Big Idea Entertainment
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| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder(s) | Phil Vischer Mike Nawrocki |
| Headquarters | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Key people | Phil Vischer (President) Mike Nawrocki (Vice President) Greg Fritz (VP of Sales) Leslie Ferrel (General Manager) |
| Products | VeggieTales and other faith-based products |
| Parent | Classic Media |
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 subsidiary owned by Classic Media.
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[edit] Company history
Big Idea was originally founded in 1989 (under the name GRAFx studios) by Phil Vischer 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.[1] 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.[citation needed] 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.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4] As of 2011 Big Idea, Inc. has re-folded into Big Idea Entertainment, LLC.
[edit] VeggieTales history
VeggieTales is a series of English language children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables 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.[5]
[edit] Productions
[edit] Series
- VeggieTales: 1993–present
- Reagan's New Holes: 1998-1999
- 3-2-1 Penguins: 2000–2003, 2007–2008 (New television episodes have been produced for qubo)
- The Woman and the Chicken: 2001-2005
- LarryBoy The Cartoon Adventures: 2002–2003
[edit] Films
- Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002) (co-production with FHE Pictures)
- The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (2008) (co-production with Universal Pictures)
[edit] References
- ^ "Big Idea Productions, Inc. -- Company History". Funding Universe. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Big-Idea-Productions-Inc-Company-History.html. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
- ^ As said for the "Behind the Scenes of Jonah - A VeggieTales Movie" segment on the 3-2-1 Penguins! video "The Amazing Carnival of Complaining.
- ^ http://www.philvischer.com/phil-news/what-happened-to-big-idea-part-10 and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475998/trivia
- ^ "Boomerang buys Big Idea". ChristianCinema.com. April 6, 2009. http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/newsdesk_info.php?newsdesk_id=996. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
- ^ Munoz, Lorenza (September 23, 2006). "NBC Issues New Explanation for VeggieTales Cuts". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1134002121.html?dids=1134002121:1134002121&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+23,+2006&author=Lorenza+Munoz&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=NBC+Issues+New+Explanation+for+`VeggieTales'+Cuts;+After+first+blaming+time+constraints,+the+network+says+some+references+to+God+were+edited+out+of+the+kids'+series+to+avoid+advocating+any+religion. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Big Idea at the Internet Movie Database
- What Happened To Big Idea? article by Phil Vischer
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