February, 2012

Big Jump Interactive and Genuine Pictures of Ottawa are pleased to announce that Big Jump Interactive is now in production on the company’s newest interactive project, Beats in Bites Digital. The digital project is based on children’s television series Beats in Bites, which is set for broadcast on TVOntario this fall.

Beats in Bites Digital includes two musical games, Beatbox Mixer, where visitors learn beatbox techniques, create compositions and record their own beats; and Sunny & Pepper’s Beatbox Challenge, a multi-level game in which users play a musical “follow the leader”. Both games are imaginative and entertaining, and allow users to learn the basics of musical rhythm and composition through engaging interactive experiences.

The games are designed to appeal to kids between the ages of 6-9, and will be released for the iPad and the TVOkids.com website.  There are plans to port to additional platforms in the future.

Beats in Bites Digital is an immersive environment where kids learn the theory and practice of music while having a fun time with it.

Both games are produced in association with TVOntario, the Shaw Rocket Digital Fund and Genuine Pictures Inc.

About the Series

Beats in Bites is a live action/CG animation series that celebrates the art of beatboxing. It stars Canadian beatbox artists Julia Dales and Ammar Abou-Agena and four young future beatbox talents. In each episode, Julia and Ammar teach the children how to produce sounds using the mouth, lips, tongue and voice. They also mesmerize their young protégés in a music video style performance with a lexicon of sounds ranging from drum sets to tongue clicks, filtering to vocal scratching. Beats in Bites also features two real-life parrots, Sunny & Pepper, who add their own touch of humour to the series.

Creator Donna Leon says, “Beatboxing is a universal art form that requires only one instrument – the mouth.  So it’s accessible to any child across the world, which is really exciting.  Our animation team has taken this series to a whole new level, and we can’t wait for young viewers to see the results of our efforts.”

The 32 x 7 minute was developed and is produced in association with TVOntario. It is also supported by the Canada Media Fund and the Shaw Rocket Fund. International distribution is being handled by CCI Entertainment of Toronto. Visual Education Centre/Learn 360 will distribute the series educationally.

Genuine Pictures is an award-winning independent production company that has created more than 400 half hours of television in a variety of genres for several Canadian and international broadcasters over the past 15 years.