WHAT WAS THE PILOT PROJECT?

The Pilot Project was a highly-ambitious, immersive, hands-on laboratory experience through which participants, ages 13 to 20, engaged in the dynamic process of developing an animated television series pitch package based on script ideas inspired by DiscoveryOnstage Summer Acting Campers, ages 5 to 12.

HOW DID IT WORK?

Through a carefully organized curriculum and a series of guest lecturers and crafted competitions, participants spent four weeks learning to write, perform, produce and pitch. They were guided throughout the process by the Imagination Up Productions (a sub-brand of DiscoveryOnstage) team comprised of a working television development executive, two professional actor/educators, three animation consultants and a technical advisor.  Additionally, students were mentored by two television producers, two animators, a feature film director, a voice over casting director, a sound engineer and three television actors (Disney’s Hal Sparks, Maile Flanagan & Angel Parker) who coached and performed alongside them in their voice-over sessions held at a professional recording studio.

WHAT WAS ON THE TO-DO LIST?

Vocal and audio tracks were designed and produced; animatics were completed; line-ups and storyboards were generated; series bibles were written; and pitch presentations were prepared all in an effort to win the privilege of pitching team packages to a network executive at a major Hollywood studio.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE END?

Three teams comprised of six students each, presented their final pitch packages to a panel of industry insiders which included the creator’s of Nickelodeon’s Rug Rats, the executive producers of  Disney’s Lab Rats, an Emmy Award winning voice over artist, and a Disney feature film producer. The teams were scored according to rubric and the winning team was awarded the chance to pitch their pilot to development executives at Disney Animation Studios. After two months of note-sessions led by iUp mentors, the winning team refined their materials, entered the studio, and took their shot! They presented video, print materials, and live elements to a panel of three and, though their series fell short of pick-up for series, they were met with enthusiasm, curiosity, and celebration. They were then invited to tour the studio, meet writers, producers, and animators, and dine in the company commissary. Surveyed in weeks to follow, participating students and their families expressed high satisfaction with the Pilot Project and its outcomes.