ABOUT

ABOUT

This was a fun project started to keep me from going crazy while in isolation for over a year due to health issues over Covid times. I've made a pilot and copyrighted the media, now I'm looking to get backing to make this go out to children worldwide! This could be an ongoing series where the children of the world contribute their own 'Skrappy Kats to be featured in upcoming episodes.

What began as a personal project for fun continued in 2021 to be released as an 'evergreen' moment for everyone to enjoy.

Have a watch of both YouTube channels listed. The first is for the kids, the second is for the parents who want to help make it at home.

Concept: Lockdown project: a way to creatively connect children worldwide and engage parents while we were all stuck at home. An evergreen series that engages the children of the world and their families at home, offering a sustainable environment while transcending cultural and language barriers.

Execution: It started with a lot of takeaway containers. I was bored during lockdown and couldn’t watch yet another TikTok video so I put ears on a Pringles carton amd started amusing myself. I thought, every kid can do this. Take empty containers and tart them up for fun, make a puppet show. We did this when we were kids, everything is a character to play with. Wouldn’t it be fun to make a whole universe of junkyard cars and make little YouTube videos at home as episodes in a series. Then teach parents how to help their kids make them. The kids could share what they made and each new episode could feature some kid and his ‘Kat’ from somewhere else in the world. A pilot story was made to introduce the characters and a tutorial as 2 separate channels. The Skrappy Kat worlds are built as small tabletop sets right in our own kitchen and living room just like the viewers will create at home. We don't hide this, you can see past the edges right into the room. The design will include hand-drawn backdrops and various 3D props in the middleground and foreground for cat interraction. Everything is at the level of the cats with a forced perspective to show how small the cats are in a big world. The B channel will include lessons for how to make it. I made all the props, puppets and scenery in my kitchen and got my partner amd a neighbour in my bubble to help me set it up. We filmed everything on my iPhone. I wanted my friend Dave to present it with me, but we are in 2 different cities! So we each filmed our own part from our own homes and Dave edited it together.

project_credits:
Blair Barnette - writer, director, designer, presenter, voices
David Lankester - writer, editor, presenter, voices

notes: Even though we are slowing crawling out of lock-down, we all will be spending more time at home for the next foreseeable future. We need things to do at home for the family and channels to send out creativity. Why buy stuff when you can make a whole crazy world with what’s in your rubbish? This project is evergreen, attainable for all and can promote joy!