Imagine That
The Imagination Movers
By Sheri McKeeMost residents of New Orleans, especially those with kids, already know that the Imagination Movers are a local popular children’s music group featuring Rich Collins, a former journalist and father of five young children; Scott Durbin, an award-winning teacher and father of two young children; Dave Poche, an architect and father of two young children; and Scott “Smitty” Smith, a New Orleans firefighter who was a member of the Katrina search-and-rescue effort. Besides performing at festivals this past year and living out one of their dreams, these guys have been hitting it hard putting in 14+ hour days at a studio in the metro New Orleans area. During their break time, they’d run into their recording studio inside the same building and lay down some song tracks for their new Disney label.
Things began for the Movers when “a dear friend,” who worked with Mover Scott at Newman introduced them to an executive at Jive Records, who in turn let Disney in on what they were doing in New Orleans. Intrigued, Disney caught the Imagination Mover’s performance at Jazz Fest 2004, and from there the negotiations began.
“Ironically, the whole project started as an idea for a local kids show for one of our PBS affiliates,” said Mover Scott. “Many of us had grown up with Popeye and Pals and longed for something local and worthwhile for the kids. WLAE really encouraged us and went out of their way to make some connections for us. LPB adopted us and our Francis James-directed, homegrown videos caught on.”
Those same videos were first seen last fall on Playhouse Disney introducing the Movers to their young national Disney audience.
“We have seen firsthand how kids connect with the Imagination Movers and their music, and we are excited to introduce the band to preschoolers and their families around the world,” said Nancy Kanter, Senior Vice President, Playhouse Disney Worldwide. “In addition to their catchy music, the Movers are positive role models for kids, as they help encourage creativity and the concept of brainstorming to solve problems.”
The Imagination Movers series introduces preschoolers to their energetic rock and roll music while emphasizing creative problem solving skills. It features the four blue jumpsuited band members as everyday guys (“brain stormers”) working hard to solve “idea emergencies” in their Idea Warehouse, a place of infinite inspiration. Each 30-minute episode features five songs presented in music video style performances. Three songs are repeated in every episode, while two new original songs reflect the episode’s storyline.
The series launched on September 6 in the US and simultaneously on the UK’s Playhouse Disney channel, with episodes rolling out through early 2009 on Playhouse Disney channels and Disney Channels around the world. From first impressions, the show resembles a childlike version of The Monkees from the 1960s. The series also has special episodes including “Fall,” when they solve a large pumpkin problem (debuting on October 25) and a “Winter Holiday” episode (debuting on December 6).
Making the series even better than the hometown boys’ hitting it big with Disney is the fact that the series is filmed entirely in New Orleans, with over 95% of the staff from the metro New Orleans area. The Imagination Movers’ set also has reflections of New Orleans throughout, resembling the architecture of the Louisiana Children’s Museum, and it even includes a painting along the exposed brick and brightly painted walls of Smitty’s fire truck. Skot Bright and Sascha Penn (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Runnin’ Down a Dream, Dave Chappelle’s Block Party) are the executive producers, with band members Collins, Durbin, Poche and Smith serving as co-executive producers, alongside Emmy Award-winning writer/producer Rick Gitelson (Handy Manny, Rugrats). The series is being produced by Penn Bright Entertainment and Zydeco Productions in association with Disney Channel.
“There are four performance elements in each show, a 30-page script and we usually get through 9 pages a day,” said Skot Bright. “The audience doesn’t realize what a ride they’ve jumped on.”
Skot Bright started in music videos then transitioned into some television. His talent brings the musical aspect and the television aspect of the Imagination Movers together. Guided by an established curriculum, Playhouse Disney supports multiple areas of child development: physical, emotional, social and cognitive; thinking and creative skills, as well as moral and ethical development through carefully constructed themes, storylines, and endearing characters. Around every corner there may be some wacky surprises, but it will always keep the kids entertained by thinking and learning with each episode.
Deep inside the “Willie Wonka-ish” Imagination Mover prop department, specialist Michael Martin works on props like light up shoes for a “Dancing” episode and a huge hunk of styrofoam that will later be carved into a hunk of cheese for Warehouse Mouse. There’s a flashing maze-like ball display, painted skeletons left over from their “Spooky” episode, wrapped up packages and pine greenery from their “Holiday” episode, and a whole lot of creativity going on at any given time of the day.
“We build all the props,” said Michael Martin. “It usually takes us about four days to prep an episode-what’s shooting and what’s going to shoot. Props are intensive so I must be involved with everything else that’s coming. There’s an episode with Jet Packs—a backpack vacuum cleaner with added layers of gears and lights. There are real mechanical effects and practical lights on props that make it look a lot better. Over the past week we’ve built a Rocket Power Skateboard, a turntable for the DJ Mouse, and a mechanical Super Bee flying around the set. We keep Michael’s and the Radio Shack down the street in business.”
Along with props, you’ll find costumes, and they go through several Disney Imagination Mover designer blue and red jumpsuits, according to their Costume Designer Linda Gardar.
“Each jumpsuit is altered and replaced regularly. Every once in a while, the Movers change, like disco costumes or something for a beach scene,” said Linda Gardar. “It’s a fun show, and being based in New Orleans, I did a lot of theater. I find it’s a cross between the two since this show draws on bigger and bolder more cartoon like accents. Nina has about three different outfits, but it’s always in pink and red.”
Nina is the Imagination Movers’ neighbor that will definitely be a favorite for little girls, along with Warehouse Mouse, in which Mover Smitty is the only one that can speak mouse. This original concept from the Imagination Movers was developed into a puppet for their show. Kevin Carlson runs the Warehouse Mouse puppet, whose larger than life character is animated with explosive energy and antics.
“Warehouse Mouse runs all over the warehouse and shows up everywhere,” chuckled Kevin Carlson. “He befriended the Movers (his buddy is Smitty) and has a furious appetite.”
That appetite is bound to grow even more over the next year, with Playhouse Disney still in the development stage of the series products, especially since the Warehouse Mouse puppet is so adorable and cuddly.
Currently the Imagination Movers appear on Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney in a number of music videos. Their latest CD, Juice Box Heroes, which was released by Walt Disney Records last spring, features songs from the new series including old favorites most locals will recognize right away. The Imagination Movers are also featured online at www.playhousedisney.com, where parents and preschoolers can customize their own Imagination Movers music videos, create their own illustrations for an interactive storybook, play multi-level games, and send e-mails to their favorite Imagination Mover. The series is also available on demand on mobile phones exclusively via Sprint TV through most data plans.