Day in the Life of VeggieTales

FOX 17 News - By: John Dunn

KIDS MAY NOT LIKE TO EAT THEIR VEGETABLES, BUT THEY SURE LIKE TO WATCH THEM ON T.V.

JUST ASK THE PEOPLE BEHIND VEGGIE TALES...THE ANIMATED STORIES FEATURING BOB THE TOMATO AND LARRY THE CUCUMBER.

THEY COME TO LIFE EVERYDAY AT FRANKLIN'S "BIG IDEA STUDIOS".

FROM THE MOMENT A VEGGIETALES CARTOON BEGINS, YOU KNOW YOU'LL NEVER LOOK AT A VEGETABLE THE SAME WAY.

THE CREATIVE MINDS AT "BIG IDEA STUDIOS" SPEND THEIR DAYS TURNING VEGETABLES INTO UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS.

EACH STORY BEGINS WITH A PITCH.

"And then Choto now gets into it and he starts going.."Gonna take a trip on the mighty Mississip..gonna take a little trippy on the mighty Mississippi," says Brian Roberts, VeggieTales Director.

BRIAN ROBERTS IS A VEGGIETALES DIRECTOR. TODAY HE'S PITCHING A NEW SCENE FOR A STORY CALLED HUCKLEBERRY LARRY. IT'S DRAWN OUT FRAME BY FRAME ON STORYBOARDS.

"Ooo we're having a bit of trouble with this big one sir," says Roberts.

AFTER DELIVERING THE SCENE, BIG IDEA'S CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, TERRY PEFANIS, MAKES COMMENTS AND ASKS QUESTIONS.
THE STORY IS A GO.


A VEGGIETALES DVD CAN TAKE MORE THAN A YEAR TO COMPLETE.

"When I'm directing I'm always looking for ways to make the story more entertaining," says Roberts.

THE NEWEST RELEASE IS CALLED THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF HA'S... A STORY WITH A FAMILIAR PLOT.

DIRECTOR BRIAN ROBERTS TAKES US THROUGH A SCENE.

"And then all of a sudden the Lion hops out and we...they all freak out and he's running and they're running around," says Roberts.

THE SCRIPT MOVES FROM STORYBOARDS...TO 3-D CHARACTERS.

"So here's Larry in his tin man outfit," says Roberts.

THEN THE SCENE IS ANIMATED BY ANOTHER TEAM IN TORONTO, CANADA.

AND FINALLY SOUND EFFECTS, MUSIC, TEXTURE AND COLOR ARE ADDED TO MAKE IT COMPLETE.

"We want it to be entertaining for parents but we want three year olds to be able to walk away with..oh, I understand what they were trying to teach me," says Roberts.

THE NINE PERSON VEGGIETALES CREATIVE TEAM IS USUALLY WORKING ON TWO OR THREE PROJECTS AT A TIME.

ONE OF THOSE IS A NEW CHRISTMAS MOVIE. ART DIRECTOR CHUCK VOLLMER IS DRAWING CHARACTERS IN WINTER HATS.

JOE SPADAFORD IS WORKING ON A CONCEPT FOR AN ALLEYWAY SCENE THAT TAKES PLACE IN ANCIENT TIMES.

"There will be vases that will be toppled over," says Spadaford.

IT'S BRIAN ROBERTS JOB TO TAKE ALL THE DESIGNS AND CONCEPTS AND COME UP WITH A FINAL LOOK.

"The number of decisions that the art director and the director have to make together is enormous. I think it's probably in the millions," says Roberts.

AS THE ARTISTS CONTINUE TO DRAW, IMPORTANT WORK IS BEING DONE IN EDITING. JOHN WAHBA IS FINALIZING THE STORY REEL FOR HUCKLEBERRY LARRY.

THE FINISHED CUT WILL SERVE AS A TEMPLATE FOR THE ANIMATORS, AND EVENTUALLY ANOTHER MOVIE FROM THE CREATIVE MINDS BEHIND VEGGIETALES.

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1993, BIG IDEA HAS RELEASED MORE THAN 25 ANIMATED DVD's...EACH OF THEM HAS A SPECIFIC THEME BUILT AROUND A MESSAGE FROM THE BIBLE.

A FULL LENGTH VEGGIETALES MOVIE TITLED "THE PIRATES WHO DON'T DO ANYTHING" HITS THEATERS IN JANUARY.