WULFIE....the series

WULFIE, children’s animation series, target age 6-11

"Wulfie was created for my daughter, Libby. She was being bullied in school and couldn't understand why. All she wanted was a best friend. I asked her what she wanted in a best friend and got this reply: 'Someone who'd walk through falmes for me'!  And that, I think Wulfie would do. Though he might toast a few marshmallows first..." - Lindsay J Sedgwick

Created by Lindsay J Sedgwick (also Writer and Creative Consultant).
Materials available: Full series bible, teaser, trailer

Facebook page: Wulfie from Lupislandia
Trailer: Wulfie trailer

In development with Monster Entertainment, Ireland; awarded development funding from Media April 2013.

52 x 11 minute episodes.
Budget : 4.5 million euro; remainder needed : c 26%.

Presented at Cartoon Forum 2014  (Link to report on the presentation)

Off to Cartoon Forum
Posted 17th September, 2014

The teaser is done, the speeches are ready - ish - props are being finalised and my inner-Wulfie is nibbling at the bit to get on stage and tell everyone about WULFIE...

This time next week, on the 24th at 11am local time (10 am here in Dublin), I take to the stage, with Andrew Fitzpatrick (Monster Entertainment) and we try to spread the excitement that is my new series, WULFIE with the world....

How fantastic an opportunity is that?



After years and years of pitching my work in all sorts of venues and to all sorts of peoples, in groups of up to twenty, this is without question the most nerve-wrackingly exciting presentation I have ever anticipated.





But here's the thing, pitching can be fun....if you're prepared, if you know your project inside out and if you really believe in it. Presenting a project to people who are interested enough to come and listen, is a privilege. It's the chance to make other people feel the excitement you feel in your project.

Passion is a huge part of it.

Having a story, characters, and idea you really believe in, can carry you a long way. With Wulfie, that's not hard to find. I invented this mischievous purple wolf-like creature in my daughter's purple bedroom. His best friend had my daughter's name, was her age and for my daughter, tucked up in bed -- or more likely sitting up and telling me what should happen or getting excited and frustrated with my storytelling skills - he was a new best friend.

He even swallowed kids who were mean to her -- what's not to like?! And now, just a few years later, I'm working with Monster Entertainment who can actually make this series happen...

And look at this for a team: 

Director : Andrew Crotty (I'm a Creepy Crawly) 
Animation Director: Paul Madden as Animation Director (Inis Spraoi, I'm a Creepy Crawly and I'm a Monster) 
Lead Animator: Mark Flood
Lead writer is Steven Banks, former head writer of SpongeBob Squarepants. Both of us have already written two scripts apiece.
The concepts you see here were designed by Aaron Blecha.



So Cartoon Forum, here we come....
WULFIE prepared for KIDSCREEN (9-12 Feb) 
Posted January 27

The Bible is looking fantastic with drawings by Aaron Blecha, cripts are being finalised and the race is on to be ready for Kidscreen.

WULFIE is in CANNES...
Posted: 4 October 2013








The series that began as a series of bedtime stories for my daughter is off to the big league....


With wonderful new drawings by Aaron Blecha, (http://www.monstersquid.com/) under the watchful eye of Andrew Fitzpatrick and Deirdre Barry of Monster Entertainment and with former SpongeBob head writer/ story editor on board, Wulfie is at MipCom, out to win hearts and minds.

Odd to remember back to the creation of these characters, on chilly winter nights. At that stage, Wulfie lived almost entirely on a diet of dirty socks - my way of explaining to myself how there are always 17 - yes, 17 - odd socks in our house. Our laundry basket has been called Wulfie ever since.

This is also why the lead character has my daughter's name. When I ran out of steam, I'd ask her to throw me words - a location, an object, a sound - and then, armed with this outside stimulus, I'd weave it in and find my feet again as a storyteller.

So, as a series, as characters, as a world, Wulfie is part of our lives and very, very special. I believe it has become special also to Monster Entertainment and the creative team behind the Mipcom pitch... Now it's time for Wulfie to spread his magic in Cannes.....


It is looking and sounding great -- now to see what the potential buyers/ investors say!


Wulfie makes it into IFTN news : http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4286049&tpl=archnews&force=1

May 2nd 2013


And WULFIE begins!
Tuesday 30th May, 2013

Just heard from Deirdre Barry of Monster Entertainment that my series WULFIE - the cute little Big Bad (and purple) Wolf called Wolfgang Amadeus Rachmaninov III and his best friend Libby - got funding as part of their Media Slate application.


I am over the moon, as any of you who know me can imagine.

WULFIE began with bedtime stories I made up for my daughter in 2005... when she was all of six. She's now 14. We are both eeping at each other with delight, punching the air and grinning insanely.

To everyone who is a writer with ideas that haven't yet been recognised.... take this as hope!




(Concept designs by Mark Flood, Monster Entertainment 2012.)

WULFIE - Development Begins
Posted: July 3rd, 2013

Leanne Preston, formerly of Red Kite, has come on board as Development Producer for the next stage to help shape Wulfie


WULFIE and friends are GO!
Thursday, Nov 22nd 2012

My animation series, WULFIE has been optioned and the Bible is looking fantastic, thanks to everyone at Monster Entertainment. The drawings - backgrounds, characters - are gorgeous so please wish it well as it wings itself off to find funding in Europe.

Wulfie's real name is Mozart Amadeus Rachmaninov the Third, aka the Big bad Wolf and he arrived in my life in 2005.

I created the original stories for my daughter -- in a way because I felt obliged to tell her home-made stories at bed-time.

It's what writers are meant to do! I'd read about it. Every writer worth his or her salt seemed to have a series of books or a film based on something they created for their child/ children.

It was a hard act to follow but finally, after a few false starts, I found Wulfie.

Don't get me wrong, I ADORE writing, creating worlds, stories, characters. I mean, come on, is there a cooler and more fun way to make a living?! (Okay, 'make a living' might be a stretch at the moment but where would I be without a vivid and hopeful imagination?!)

But in terms of structure, pacing and chaotic but happy endings, I learnt on the job. Nothing like a small child in bed to comment on what she feels does and doesn't work! And she was my audience. If she got excited, if she went to sleep with a grin and woke wanting to know more, I knew I was on the right track.

It was a magical experience that lasted for years. Our laundry basket is still named after Wulfie cos Wulfie's foodstuffs-of-choice are dirty socks.

The smellier the better.

And, of course, Wulfie had a best friend who was a little girl and she was named for my daughter, Libby. Then Libby's friend at school was named for my step-daughter which felt really nice to do although a few weeks ago when we decided to make her a boy, to appeal to both genders since they both watch telly and we want this to travel EVERYWHERE!

Guess I'll have to find another series for the original friend!


WULFIE (the book) is DONE!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Six years after inception, WULFIE is ready to go.

Out into the world, to find a creative and talented publisher who will bring him to the World of Kids With Imagination who like fun stories...

It's just under 28,000 words long, in 25 chapters; aimed at children from six to nine, but also younger kids because it should be a fun story for the parents to read aloud.

Wulfie started life as stories I made up for my daughter when she was this age... Our laundry basket is even named after him although it is neither purple nor a wolf and is, unfortunately, unable to change shape despite the effort of people to stuff more clothes into it.

I would love to get feedback if anyone out there would like a book to read to their kids... Or to read to your inner kid! Feedback from an earlier draft included the comment that the language reminded them of Roald Dahl -- yep, I am HOLDING onto that bit, nursing it so it grows in strength and verity...

Roald Dahl gave tips to children's writers once that I wrote on a scrap of paper and pinned to the wall. I have no idea where the list is but it did mention to make the adults meaner than mean and to ensure every story featured chocolate.

My story features chocolate. Lots of chocolate cake!

Which reminds me, there's a cappuccino chocolate Swiss roll sitting in the fridge that I promised myself and my daughter a slab of as soon as I finished. She has been waiting patiently, albeit with little visits to my shed to remind me that it exists and is VERY, very tempting.

Got to go eat cake!

No comments:

Post a Comment