The award-winning VeggieTales animated series is tops with today’s kids. Having sold over 50 million videos and 7 million albums since its conception back in 1993 VeggieTales is committed to providing entertaining stories that help families teach children important life lessons in a delightfully wacky way. Kids follow the adventures of Larry the Cucumber, Bob the Tomato and a bushel full of their vegetable friends as they teach values like honesty, kindness, and forgiveness. When co-creator Mike Nawrocki (and voice of comedy star Larry the Cucumber) first started working on the concept for VeggieTales by founding Big Idea Productions, Inc. the idea was to find a successful (and fun) platform that would educate and instill positive values in today’s children. Feeling that today’s cartoons exhibit too much violence and negative values, Mike wanted to create a program that would encourage positive behavior in children through educational content — 14 years later kids are still reaping the awards and the mission is still growing! The stories themselves are often based on biblical or famous literary stories, sometimes transferred to a different setting. For example, Sumo of the Opera stars Larry as, the Italian Scallion, a Sumo wrestler who learns to persevere in this cross between Rocky, The Mikado and the Karate Kid! Parodies have also hit on Gilligan’s Island, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Sherlock Holmes and more! In the fall of 2006 VeggieTales debuted on Saturday morning TV as part of a groundbreaking new multi-platform television network for children that champions literacy and positive values through entertainment. With programming that’s broadcasting on both English and Spanish, the Qubo block airs on NBC as well as Telemundo on Saturday morning in a 3 hour time block as well as a 24/7 digital television kids network launching on ION Media Networks’ nationwide.
In addition to VeggieTales, Big Idea also produces companion programs 3-2-1 Penguins! and Larryboy Adventures (featuring none other than Larry the Cucumber). The Big Idea programming is the top rated during the 3-hour block. The popularity of VeggieTales follows the tremendous surge of Christian based media into the mainstream audience. “I think a couple of things are happening,” says Mike Nawrocki. “The first is that Christians who want to tell stories that incorporate their worldview are becoming better storytellers. the other thing that’s happening, which is nothing new, is that people respond to well-told stories. In a country where over 90 percent of the population believes that God exists, a good movie that makes those same assumptions is going to find an audience. From an explicitly Christian film like ‘The Passion of the Christ’ to an allegorically Christian film like ‘The Chronicles of Narnia,’ you’re going to find millions of people whose beliefs resonate with the content of those movies”. This theme follows through to television and publishing. and the surge in growth continues in leaps and bounds with VeggieTales being a leader in the industry. VeggieTales’s latest release, Moe and The Big Exit is comes out in March 2007. Featuring Larry the Cucumber, Moe tells the story of Moses through a delightfully entertaining animated western that teaches children the importance of following directions. The DVD contains loads of cowboy fun, tons of features, and a new silly song for all VeggieTale fans!
More about Mike Nawrocki – VeggieTales co-creator: While working in an entry-level position at a video production house he started a side project with his friend Phil Vischer. This side project turned into the well-known series, VeggieTales. In 1994, Mike officially joined Big Idea productions full time. Mike created, wrote and directed all of the Silly Songs with Larry. He also has written and directed many of the VeggieTales episodes as well as voices many of the other characters in the show – including Larry the Cucumber! Mike currently lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife and two children.
About Big Idea, Inc. Big Idea, Inc., a subsidiary of Classic Media, is committed to providing entertaining stories that help parents teach children important life lessons in a delightfully wacky way. Big Idea is best known for its award-winning VeggieTales animated series, which has sold over 50 million videos and seven million albums of chart-topping audio since 1993. In addition to extending the property into licensing, publishing and live entertainment arenas, the company released its first-ever feature film, Jonah – A VeggieTales Movie, in 2002. Big Idea is currently in production on its second feature film, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything – A VeggieTales Movie, to be released by Universal Studios in Spring 2008. Big Idea is recognized as the leading producer and creator of values-based product reflecting a Judeo-Christian worldview in the family entertainment industry. For more information on Big Idea, visit http://www.bigidea.com https://videos.whiteblox.com/gnb/secure/player.aspx?sid=28737
