Big Idea Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Big Idea Entertainment, LLC. (formerly known as Big Idea Productions or Big Idea, Inc.) is an American
Christian
animation
production company best known for its computer-animated
VeggieTales
series of Christian
-themed family home videos. It is a subsidary owned by Classic Media
.
to create graphics in television commercials. That same year Vischer created a 20 minute short film called Mr. Cuke's Screen Test. This short inspired him and Mike Nawrocki
to create VeggieTales
. The company officially launched in 1993 with its first Video, Where's God When I'm S-Scared?
. Rapidly growing out of space, in 1997, Big Idea relocated to the Chicago suburbs and purchased the DuPage Theater in Lombard, Illinois
. Delays for the completion of the renovation resulted from initial discovery of the disrepair of the building and lengthy zoning battles. In a pinch, the company was guided by City of Lombard officials to rent space at the Yorktown Center
, also located in Lombard. The space was a two-story retail space formerly occupied by a Woolworth store. In the past few years, the studio is pouring themselves to make huge films and grown their team from only 10 back in 1995 to more than 200 today.
In 2003 after some poor finances and a lawsuit held by Lyrick Studios
, Big Idea was auctioned and bought by Classic Media
with some interesting competing bidders.
It relocated to Nashville
due to bankruptcy after the theatrical release of Jonah
.
In late March 2009, Entertainment Rights
sold its UK and US-based subsidiaries, including Big Idea and Classic Media, to Boomerang Media
.As of 2011 Big Idea, Inc. has re-folded into Big Idea Entertainment, LLC.
children's computer animated
film
s featuring anthropomorphic
vegetable
s and conveying moral themes based on Christianity
, spliced with joking references to pop culture and current events
. VeggieTales was created by Phil Vischer
and Mike Nawrocki
, who also provide many of the voices.VeggieTales has also been released as books, games, and many other branded items such as toys and clothing. Additionally, the series has been adapted for television broadcast on Qubo
. It aired from September 9, 2006 to September 5, 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
production company best known for its computer-animated
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
VeggieTales
VeggieTales
VeggieTales is an American series of children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity...
series of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
-themed family home videos. It is a subsidary owned by Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
.
Company history
Big Idea was originally founded in 1989 (under the name GRAFx studios) by Phil VischerPhil Vischer
Phillip "Phil" Vischer is an American voice actor, animator, director, writer and puppeteer known for creating the computer-animated video series VeggieTales with partner and friend Mike Nawrocki...
to create graphics in television commercials. That same year Vischer created a 20 minute short film called Mr. Cuke's Screen Test. This short inspired him and Mike Nawrocki
Mike Nawrocki
Michael Nawrocki is an American voice actor, writer, animator and director. He is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Big Idea Entertainment, the company best known for bringing computer-animated vegetables to life in the popular VeggieTales series...
to create VeggieTales
VeggieTales
VeggieTales is an American series of children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity...
. The company officially launched in 1993 with its first Video, Where's God When I'm S-Scared?
Where's God When I'm S-Scared?
Where's God When I'm S-Scared? is the first episode of the Christian animated series VeggieTales. It was initially released in December 1993 directly by Big Idea based on a "burn-on-demand"-like service, the first tapes being shipped out on December 21 , and was released on DVD February 10, 2004...
. Rapidly growing out of space, in 1997, Big Idea relocated to the Chicago suburbs and purchased the DuPage Theater in Lombard, Illinois
Lombard, Illinois
Lombard, "The Lilac Village", is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 42,322 at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population in 2004 to be 42,975.-History:...
. Delays for the completion of the renovation resulted from initial discovery of the disrepair of the building and lengthy zoning battles. In a pinch, the company was guided by City of Lombard officials to rent space at the Yorktown Center
Yorktown Center
Yorktown Center is an enclosed regional shopping mall located in the village of Lombard, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1968, the mall currently features more than 100 stores on two levels. Anchor stores include Carson Pirie Scott, JCPenney, and a flagship Von Maur...
, also located in Lombard. The space was a two-story retail space formerly occupied by a Woolworth store. In the past few years, the studio is pouring themselves to make huge films and grown their team from only 10 back in 1995 to more than 200 today.
In 2003 after some poor finances and a lawsuit held by Lyrick Studios
Lyrick Studios
Lyrick Studios, Inc. is an American video production and distribution company founded in 1991 and based in Allen, Texas. The company was best known for its distribution of home videos, audio products and children's books and toys for the children's television series Barney & Friends and...
, Big Idea was auctioned and bought by Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
with some interesting competing bidders.
It relocated to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
due to bankruptcy after the theatrical release of Jonah
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie is a 2002 American computer-animated film based on VeggieTales, produced by Big Idea Productions, Lions Gate Films and FHE Pictures. It is the first feature-length film in the VeggieTales series....
.
In late March 2009, Entertainment Rights
Entertainment Rights
Entertainment Rights Plc was a global media company. Its main role was in children and family television programming.The group was established in 1989 as Sleepykids. In 1999 it become entertainment rights and was focused on the creation and exploitation of major children's characters and brands...
sold its UK and US-based subsidiaries, including Big Idea and Classic Media, to Boomerang Media
Boomerang Media
Boomerang Media, L.L.C. is an American media company founded by John Engelman and Eric Ellenbogen and the private equity firm GTCR in 2008...
.As of 2011 Big Idea, Inc. has re-folded into Big Idea Entertainment, LLC.
VeggieTales history
VeggieTales is a series of English languageEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
children's computer animated
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s featuring anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s and conveying moral themes based on Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, spliced with joking references to pop culture and current events
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
. VeggieTales was created by Phil Vischer
Phil Vischer
Phillip "Phil" Vischer is an American voice actor, animator, director, writer and puppeteer known for creating the computer-animated video series VeggieTales with partner and friend Mike Nawrocki...
and Mike Nawrocki
Mike Nawrocki
Michael Nawrocki is an American voice actor, writer, animator and director. He is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Big Idea Entertainment, the company best known for bringing computer-animated vegetables to life in the popular VeggieTales series...
, who also provide many of the voices.VeggieTales has also been released as books, games, and many other branded items such as toys and clothing. Additionally, the series has been adapted for television broadcast on Qubo
Qubo
Qubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
. It aired from September 9, 2006 to September 5, 2009.
Series
- VeggieTalesVeggieTalesVeggieTales is an American series of children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity...
: 1993–present - 3-2-1 Penguins: 2000–2003, 2007–2008 (New television episodes have been produced for quboQuboQubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
) - LarryBoyLarryBoyLarryBoy began as a super hero alter-ego of Larry the Cucumber in Big Idea's Christian children's series Veggie Tales, who later received a self-titled cartoon series. First appearing in "Dave and the Giant Pickle", LarryBoy is the vigilante-crime-fighter and defender of the fictional...
: The Cartoon Adventures: 2002–2003
Films
- Jonah: A VeggieTales MovieJonah: A VeggieTales MovieJonah: A VeggieTales Movie is a 2002 American computer-animated film based on VeggieTales, produced by Big Idea Productions, Lions Gate Films and FHE Pictures. It is the first feature-length film in the VeggieTales series....
(2002) (co-production with FHE Pictures) - The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales MovieThe Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales MovieThe Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie is a 2008 American animated feature-length family adventure film directed by Mike Nawrocki and written by Phil Vischer. Produced through Big Idea Productions animation studio and the animation by Starz Animation, it is the second film featuring...
(2008) (co-production with Universal PicturesUniversal Pictures-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
)
External links
- Official site
- What Happened To Big Idea? article by Phil Vischer