Sunday, November 08, 2009

Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure

Hi All, below is an artical about a holiday special I did storyboards for. If you are home when it airs be sure to check it out. There is also more info HERE on ABC's site.

Wes

ABC Family and Build-A-Bear Workshop Pair Up to Create New Family Holiday Classic, "Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure," for Network's "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" Programming in November

ABC Family and Build-A-Bear Workshop(R) are coming together to create a little holiday "hoofla" this season as the network debuts an animated special that marks the first time in the retailer's 12-year history that its plush animals are brought to life on television. "Holly and Hal Moose(TM): Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure," a one-hour feature movie, makes its nationwide premiere on ABC Family on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7:00 PM ET/PT (with an encore presentation on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 10 AM ET/PT). The television special is based on a book and series of webisodes that introduced Holly and Hal Moose last year and captured their holiday antics, powerful imaginations and love of adventure.

"Holly and Hal" features Meaghan Martin ("10 Things I Hate About You," "Camp Rock") and Jonathan Morgan Heit ("Bedtime Stories") as the voices of Easton and Weston (respectively), two high-strung elves who monitor the North Pole Weather Center. In addition, an exclusive theme song, "When You Dream," was created for the movie by Tena Clark, award-winning music producer, song writer and CEO/chief creative officer of DMI Music & Media Solutions.

"Holly and Hal were our first characters to inspire a storybook, and now they're the first to become movie stars," said Maxine Clark, founder and chief executive bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop. "The tale of this antlered-sibling duo is meant to inspire people to follow their dreams -- no matter how big they seem. It's a classic holiday adventure that offers families the opportunity to start a new tradition of watching it together each season."

"We're very excited about this first-time partnership with Build-A-Bear Workshop," said Tom Zappala, senior vice president, Disney ABC Television Group. "The story of Holly and Hal Moose is a perfect addition to our family holiday programming."

Families can relive the excitement of the movie by making their own Holly and Hal stuffed animal friends and dressing them in new signature outfits and accessories from the movie. In addition, Build-A-Bear Workshop is introducing Lil' Hal, a rogue robot in Santa's Workshop until Holly rescues him from recycling and he becomes her skillful and loveable sidekick. Merchandise is available at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and online at buildabear.com(R). The movie DVD will be released starting Nov. 25.

To kick off the movie and holiday season, ABC Family and Build-A-Bear Workshop will host preview parties at several mall locations, offering Guests and special families the opportunity to view the movie early. Families who attend the preview parties will be asked to either purchase and make a furry friend at Build-A-Bear Workshop or bring a new, unwrapped gift to donate to Toys for Tots.

Additional support includes:

-- Movie promotions in buildabearville.com, the Build-A-Bear Workshop
virtual world, including interviews with Holly and Hal Moose on The Chloe
Show, the virtual world's celebrity interview show, new webisodes and
virtual giveaways (while supplies last).

-- Online and social media outreach via Facebook and Twitter, a blog
written by Holly (http://www.buildabear.com/HappyHollyBlog/blog/), the
creation of a Holly and Hal microsite, a Google advertising campaign and a
video offering on Hulu.com.

-- In-store and mall communications, including the distribution of paper
antlers with coupons (while supplies last), and a holiday mailer to Guests.

-- A specially-produced music video playing out the movie's inspirational
message.

-- A mini Holly and Hal giveaway offer on Black Friday (while supplies
last).