Between the Lions: Original Stories

Along with the published books that we animated for Between the Lions, we were asked to illustrate and animate 2 original stories they owned:

The Ants and the Grasshopper is an updated look at the Aesop fable about preparation for winter and the importance of music.

Cats is a poem by Eleanor Farjeon that perfectly captures cats at sleep!

When WGBH's Judy Stoia and Beth Kirsch entrusted us with The Ants and the Grasshopper, an original story, we were delighted to bring the design up to date. It was such a great way to bring the Aesop fable modern by playing with music. And we all fell in love with that vamp, Ms. Grasshopper!

And then we were asked if we would animate this sweet poem, Cats. I did a very rough storyboard with cartoon-like cats. It really didn't work with the sensitivity of the subject and it took Vincent Cafarelli's draftsmanship and observation to make this poem sing!

Credits

The Ants and the Grasshopper

Written by: Jennifer Hamburg

For Buzzco Associates, inc:
Designed by Bryon Moore and Candy Kugel
Animated by Vincent Cafarelli
Assistant: Bryon Moore
Digital Artist: Rick Broas

Cats

Written by: Eleanor Farjeon
Used with permission of: Harold Ober Associates
©1960 Eleanor Farjeon
Read by: Jennifer Barnhart
Storyboard by Candy Kugel
Design and Animation by Vincent Cafarelli
Assistant: Bryon Moore
Digital Artist: Rick Broas

For Between the Lions:
Executive Producer: Judith Stoia and Bridge Sullivan
Executive Producers for Sirius Thinking: Christopher Cerf and Norman Stiles
Series Producer: Beth Kirsch©2008 WGBH/Sirius Thinking, Ltd.
Read by: Jennifer Barnhart