Sunday, August 26, 2012

On location for our new classroom game!


We just wrapped our first videos for our very first Planet Protector Academy interactive classroom game. We are very excited. It was a blast shooting in the woods. Here are some behind the scenes pics from our shoot.

Sara Holt reads her lines as Esmeralda Planet Protector
Goober (Ian Gshcwind) gets ready for a shower
Sara and Ian taking a break between shots.
Sara and Ian having a snack
Vanessa LeBourdais making a Fabulous Director pose.
Our crew, Jenn Hogg, prepping the next scene.


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

DreamRider's Undercover Superstar: Jenn Hogg


Jenn Hogg,
DreamRider's awesome Booking Coordinator


A peak behind the scenes: meet one of our undercover Planet Protectors, DreamRider’s Booking Coordinator, Jenn Hogg. Not all the people who work for DreamRider wear funny costumes, but the awesome folks behind the scenes are as important to our success as those getting all the applause.

DreamRider is a virtual team, which means that Jenn manages relationships with more than 300 Metro Vancouver schools from the comfort of her home office. “That means thousands and thousands of emails, and hundreds of phone calls," Jenn says. "Schools are always really busy, so I have to be persistent – but I try not to be annoying!”

“Jenn has done an especially amazing job this year,” says Executive Producer Vanessa LeBourdais. “Some of the other theatre companies in BC that tour to schools have had huge losses this year due to the teachers’ action – it even made the news.

"Despite the teacher's action, Jenn managed to book more DreamRider shows than ever."

Jenn laughs, “My boyfriend works in sales, one day we were talking about work and realized that my job is also sales – even though the schools don’t pay for the shows, I am trying to sell them on the idea of booking a show!”

“Sometimes a Principal will say, ‘We had that show already,’ so I go into sales mode and tell them that it’s actually been three years since we toured there, that half of the audience is new, and remind them that kids love to see their favourite shows over and over again.”

Jenn says, “Then the principal will laugh, and book us.”

Jenn especially likes working from home right now
because she can take care of her new puppy, Digby
.
Plus, Jenn keeps the environment in mind when doing the scheduling. “I try to book the performances as close together as possible, to minimize driving distance between shows.”

Just another day as an undercover Planet Protector at DreamRider Theatre.









Thursday, March 8, 2012

Happy International Women's Day, from Esmeralda Superspy!

Sara Holt is Esmeralda Superspy

We All Need More Superheroines!
While DreamRider’s teaching kids about the environment, we also have a deep message about roles for women, through our character Esmeralda Superspy Planet Protector. 
Recently, Madeleine Shaw, of Lunapads and Pads4Girls, told me about the effect seeing Esmeralda had on her daughter, Gigi. Madeleine said to me that she herself is an eco-feminist, so Gigi had grown up learning about the environment and women’s issues. But Madeleine said that Gigi had never encountered a female superhero before, and that the effect on Gigi was transformative and empowering. 
It’s not accidental. I started writing plays because of my frustration at the narrow and limited roles for women that were being written. I certainly didn’t fit into them, and neither did most of the women I knew. 
So when my partner Ian Gschwind and I set about to write our first Planet Protectors play, Keep Cool, I insisted, “The superhero has to be a woman.”
Esmeralda Superspy Planet Protector has now been in three plays, three videos, and an animation, she’s been seen by almost 200,000 kids. 
Not once ever has anything ever been said about her appearance. 
Sara Holt in "Esmeralda Superspy and the Litterless Lunch."
I think she’s an attractive superheroine, but that is not what is important about her. What she does, what she feels, what she can do, her values and her mission, those are important, and that’s what Esmeralda is about. And so it makes me feel amazing to know that 800 boys and girls every day are encountering this female model of excellence and empowerment and capacity and bravery and purpose.  
A special note needs to be made about the fabulous Sara Holt, who originated the role, has been playing her with all her heart and soul for four years now, who embodies Esmeralda's awesomeness every day, and whose commitment to BE Esmeralda is inspiring. Oh, and did I mention, Sara designed the costume too?


So happy International Women’s Day and here’s to all the superheroines out there, real and imaginary.






Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Sneak peek at the set design for our new water conservation play


This just in! This painting is about 18 inches across by 6 1/2 inches (45.7cm x 16.5cm)- and now our scenic painters are painting the actual set, which will be 18 feet by 6 1/2 feet (5.5m x 1.98m).

You might be wondering why there is a farm pictured here, in a set for a water show. Why not have the whole painting covered in images of water? Because, as Angus McAllister pointed out in a workshop about water, water is in everything - water is life. And water is essential for growing food. We look for signs of life on other planets by looking for water. That's how important it is. That's what we hope to get across in our new show H2Whoa!

By the way, I painted this set design. Now, to get to work on the songs for the show! Oh, and write a big grant for our Planet Protectors website project. Don't worry, I have lots of amazing help.

Vanessa

Friday, October 28, 2011

Good Green News!

Thanks to our friends at TELUS, DreamRider just shot the very first two episodes of the Good Green News - news in your neighbourhood reported by kids about the good green things happening.

Here's an episode about Vancouver Bike Lanes:


And the second one, about Vancouver's Urban Gardens:


We had a blast making these and hope to make more!

Photos from the Good Green News shoot:


Here's our host, Tia, 9, at Vancouver City Hall.


 Interviewing City Councillor Andrea Reimer:


 Director Vanessa LeBourdais with TELUS cameraman Greg Coletti setting up a shot for the bike lanes episode, with host Tia waiting patiently to start.

photo (c) Hilary Mandel

Tia interviews urban farmer Ilana Labow:

photo (c) Hilary Mandel

As Tia says, with great green news like this, "What's not to like?"


We want to hear your Good Green News. Make a video and send it to us! Send to dreamrider (at) shaw.ca!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Esmeralda Planet Protector rides again!

Esmeralda Superspy Planet Protector is getting ready for more action! Last week, we shot footage for two upcoming episodes in the Planet Protector series: Esmeralda Planet Protector and the Litterless Lunch and Esmeralda Planet Protector and the Electronic Wasters.  New supervillains, new missions, all in a day's work for Esmeralda and her sidekick Goober!

Sara Holt stars as Esmeralda Planet Protector


Ian Gschwind as the Blaster, who is trying to blow up Esmeralda.

Sara Holt also appears as Trashella, the queen of garbage.












































Planet Protector kids are ready for action


Sunday, October 31, 2010

Zero Heroes on Shaw TV

Check it out - great coverage from the sweet folks at The Express on Shaw TV. Our segment starts at 9:45. I especially love the kids singing to the camera as they leave the gym, "We're Zero Heroes! We've got the power!"

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