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Even Baddies Wear Helmets
Stabilisers: Brands and Franchises with Matthew Ashton
Season 1.5, Ep. 3
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Welcome to Even Baddies Wear Helmets! The podcast all about kids’ telly, and the wonderful grown-ups who make it happen.
We’re back with a few more episodes of ‘Stabilisers’ - our little mini-series that nestles snugly between the Series 1 tricycle and the big-kid-bike of Series 2.
So guess what? It turns out everything IS awesome. How do we know? Because in this episode, we chat to the brilliant Matthew Ashton, Vice President of Design at the LEGO Group. Matthew has worked for LEGO for 21 years, was Head Judge on the original version of LEGO Masters UK (Channel 4) and - importantly for Even Baddies purposes - was an Executive Producer on the LEGO Movies and the Unikitty series for Cartoon Network!
We’ve had a few requests from listeners for an episode covering the merchandising side of children’s content - and we couldn’t think of anyone better to give us an insight into the relationship between kids, TV and film, franchises and their toys. In this episode, we learn what ‘toyetic’ means, we discover how writers can feed into toy design, and - in what is potentially a world first, two gay people from the Wirral talk about being gay and from the Wirral.
You can find Matthew on Twitter and Instagram here @matthew__ashton (that’s a double underscore FYI!)
THE TEAM
Hosted by Billie Collins
Website: https://billiecollins.co.uk
Twitter: @_BillieCollins
Produced by Clodagh Chapman
Website: https://clodaghchapman.co.uk
Twitter/Insta: @CloChpmn
Music by Finlay Stafford
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystafford
Logo designed by Lucy Tiller
Insta: @lucyjaneillustrates
Twitter: @lucyjtiller
For more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.
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5. Stabilisers: Mockumentary with Elizabeth Ito
56:38||Season 1.5, Ep. 5Welcome to Even Baddies Wear Helmets! The podcast all about kids’ telly, and the wonderful grown-ups who make it happen.This episode is the last in our Stabilisers mini-series - a little block of episodes that act as the gateway between the tricycle of Even Baddies Wear Helmets Series 1, and the big-kid bike of Series 2. In today’s episode, we’re going ghost hunting! We’re joined by Elizabeth Ito, creator of Netflix’s City of Ghosts. It’s a funny, charming and at times moving animated mockumentary about a group of kids living in Los Angeles, who seek out and interview the city’s spirits. Elizabeth is a 15 year veteran of the animation industry, with credits ranging from Hotel Transylvania to Astroboy, and in 2017 she won an Emmy for her work on the smash-hit series Adventure Time. What’s more, Elizabeth’s short film Welcome to My Life is - to date - the second most-viewed short in Cartoon Network history. Billie and Elizabeth talk passion projects, workspaces and the things we leave behind. Like what you hear? We’d love it if you told your mates! You can find out more about Elizabeth and her work on https://elizabethito.com/ or find her on Twitter @kikutowne.THE TEAMHosted by Billie CollinsWebsite: https://billiecollins.co.ukTwitter: @_BillieCollinsProduced by Clodagh ChapmanWebsite: https://clodaghchapman.co.ukTwitter/Insta: @CloChpmnMusic by Finlay StaffordFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystaffordLogo designed by Lucy TillerInsta: @lucyjaneillustratesTwitter: @lucyjtillerFor more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.
4. Stabilisers: Dramedy with Theresa Varga
33:30||Season 1.5, Ep. 4Welcome to Even Baddies Wear Helmets! The podcast all about kids’ telly, and the wonderful grown-ups who make it happen.This episode is part of our Stabilisers’ mini series - a little slew of episodes that nestle snugly between the Series 1 tricycle and the big-kid-bike of Series 2. Today, we’re talking to the wonderful Theresa Varga, a director who hails from Yorkshire. Alongside a brilliant array of achingly funny and visually delicious short films, her TV credits include Secret Life of Boys, Hetty Feather (both CBBC) and The Diary of My Broken Vagina (Channel 4). In this episode, we talk mostly about her work on Dan Berlinka’s CBBC series Lagging - a show in which a tight-knit group of gaming enthusiasts battle dragons and reach for high scores in the virtual world, whilst navigating growing up, friendships and family IRL.Billie and Theresa delve into developing your own distinctive visual style and the move from short film to TV. We hope you enjoy it! You can find more of Theresa’s work at theresavarga.co.uk, or find her on Twitter @TheresaVargaTHE TEAMHosted by Billie CollinsWebsite: https://billiecollins.co.ukTwitter: @_BillieCollinsProduced by Clodagh ChapmanWebsite: https://clodaghchapman.co.ukTwitter/Insta: @CloChpmnMusic by Finlay StaffordFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystaffordLogo designed by Lucy TillerInsta: @lucyjaneillustratesTwitter: @lucyjtillerFor more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.
2. Stabilisers: Factual Entertainment with Faraz Osman
47:58||Season 1.5, Ep. 2Welcome to Even Baddies Wear Helmets! The podcast all about kids telly, and the wonderful grown-ups who make it happen.We're back with our second episode of Stabilisers: our brand new mini-series, bridging the gap between the Series 1 tricycle and the Series 2 big-kid bike.This week, we chat with Faraz Osman, who runs Gold Wala: a Bristol-based indie production company. Faraz recently Executive Produced 'What's On Your Head?', which is a heartwarming bit of factual entertainment for pre-school audiences about the different things people wear on their heads. Previously, Faraz was Editor of Education for Channel 4, and has worked on productions including Blue Peter (CBBC) and Don't Blame Facebook (E4.)Billie and Faraz delve into the big wide world of 'fact ent', as well as the business of running an indie during the Covid-19 pandemic. So grab a cuppa, put your feet up, and get listening...THE TEAMHosted by Billie Collins Website: https://billiecollins.co.uk Twitter: @_BillieCollins Produced by Clodagh Chapman Website: https://clodaghchapman.co.uk Twitter/Insta: @CloChpmn Music by Finlay Stafford Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystafford Logo designed by Lucy Tiller Insta: @lucyjaneillustrates Twitter: @lucyjtiller For more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.
1. Stabilisers: Directing Animation with Ed Foster
47:15||Season 1.5, Ep. 1Welcome back to Even Baddies Wear Helmets! The podcast all about kids telly, and the wonderful grown-ups who make it happen.Before we crack on with a full second series, we’re releasing a couple of bonus episodes! We’re calling this mini-series “Stabilisers.” Think of it as the gateway between the Series 1 tricycle and the Series 2 big-kid bike.So! Our first bonus ep is all about DIRECTING ANIMATION. Animation directors oversee the whole kit and caboodle of their shows. From the seedling idea to the signed off series, they have a lot of plates to spin. Our guest is Ed Foster. Ed is an NFTS graduate known for his work on preschool animation Little Princess (Channel 5), and for being the creator and director of The Rubbish World of Dave Spud (CITV). The Rubbish World of Dave Spud follows the eponymous Dave alongside his loving family and misfit mates, as they get into all sorts of scrapes and mishaps in Grimsby. The voice cast features the likes of Johnny Vegas, Gina Yashere and Jane Horrocks, and the show is soundtracked by Basement Jaxx. It’s a joy to be back, and if you enjoy the episode, we’d be chuffed if you could give it a share and tell your mates! THE TEAMHosted by Billie Collins Website: https://billiecollins.co.uk Twitter: @_BillieCollins Produced by Clodagh Chapman Website: https://clodaghchapman.co.uk Twitter/Insta: @CloChpmn Music by Finlay Stafford Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystafford Logo designed by Lucy Tiller Insta: @lucyjaneillustrates Twitter: @lucyjtiller For more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.
8. Episode 8: Sitcom with Anthony Q. Farrell
49:28||Season 1, Ep. 8The time has come... Episode 8 is here - the FINAL episode of series 1 of Even Baddies Wear Helmets, the podcast all about children’s TV and the big kids who make it happen. And we’re going out with a bang! This episode is all about SITCOM - writing the funnies, the antics, the gaffs and the mishaps. Our guest is the marvellous Anthony Q. Farrell, whose CV boasts an impressive range of credits, from The Office to Nickelodeon’s Thundermans. Anthony is the creator and showrunner of The Secret Life of Boys, an original sitcom produced by Zodiak Kids for CBBC and ABC (Australia). The series follows a young Australian girl, Ginger, who goes to the UK to spend the summer with her cousins - a group of unruly, messy and loveable boys. The first series aired in 2015, and the fifth and final series in January 2021. Anthony is also showrunner on two upcoming interlinked sitcoms - The Parker Andersons and Amelia Parker (marblemedia and Beachwood Canyon Productions.)In our series finale, we talk about family and the challenges of showrunning two series at once, and ask the all-important question: What Would Kermit Do?THE TEAMHosted by Billie Collins Website: https://billiecollins.co.uk Twitter: @_BillieCollins Produced by Clodagh Chapman Website: https://clodaghchapman.co.uk Twitter/Insta: @CloChpmn Music by Finlay Stafford Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystafford Logo designed by Lucy Tiller Insta: @lucyjaneillustrates Twitter: @lucyjtiller For more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.
7. Episode 7: Teen Drama with Holly Phillips
46:46||Season 1, Ep. 7It’s here - the penultimate episode of series 1! And it’s all about the awkward years - from first crushes to volcanic fall-outs, we’re talking TEEN DRAMA. The teen audience can be one of the hardest to get right - how do you stay relevant without being cringeworthy? How do you handle issues sensitively without patronising anyone? We’re here to find out. Our guest this week is Holly Phillips. Holly is best known for creating and showrunning the teen series Get Even for BBC iPlayer and Netflix. Based on the novels by Gretchen McNeil, it follows a group of teenage girls at an elite private school who band together to get revenge on bullies. But things take a turn for the worse when they are accused of murdering one of their previous targets… Holly is also lead writer and creator of The Athena for Sky, and has written for teen shows such as Dance Academy 2, Nearly Famous (E4) and Sugar Rush (Channel 4). Her children’s credits include So Awkward, Millie Inbetween and 4 O’Clock Club (all CBBC). In this episode, we talk about first times, thrillers, and Dawson’s Creek. Strap in, the teens have arrived! THE TEAM Hosted by Billie Collins Website: https://billiecollins.co.uk Twitter: @_BillieCollins Produced by Clodagh Chapman Website: https://clodaghchapman.co.uk Twitter/Insta: @CloChpmn Music by Finlay Stafford Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystafford Logo designed by Lucy Tiller Insta: @lucyjaneillustrates Twitter: @lucyjtiller For more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.
6. Episode 6: Presenting for Preschool Audiences with Sita Thomas
43:12||Season 1, Ep. 6This week, we’re talking about presenting for preschool TV. Our guest is the fantastic Sita Thomas, who has been a presenter on Channel 5’s Milkshake! since 2015. As a presenter, Sita introduces TV shows, shares arts and crafts skills, teaches us about different cultures and traditions, leads us in dance routines and much more. Presenting is an incredibly varied role, demanding huge amounts of energy, enthusiasm and skill - and Sita’s here to tell us how it’s done. As well as being a presenter, Sita is a director and movement director, having worked with National Theatre Wales, Tamasha, the National Youth Theatre, Out of Joint and many companies and organisations. She’s also an academic, teaching and lecturing at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and has been a guest lecturer and personal academic tutor at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Across all her work, Sita is committed to improving the representation of people from marginalised communities across stage and screen. You can find out more about Sita here: https://www.sitathomas.com/. Or follow her on Twitter: @SitaThomas5.
5. Episode 5: Writing for Animation with Stephanie Simpson
44:54||Season 1, Ep. 5It’s time for episode 5 - we’re over halfway through series one! This week we speak to the incredible Stephanie Simpson, Head Writer on the Netflix smash-hit Hilda, about writing for animation. Based on the graphic novels by Luke Pearson, Hilda follows a young girl as she moves from the wilderness to the city of Trolberg - making new friends and embarking on fantastical adventures along the way. The series won Best Children’s Animation at the BAFTAs in 2019, and Stephanie’s writing on the show saw her receiving nominations and wins at the Annie Awards and the Daytime Emmys. Stephanie has also been head writer on Cbeebies’ Octonauts, and has written for other children’s favourites including Arthur and Barney. In this episode, host Billie tries to keep a lid on her fangirling, and we talk about environmentalism, mother-daughter dynamics and the joys of elvin paperwork. THE TEAMHosted by Billie Collins Website: https://billiecollins.co.uk Twitter: @_BillieCollins Produced by Clodagh Chapman Website: https://clodaghchapman.co.uk Twitter/Insta: @CloChpmn Music by Finlay Stafford Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finlaystafford/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/finlaystafford Logo designed by Lucy Tiller Insta: @lucyjaneillustrates Twitter: @lucyjtiller For more content, go to evenbaddieswearhelmets.co.uk or follow us on our socials at @EvenBaddiesPod.