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Giving kids the tools to create what they imagine
The movie premiere props set the scene at My Small Factory Production, a unique business launched just five months ago in Fair Haven by locals Chris Dudick and Tim Bennet. My Small Factory Productions allows children to run away with their imaginations and create and produce their own cartoons, TV shows and rock videos. The unique business, which combines traditional art, music and storytelling with cutting-edge software, has a Web site: www.mysmallfactory.com. "We're a TV and music production studio for kids; basically, they are the bosses, they are the executive producers, they are the head of everything," Dudick said. Dudick, 27, of Fair Haven, is an illustrator, cartoonist, graphic designer, animator and writer whose true passion is animation. He gained his production experience at Nickelodeon cable television network in New York City, where he was involved with both sound effects and music, and has worked on children's shows for Nickelodeon, Nicktoons and Cartoon Network.
The idea for the business sprouted from a babysitting experience, explained Dudick, who was spending time with his three younger cousins when he asked them to use their imaginations and draw characters. He then recorded their individual voices for the characters and put it all together; his cousins laughed with delight at the result. "Hearing their voice come back out of a character that they made was incredible for them. That was kind of how it started," he said.
The process at Small Factory Productions begins with children brainstorming ideas together, with an average group of about four children. They create and draw their own characters and fabricate their own plot lines with imaginative dialogue. Every activity encompasses each individual child. The final product consists of several characters with each child's distinctive creative input. The next step is the recording process. With the assistance of Bennet, the children take turns recording their own voices in a professional soundproof recording studio. The young producers and creators range from 3 to 14 years old. The younger children are mainly involved with the creative process, while the older children aged 10 to 14 create animation on the computers themselves.
class and other options are available. Each child gets a copy of their own project on a DVD at the end of their session. The final projects are showcased at a celebritylike premiere where VIP members, consisting of family and friends, are invited to the studio and gather in the producer's lounge. Champagne glasses are handed out with sparkling apple cider and an official plaque is uncovered on the wall of fame. "These projects are all broadcastable; you can actually put this on television," Dudick said. Dudick and Bennet also work with autistic children. They help them add their own input to the sketches of the cartoon characters. "They have a lot of input on everything, whether its an exact character or lines from the script," Dudick said.
"Basically they have been watching television shows that adults have been making since the beginning of time and now they have access to create their own stuff," Dudick said. "Now they realize, 'It's time for us to rule the world, we can make anything and do anything here,' " Dudick said.
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