate branding and that I was
an early champion of doing this digitally. I’m very quick and experienced at
adapting them for illustrations, ads, trade show displays and animation. This
comes naturally to me but creating the character is the simplest part of the
licensing and publishing game. What counts most is what you do with them and
how you can market them to publishers, agents, studios and distributors. Also,
staying focused on your audience and message.
.
Secondly, and speaking broadly (there are always exceptions),
characters are virtually nothing without their stories. Even though I’ve had a
bit of success in licensing some character art (without a story), the biggest
responses have been to my story-driven characters. Basically, if you have a
story to tell then publishing goes hand-in-hand with licensing. Even with our
positive response at Licensing Expo and sound advice from agents and
consultants, we’ve had to learn two industries from the inside out! For the first time, we will do both Book Expo America and LicensingExpo this year. We’re keeping our fingers crossed to get noticed, get
published, and get signed contracts!
Q:Why do you keep persisting to get more
exposure and fans for Scooter and Boots? What drives you both? A:We
love Scooter and Boots and our other properties, too. But we have to prove
their commercial viability to get a deal. Publishers, licensees and
manufacturers insist on credibility and exposure before they are willing to
commit to new licensors. In discussions and proposals, I want to show that I am
more than just a character designer and storyteller. My wife has a marketing
background and we have resourced additional talent to our company who bring
editorial services and social media skills to our mix. In this respect, we want
to make publishers and licensees aware that by working with Tails of Whimsy,
they are getting art, stories and savvy business partners.
What drives me? This is what I do. I love creating
characters and their stories. It’s that simple. I like the idea of making
people smile.
Q:What’s
the most important piece of advice you have received regarding Scooter and
Boots’ BrokenHeart Pets Rescue? A:Be
patient and stick with it. To get from character to contract in licensing, it
takes a whole lot of drive as well as financial commitment.
What began as a lark at last year’s Licensing Expo has
turned into a pilot for children’s TV. Scooter News Network (SNN) will be
presented for the first time at Licensing Expo 2015 in Las Vegas and Book Expo in NYC through a
partnership between Tails of Whimsy and Savi Ranch Studios. The pilot providesfun and factualcontent with puppet Scooter D. Pup as a news anchor presenting
features and stories relating to animal rescue and care worldwide. It is an extension of Scooter and Boots' BrokenHeart Pets Rescue books.
How is it that a young company like Tails of Whimsy determines
to bring print characters to life as puppets? A little over one year ago, Daryl
and I decided that in order to attract notice on social media, we would have to
show the audience more than cartoon characters. No matter how cute Scooter and
Boots are, you just couldn’t “hear their voice” or message about rescuing and
caring for animals. So we asked the fabulous Lisa Sturz of Red Herring Puppets
in Asheville to build us a puppet.The puppet was to be used for on-the-street interviews in video and
photos to post on Face Book.
The Scooter puppet was designed and produced by Lisa Sturz of Red Herring Puppets
We knew that the cost of the puppet was nothing compared to
hiring a professional puppeteer every time we used it. So we have started with
Scooter but Boots should be coming sometime later this year.
Marc Garabedien, the brain behind Savi Ranch, built his own
studio last year at Licensing Expo 2014 at the request of Advanstar, the company that manages the trade show. This was a savvy step to bring added marketing value to
Art and Design exhibitors like Tails of Whimsy who show at LE. Daryl was interviewed on air
about Scooter and Boots seeking their fur-ever homes. Then, Tails of Whimsy
challenged Savi Ranch to actually tape an interview with Scooter the puppet
presenting “himself” as a character and property. That’s Daryl, under the desk,
performing as Scooter!
Scooter's first interview at Licensing Expo 2014
Scooter proved to be very popular, gathering a crowd of
enthusiastic onlookers and loud claps when the interview was completed. The spirited
on-air exchange between Scooter D. Pup and interview co-host Roshelle Baier
brought discussions post-show as to ways to capitalize on this lively and
unlikely coupling of person and puppet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qRq2jIvoUw
SNN’s format would be considered a cross between a nightly
news cast combined with interview segments such as seen on the Today Show.
Regular features include: Health, Sports, Celebrity Animal and Book Reports as
well as cooking and crafts features, all with Scooter as a puppet and news
broadcaster. Roshelle Baier will co-anchor.
Scooter with co-host Roshelle Baier in their studio at Savi Ranch Studios in Anaheim
Scooter
and Boots’ BrokenHeart Pets Rescue has extended its brand this past
year to books and an animated TV series in addition to the live-action SNN. It
is well positioned for licensing and is actively seeking licensees. Publishers,
network and entertainment reps are particularly welcome to Tails of Whimsy’s
booth at G21 in Art and Design and at Booth 760 in the Publishing Discovery Zone at Book Expo to personally meet Scooter and his energetic
“handler,” artist and creator Daryl Slaton.
For a
Sneak Peek at Scooter News Network, a portion of the TV pilot may be found at:
Scooter hosts Scooter News Network. The intro gives background and other reports follow: Health, Sports, etc.
