From a media release:
TWO SINKING SHIP SERIES – “ARE WE THERE YET?…†and “ROLL PLAY†– NAMED PRIX JEUNESSE AWARD FINALISTS, KID TV’S HIGHEST HONOUR
Sinking Ship Entertainment is pleased to announce that “Are we there yet?: World Adventure†and “Roll Play†– two pre-school series created, produced, written and directed by Sinking Ship Entertainment – have been named as finalists for the “Up to (age) 6 Non-Fiction†category of the prestigious Prix Jeunesse International Awards 2008. Both series currently air on Treehouse TV.
“It is a great honour when two of our series that feature real Canadian kids and values receive international recognition,†says J.J. Johnson, creator of both series and partner at Sinking Ship Entertainment. “Thanks, as always, go to Treehouse for giving us wiggle room to experiment.â€
The winners of the Prix Jeunesse awards – the highest honour receivable in children’s television – are announced in Munich, Germany in June 2008. This year, Sinking Ship Entertainment is the only Canadian company named as finalists in this category. In 2006, Sinking Ship shared the Prix Jeunesse pre-school web prize for www.thisisdanielcook.com with Marble Media. Since launching in 2002, Sinking Ship Entertainment has won 10 internationally recognized awards in children’s programming while having received 20 award nominations.
From climbing Machu Picchu to tracking polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, “Are we there yet?: World Adventure†is the first-ever Canadian live-action pre-school travel adventure series for kids, hosted by kids. Each 39 x 7′ episode tracks the globetrotting adventures of two brother/sister duos who alternate taking kids at home on a breathtaking tour of six continents, 20 countries and almost 60 cities. “Are we there yet?: World Adventureâ€, a Treehouse original production, is produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment in association with National Geographic Kids and with the support of UNICEF. Season two premieres in fall 2008.
With scripts by renowned Canadian authors, songs by acclaimed artists including Sam Roberts, Holly McNarland, Socrates and Patrick Pentland of Sloan and the puppets of the award-winning Famous People Players, the live-action pre-school series “Roll Play†(52 x 4′) gets kids moving. Each episode is a story or song about the adventures of characters like Frank the Crab. While the movements of the puppets play out on a black background, children re-enact the puppets movements against a white background. Visually stunning, “Roll Play†combines imaginative storytelling with physical movements designed to encourage viewer participation. Season two also premieres in fall 2008.