DARA - a new game for children with autism.

Today, I launched a new Facebook page for my latest project, a passion project really, called DARA. It's a computer game designed for children with autism.

You can find more info on the game here.I'm hoping to get involvement going and discussions as the project moves forward here, on the Facebook page and on Twitter, directly and by messaging.

Right now I'm sourcing development and research funding and partnerships, building up a network internationally of people who want to talk about their kids and what they'd like to have for their kids to make sure the game is the best it can be and achieves everything it can achieve.

It also has to be an awesome game so that kids will play it of their own volition. They will repeat play. They will engage wholly. And being in that space, given the gameplay is being designed to help they develop social skills and coping mechanisms, they are learning constantly and without even being aware of it.

Fore parents, of course, it's an educational tool. There will be digital monitoring so they can see the areas their child focusses on and can work on further tangible development of this skill in the real world. But meanwhile, they will  know that their child is in a safe place and that they are playing a game which is teaching them crucial skills,,,,

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Watch this space!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DARA-the-Game/984796518203897?ref=bookmarks

Digital Puppeteering - it's Magical ! (Or MagicFriendsical?)

MagicFriends, the first App I was ever hired as a writer on, was launched this week on the App Store. This is exciting enough but really, the magic is in the game itself, and that's how I got hooked into the project in the first place.

Essentially, you get to talk to your child as a fantasy character, one that you control, one that you 'voice' and one that you can make dance or twirl or leap in the air. Effectively, you become a digital puppeteer and witness the magic occur!

Here's how it works. You connect two i-devices via wifi - you and your child could be in different rooms or even different countries. Your child rings Santa or Prancer, Sam the snowman or Candy the elf (Xmas edition) and when you answer, having morphed your voice in real time via the in-app voice-changer, your child sees and hears the character they called on their screen talking to them. By swiping and tapping, you can animate the character and she or he dances, twirls, winks, jumps, laughs etc on your child's device.

But the real magic is what happens when the conversation begins. Because you know your child, because this - for them - is real - anything can happen. Candy the  elf may be making the sort of toy your child dreams of getting. Prancer might have spotted a dog just like yours last year when he was on the roof. Santa might even guess what your child would really like while Sam might need your child to cheer him up with a terrible joke because he can't go into the grotto to watch the toys being made.

There are sample conversations and stories on the website  about life in the North Pole (Xmas edition), jokes and anecdotes about sharing a shed with eight other reindeer or working in a section of the toy factory or trying to wake Santa up in the morning. These are there to help you get started if you need them, but once the child starts engaging - and it's pretty instant; after all the world of imagination is just as real to them as the real world is - it just takes off and it is sooooo much fun, on both sides of the conversation.

At a technical end, it's using new technology developed in Maynooth, the engineering is done by Marino Software and the animation by Giant Animation...

If you want to see the video about how it all works, it's on the MagicFriends website . To download, the app is 4.99 per annum but Sam the Snowman is free if you want to try it out here - and new characters will be added through the year.There are a couple of Bunglalobs and a toothfairy called Penny in the wings.

Excellent speakers make Creatives in Animation Network's first 'themed' event a great night

Thanks to our brilliant, enthusiastic and inspiring speakers, CAN's first 'themed' event was a great evening. Charlene Putney on Twine, Chris Gregan (Snozbot) on their creation - the free games software engine, Fungus - and Dave McCabe on being a freelance Narrative Designer versus almost any other form of scriptwriter... The time flew in and several of us ended up sipping and talking on in the IFI afterwards.

Thanks to Filmbase for the room. Normally, CAN events are held in the Roasted Brown Cafe space on the floor below but we needed a screen to see some sample games -- yeah, it's a tough night when you have to watch games and learn interesting things from interesting people!

Unusually, we didn't have a lot of writers this time but we had everything else in the creative sphere of animation, vfx, games... If it felt a bit formal to be sitting in an 'official space' compared to gathering around tables downstairs, the ease of information flowing around the room and the candidness of the speakers made it a very special event. Not sure I got to talk to all the newcomers afterwards but hopefully they'll be back.

I'm thinking a themed night or two every year -- any ideas??

International Win for PUNKY in Moscow!!

International Win for PUNKY in Moscow!!

Wonderful news: PUNKY has won Best Film for Children in Moscow at The International Disability Film Festival 'Breaking Down The International Disability Film Festival: Breaking Down Barriers' You can see Aimee Richardson,  of the wonderful actress who brought Punky to life collecting the award here

Congratulations to everyone who made it happen - behind the scenes, animating the scenes, voicing the scenes, directing them, storyboarding them, music-ifying them, writing them, creating the original concept art for them ... and especially to Gerard O'Rourke of Geronimo Productions (European Producer of the Year 2012) who utterly believed it was possible from the first time I brought my idea to him and Aimee who made it real.

CREATIVES IN ANIMATION NETWORK (CAN): Interactive Narrative Fiction & Games event

CREATIVES IN ANIMATION NETWORK (CAN): Interactive Narrative Fiction & Games event: The next Creatives in Animation Network (CAN) event is on Wednesday November 19 th in Room 3, Filmbase. It’s on a Wednesday this time...

WULFIE.... Next stop MIPCOM...

WULFIE, children’s animation series, target age 6-11; 52 x 11 min eps

WULFIE, a series based on stories I created for my daughter and that I presented with Monster Entertainment at Cartoon Forum on September 24th is gearing up for another French sortie. He's off to Cannes. To Mipcom, no less, to continue the charm offensive!

Wulfie has also just launched his own Facebook page - Wulfie From Lupislandia - because he was so excited by all the attention he got at Cartoon Forum 2014.

Libby is being very patient with him but checking the posts and watching what he writes about her, about her friends and her world. Meanwhile I've started writing the first of a series of Wulfie books for the same age group.

And we are proud of him. He's our rapscallion, Wulfie - insatiably curious and irrepressible - and his feisty best friend, Libby has a full time job trying to contain him. The stories are all about life as a ten year-old, trying to juggle horrible homework, irritating teachers, annoying step-brother etc but with Wulfie diving in to try and fix things/ make them better/ more fun and always making things a hundred times worse/ more complicated and more fun. In the end. 

We presented at 11am on the first day of Cartoon Forum. In the Purple Room, which seemed like a good omen. We wore purple ears and tails - and I actually enjoyed the tail swishing against my legs! Pictures are here: Wulfie Presentation. Feedback was excellent and will be followed up at Mipcom.

THE TALENT

Lead writer :Steven Banks, former head writer of SpongeBob Squarepants. Both of us have already written two scripts apiece.

Concept Design: Aaron Blecha.

Director is Andrew Crotty (I'm a Creepy Crawly) 

Animation Director: Paul Maddon (Inis Spraoi, I'm a Creepy Crawly and I'm a Monster) Lead Animator: Mark Flood r.
Creator, Writer & Creative Consultant: Lindsay J Sedgwick (Punky, Wildernuts, MagicFriends)

THE FACTS

52 x 11 min episodes. 
Production to start June 2015 and last 18 months.
Budget: 4.5 million Euro; c 26% required via co-production and pre-sales. 
Presented Cartoon Forum 2014 and at  Mipcom in 2014
Compositing, offline and online editing will take place in-house at Monster Entertainment while all audio will be produced at Gorilla Sound. 

Materials available: Full series bible, teaser, four completed scripts

Cartoon Forum - Wulfie Dived Into the Limelight and Loved it!

Andrew Fitzpatrick, Monster Entertainment, starts the presentation off...

Was it only last week?

Variety article: Wulfie Carries Irish Flag

Wulfie has been presented - to a large room full of broadcasters, investors and peers and the feedback was fantastic.

Presentation in full flight: Wulfie, the ultimate - impossible - best friend.

Next stop Mipcom!

In full flight - action pics may not be flattering but talking about my favourite purple creation was a blast!

Andrew Fitzpatrick gives them the figures - we only need 26% more!

If you want to get to know Wulfie and the other characters in the series better, check out Wulfie's new Facebook page...