Dennis Jackson, the creator the award-winning children’s series Wapos Bay, has teamed up with his son, Eric Jackson of Saskatoon’s Paxolotl Media Inc., along with Leif Kaldor and Leslea Mair of Winnipeg’s Zoot Pictures to present CHUMS, a new 3D animation series for preschoolers 3-6. An initial season of 9 x 30’ episodes of the series is currently in production in Winnipeg and Saskatoon for broadcasters APTN and Citytv Saskatchewan. The series is slated to premiere in early 2024 and will also be available for streaming on APTN lumi.
In the world of CHUMS, a young eaglet named Ira and her rag tag group of furry friends on Turtle Island are discovering their relationships to each other and to their environment on mother earth. Ira’s group of “Chums” — friends — includes Flies with Eagles, a young girl who is always willing to help; Emiree, a baby beaver with the softest heart; Romper, a rabbit that has trouble paying attention; and Pterry, a ptarmigan who wishes he could fly better. Our newfound chums take it upon themselves to be the explorers of Turtle Island, and to discover and learn about the world around them.
CHUMS is designed to encourage the discovery of traditional Indigenous relationships to the animals and environment around us. It is being produced in three languages — English, Cree and Ojibwe — with the aim of helping to preserve Indigenous languages for children before official schooling begins. The show is formatted for lip synching and versioning the characters into the various languages.
Joining creator/director Darren Jackson and co-writer/producer Eric Jackson is an all-Indigenous creative team and cast. Zoot Pictures’ Leslea Mair is executive producing. The crew also includes art director Stephanie Boulet; tech design by Winnipeg-based FRANK Digital.
For many of the Indigenous kids doing the voices of the animated characters, this is their first acting break, and an opportunity to refine their skills behind the mic. That mentoring element is mirrored in the pairing of Saskatoon’s Paxolotl Media with veteran Winnipeg production company Zoot Pictures, aimed at developing more Indigenous production companies.
The project also marks the creation of a new animation studio based in the Canadian Prairies. The producers have assembled a team of animation talents from across the two provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The project offers experience to under-represented cast and tech people in the film and television industry and acts as an important vehicle for training and team building. Junior animators have been paired with experienced veterans as part of a multi-year program to train Indigenous animators, modelers and riggers.
“Beyond the entertaining and educational aspects of CHUMS, it’s really exciting to be working alongside my dad. I’ve been saying I would ever since I was a kid and he was getting his Bachelor’s degree in film,” says Eric Jackson of Paxolotl Media. “Creating an entirely new animation studio in the Prairies with my dad and my kids makes this a pretty unique thing for all of us. Not just now, but for the future if they follow in our footsteps to continue creating Indigenous stories.”
Executive producer Leslea Mair of Zoot Pictures adds, “CHUMS is an exciting, innovative project is so many ways, and we’re fortunate that our broadcast partners, APTN and Citytv Saskatchewan, have been such enthusiastic supporters of it from the get-go as well as each step along the way.”
CHUMS was developed with APTN, the Canada Media Fund and the Indigenous Screen Office. The series is produced with the participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund, the Canada Media Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, the Manitoba Provincial Tax Credit, the Saskatchewan Feature Film and Television Production Grant Program and the Indigenous Screen Office.
Kerry Moraes-Sugiyama, the APTN executive in charge of Indigenous language production on a national level, says that the network is excited about this new series. “This animated series connects young children to mother earth and helps lead to some great conversations about our relationships.”
Dennis Jackson created the classic Canadian stop-motion series Wapos Bay, which aired from 2005 to 2011 on APTN as well as on the First Nations Experience Network (FNX) in the U.S. The show’s pilot episode won the Canada Award for best multicultural program as well as a Golden Sheaf Award for best children’s production. The first two seasons were co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada.
zootpictures.com | watchaptnlumi.ca
