New kids series inspired by Thunderbirds and the Muppets

[webbox100]

I guess you could say we made this as a love-letter to makers and making. Over the past four years and with the help of an amazing crew, my wife Lindsay and I created a new kids series for Canadian broadcaster TVOkids, brought to life with puppets and model miniature effects. It stars Muppet-inspired puppets (particularly from Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas), detailed and functional props, and Supermarionation/Thunderbirds-style sets and vehicles (a jet plane launches off the roof). Each episode follows a shy sheep scientist named Miikshi and the haywire happenings in her bustling city.

It just started streaming today, and we'd love for fellow makers to check it out (and hope that makers' kids dig it)!

Worldwide:

https://miikshi.com

In Canada on TVOkids:

Miikshi

Miikshi follows the adventures of a shy but genius sheep scientist who saves the world one day at a time...quietly.

www.tvokids.com

 

[Aku]

"Anything can happen in the next seven minutes"

Do I see a Dapol girder bridge there in the launch bay - nice touch.

 

[Axlotl]

That is super cool, man!
I might even watch a few more episodes this evening.

 

[webbox100]

"Anything can happen in the next seven minutes"

Do I see a Dapol girder bridge there in the launch bay - nice touch.

Thanks Aku! (We should've said that in the show somewhere!)

Nice spotting of the girder bridge parts! We had a big ol' box of Airfix girder bridge kit bits, and I very much encouraged the art department to use it. I found out later I said "girder bridge kit" so many times they all were betting when I'd say it each day.

 

[division 6]

That was entertaining, although Dr Crumpet is a total jerk.
A little bit of science in each episode.

 

[webbox100]

That was entertaining, although Dr Crumpet is a total jerk.
A little bit of science in each episode.

Thanks for checking out the show! (Oh yeah, Crumpet is totally a jerk.)

 

[division 6]

How many episodes are made and when do new ones air?

 

[webbox100]

How many episodes are made and when do new ones air?

All 10 episodes are now available to stream worldwide on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFj9CLKQggfmuSoL7xCmYFt5wBbWfYU0j

If anyone's in Canada, they can stream it on TVOkids.com: Miikshi

 

[gizmo]

Ha. Very cool!! I dig it. Really great to see shows still made like this. It gives it so much charm. Well done and I hope it does really well.


Ben

 

[webbox100]

Ha. Very cool!! I dig it. Really great to see shows still made like this. It gives it so much charm. Well done and I hope it does really well.


Ben

Thanks Ben! I absolutely agree. Having crew all poised and ready to pull a model or something also brought a lot of energy to set.

 

[Galactican]

Very cool!

 

[webbox100]

Very cool!

Thanks Galactican!

A few more process photos here of making three 'barrowcar' model miniatures for the show.

1) Blocking out the shape

2) Wood/foamcore master shapes (I ended up regretting using any foamcore since I found it too squishy at the next stage)

3) Refining the shapes with car body filler

4) The nearly completed master shape

5) Three parts of each car include a fibreglass body, vacuum formed upper half and polyurethane resin-cast fin piece (lots of these processes learned by watching Bill & Britt Doran's Punished Props videos over and over)

6) Completed and weathered models, including working suspension on each wheel and lights

 

[Axlotl]

That is a cool little car design.
I really hope this show takes off for you guys and gals. You're really pouring your hearts into this, and it shows.

 

[webbox100]

That is a cool little car design.
I really hope this show takes off for you guys and gals. You're really pouring your hearts into this, and it shows.

Thanks Axlotl, really appreciate that!

 

[3Dsf]

Looks great! Hope it's a smashing success!

 

[webbox100]

Looks great! Hope it's a smashing success!

Thanks, nkg!

 

[Somerset]

Watched the first episode- loved it! Such great skills needed to make this!

I like how Dr Crumpet sounds like a mix between James Mason and Michael York.

The real question though is whether the Hay Ewe can carry pods 1 - 6?

 

[webbox100]

Watched the first episode- loved it! Such great skills needed to make this!

I like how Dr Crumpet sounds like a mix between James Mason and Michael York.

The real question though is whether the Hay Ewe can carry pods 1 - 6?

Thanks for the kind words, Somerset! (I'm pretty sure the Hay Ewe can load barns 1-6.)