happy go hopscotch bible, published by kinomind films

H A P P Y G O H O P S C O T C H

Animated series for 3-5 year olds

Writer K AT Y SEGROVE — Director K ATIA L AVRIONOVA — Producer INESA IVANOVA


L O G L I N E


L O G L I N E

Happy Go Hopscotch is a comedic, animated TV series that introduces pre-schoolers to the Science of Happiness, through the animal inhabitants of a busy cosmopolitan city.

L O G L I N E

C O N C E P T


C O N C E P T

Eight year old Hopscotch, a very happy horse, lives in a mews in the heart of a big city, surrounded by animal friends and neighbours.

Every week, one of the animals faces a happiness crisis – maybe they’re grumpy, anxious or sad, or perhaps they’re tired, embarrassed or afraid – whatever it is, it’s getting in the way of their happiness and something needs to be done about it!

That’s where Hopscotch comes in. Hopscotch’s mission in life is spreading joy and laughter wherever she goes. Whenever she senses a happiness crisis, she quickly invents

a fun or surprising adventure, ropes in all the neighbours, and helps to solve the problem. There are ups and downs along the way, but they always get there in the end.

Neatly woven into the storylines will be a mini curriculum in the ‘science of happiness’, touching on simple themes such as friendship, kindness and gratitude, amongst others. As the characters learn how to change their moods, so will the children watching.

With Happy Go Hopscotch we aim to promote positive mental health in little ones through their earliest TV viewing.

T H E S C I E N C E A N D O U R I N T E N T I O N


T H E S C I E N C E A N D O U R I N T E N T I O N

What’s the one thing we want for our kids? To be happy - both now and as they grow up. Rright?

Happiness is actually more important than you might think. Over the last 20 years, studies across several scientific disciplines have discovered that there’s a lot more to happiness than simply making us feel good. People who are happier are healthier, more resilient, live longer, have more stable marriages, earn more money and perform better academically than those who are less happy.

Question is: if we’re not of a naturally happy disposition, is there anything we can do about it? Actually yes. Research has revealed that we all have a genetic happiness ‘set-point’, which is widely accepted to

account for 50% of the variation in our personal happiness – and this we cannot change.

Just 10% of our happiness is affected by our circumstances: if we’re in a relationship, have a job, lose a job, win the lottery or fall sick etc. However, the final 40% relates to our habits and daily activities. And this is exciting, because this is the part we can control, if we know how.

It’s not just the scientists who are talking about this. In 2011, a United Nations resolution on happiness asked all countries of the world to focus more on what can be done to increase well-being for their citizens; a World Happiness Report was launched in 2012, as a ‘landmark survey into the state of

global happiness’; government policies are being influenced, and happiness classes are being added to school curriculums across the world.

But what about pre-school kids? Ages 3-5 is the perfect time to help kids build healthy thought patterns and behaviours, as research shows they will likely continue these habits as they get older.

As a team of parents and wannabe parents we have a vested interest in our kids TV viewing. With Happy Go Hopscotch we plan to create a beautiful, high-quality animated TV series that will tap into this exciting science of happiness and teach pre-school kids simple behaviours to boost their mental health, and shape the way they think and act day after day.


M A I N C H A R A C T E R S


H O P S C O T C H

H O P S C O T C H

Hopscotch is a happy, singing, dancing 8-year-old horse (that’s human years, not horse years), whose daily pursuit is joy and laughter.

She’s too young to realise that things can go wrong, instead, she expects miracles – and surprisingly often, that’s what she gets! But when things do go wrong she finds it hilarious. She makes new friends easily, loves to try new things and visit new places; and whomever is nearby is likely to get roped in to her madcap escapades, even if it means being dragged out of their comfort zone. In Hopscotch’s

world, there are no limits when it comes to having fun, this can be a source of conflict, if there are chores to be done, or plans to stick to. But Hopscotch is impulsive and doesn’t know the meaning of the word plan. She’s also gullible, liable to believe anything you tell her, particularly if it sounds wondrous.

In short, Hopscotch is a positive ball of energy, bursting with fresh and quirky ideas; she’s a source of good and a catalyst for happiness, which has a habit of rubbing off on everyone around her.


J U L E SH O P S C O T C H

J U L E S

Jules is a gruff, grumpy 9-year-old cockerel, who stumbles from one disaster to another, always convinced that it’s worse for him than anyone else. He’s stuck in his ways, stubborn to the core, hates anything new and refuses to ask for help. He would rather stew over his woeful situation, or find someone to blame, than look for a practical solution.

He’s generally a bit of a loner, and pretends to be exasperated by Hopscotch’s spirited ways, but he secretly loves it when she seeks him out. He’ll send her away, then call her back saying, if she has no-one else to play with, he supposes he could oblige, as if he’s doing her a favour. Deep down he’s loyal to her. And Hopscotch adores him nonetheless, and finds his grouchiness entertaining. Because Jules really is funny – sometimes intentionally but often unintentionally.


B A R B A R A

B A R B A R A

Barbara is a cuddly, curly, maternal sheep, who’s a bit on the hyper side. This super organised bundle of wool, is brilliant at multi-tasking; she will always say yes to a favour, and happily get involved in any communal activity going on in the mews. Even if she has 10 other things on her to do list, she’ll still find time for a kind word, or a gossip over a cuppa. She considers everyone a friend, and loves to spin long, rambling stories.

Talking of rambles, that’s one of her favourite hobbies – the faster the better – she’s quite a power walker. Barbara’s big weakness is never finding time to relax – even when she’s knitting, another favourite activity (with her own wool of course), it’s always at 100 miles an hour. She also enjoys baking cakes (often for charity), running clubs (usually involving the neighbours), and bossing everyone around. Someone has to keep this street in order, and that someone is Barbara. Luckily, they love her for it.


M A L C O L MB A R B A R A

M A L C O L M

Malcolm is a rotund, old Scottish bull, who also happens to be a professor of human nature. He loves finding opportunities to explain his theories about what makes us tick, often with wacky drawings and diagrams. His teaching style is calm and patient, and he’s tolerant of even the slowest student.

Malcolm loves to read and learn; at home, he surrounds himself with towers of books. He’s more of a thinker than a doer, quite happy to daydream for hours on end, talking to himself as he figures something out. He gets so absorbed in his

reading that he frequently loses track of time and forgets what he has to do, particularly when it comes to tidying up (not his favourite thing). His home is therefore chaotic. He’s a bit of a hoarder, hating to throw out anything that might come in handy, but the problem is, he often can’t remember where he’s put something.

If he’s out with the gang, he struggles to keep up, especially if Barbara is leading the way. His hefty weight slows him down, so he’s likely to take shortcuts, or find an excuse for a rest, which frequently means diving into a café.


I N G R I D

I N G R I D

Ingrid is a nervous, squeaky, pink pig, who blushes frequently. Some might call her dim, but it’s more that she’s easily overwhelmed by life, people, everything really. When she feels anxious her mind goes blank and she panics, thoughts spiral out of control and she starts imagining disasters. Next thing you know, her ears and tail have taken on a life of their own, and she’s found herself saying yes, even when she doesn’t know what the question was.

But in a one-on-one, Ingrid is a great listener – if you have a problem, you go to Ingrid. She doesn’t solve problems or find solutions, but she listens quietly, comforts and pays lovely compliments. And being an emotional pig, she often sheds tears of joy or sadness.

Her home is her sanctuary – it’s spotless and beautiful and full of lush houseplants – so when she feels overwhelmed by both her own and other people’s problems, she retreats to her little oasis.


C A R L OI N G R I D

C A R L O

Carlo is a scruffy, rather aloof cat, with a very high opinion of himself. His favourite activity is sleeping, or as he likes to call it, meditating. His second favourite activity is eating – he’s always on the lookout for free food.

He tends to lurk on the edge of activities, making passing comments – he joins in when he feels like it. Everything in Carlo’s life is on his terms – he’s affectionate if he’s in the mood, and he’ll do something to help if he’ll get something out of it. In short, he’s selfish, and not very attuned to other people’s needs. He believes that “honesty is the best policy”, which is another way of saying that he’s rude, not that he’d see it that way.

He also believes that cats and chickens were not born to get along, and as a consequence, he has a particularly combative relationship with Jules. On the positive side, he’s a very curious cat – great at figuring things out and finding lost items.

R U L E S O F T H E W O R L D


R U L E S O F T H E W O R L D

Happy Go Hopscotch takes place in a world entirely populated by animals. Whether the characters are children – like Hopscotch and Jules – or adults – like all the other characters, their lives consist of play and adventures, and of learning something new every day.

They live in a series of interconnecting mews houses, but each with their own personalised space. At the back of the houses, is a big communal garden where they can meet to play, come up with fun plans, grow flowers and vegetables, or simply enjoy the fresh air.

In many ways, they live like humans, mostly walking around on their hind legs, or picking something up, as if they had hands. Jules will flap his wings, but if he tries to fly, he won’t get further than about 2 feet.

There will, however, be plenty of nods to the animal kingdom, with the

sorts of foods they eat, for example: fruit, raw vegetables and seeds, or the way they might dig or peck the ground or nuzzle each other. Their beds will be a collision of the two worlds: Hopscotch sleeps in a fabric play house on top of a patchwork quilt; Jules has a cot at the top of a ladder, up amongst the beams in the loft; Carlo sleeps in a big armchair by a window.

The animals will speak, just like humans, albeit with the odd meow or moo here and there, and they’ll carry out activities just like human ones. They won’t be fully clothed, but they will adorn the odd item of clothing from time to time, such as a coat for Hopscotch and a pair of shoes for Jules.

Hopscotch and Jules, although both children, won’t have parents as such, however, all the characters in the show will look out for each other, like one big, happy animal family.

D I R E C T O R ’ S N O T E


D I R E C T O R ’ S N O T E

As Happy Go Hopscotch is a series about happiness, it’s very important for me to create a real ‘feel-good’ vibe. Every episode should therefore be as comforting and light hearted as possible. To achieve this, and on top of the general tone and nature of performances, the visual look is something I want to focus on. For instance, the background and general design of the world will be light, sun-filled and spacious.

I will use a technique of thickly applied loose and floppy gouache over pencil, which combines a traditional painterly look and modern quirkiness. Slightly chalky and washed out textures will give the characters an ‘old toy’ feel, while the sketchy imperfection of

their outlines will make them clumsy in a touching way. This will also serve to visually underline the offbeat dynamics of the relationship between the two characters Hopscotch the happy horse and Jules the grumpy chicken. Despite being important figures, it is together with their friends as an ensemble cast, that they will embark on the numerous adventures that this concept offers.

We intend to create a show that will not only be teaching the basis of well-being and mental health, but will also be amusing, soothing and comforting. While we will always strive to make it exciting, we are also keen to give ‘Happy Go Hopscotch’ a peaceful and calming feel to it.

S Y N O P S I S T H E A L L O T M E N T


S Y N O P S I S T H E A L L O T M E N T

Jules is in a bad mood because the market has run out of sunflower seeds again. Hopscotch suggests they go on a treasure hunt to find an everlasting supply, that way he’ll never run out. But Jules has a better idea – grow his own! He’s never grown anything before, neither has Hopscotch and she’s desperate to join in. It’s fun when you do things with friends! But Jules is determined to go it alone.

Hopscotch, meanwhile, decides to grow some carrots. She asks the other neighbours for help; they love this idea, and pick their own favourite foods to grow. Side by side in the garden, the animals work happily, except for Jules, on his own separate patch, grumpily refusing every offer of help. Time magically passes, and tiny seedlings start to pop up here and there, and the animals celebrate with glee. All except for Jules, as his flower is still hiding deep underground. The friends offer more help, but stubborn old Jules, leaves the

allotment and goes home to sulk.

Hopscotch goes to investigate Jules’ patch of earth. She thinks his seed must feel cold, sad and lonely, deep down in the earth. So she decides to sing and dance to it as a sign of friendship. She is sure it will feel happier, out in the sunshine, surrounded by friends.

The next day, when Jules arrives in the garden, he is astonished to find that his sunflower has not only popped out of the ground, but grown up big and tall – it looks beautiful, however will he reach it? And where are all the neighbours? He would love to show off his pride and joy.

One by one the others start to appear, but to his disappointment, they leave him alone and get on with their own gardening. He asks them if they’re going to offer him some advice, but they assure him that they won’t interfere any more. Jules sadly returns to his sunflower, and gazes

longingly up to the tasty seeds, which are way out of reach. He jumps up and down, but doesn’t get anywhere near. Next he tries to shimmy up the stalk, but quickly slivers back down again. Finally, he drags a chair outside, but when he climbs on top of it he finds he is still pitifully far from his flower.

Eventually, he has an idea, and trots back over to his neighbours. He doesn’t want to trouble them, and he knows they are awfully busy, but it seems that actually, he does need their help after all. Would they be willing to help him try and reach his sunflower seeds? Everyone is delighted to be needed, especially Hopscotch who has a great idea and leads the way. She gets the gang to turn themselves into a tall, wobbly animal ladder; Jules climbs to the top and finally reaches his tasty seeds. He shakes the flower so that seeds scatter down to the ground. As everyone tucks into the tasty feast, Jules muses happily that Hopscotch was right all along, life is more fun with friends.

2016

For the purpose of building an audience:

Website and social media - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram;

Short animated extract - teaser;

Song - for sale on iTunes;

H A P P Y G O H O P S C O T C H I N T E R A C T I V E P R O P O S I T I O N


H A P P Y G O H O P S C O T C H I N T E R A C T I V E P R E P O S I T I O N

2017

To be released next year for early cross promotion purposes:

Theatre play;

Printed picture book;

Educational E-book for sale on Amazon;

Toy design and production;

2018

Radio content - dependant on securing a deal with a broadcaster;

Educational game app - this will be a bigger project for development with a partner company. Conversations are currently underway with potential partner.

W R I T E R

Katy Segrove is a screenwriter who’s passionate about telling comedic stories for an international audience. She completed her Masters in Screenwriting at the London College of Communication and has built up a portfolio of scripts ranging from comedy sketches to original feature films. Most recently, her interest has been animation – the pilot script for Happy Go Hopscotch (previously named Happy Horse) was shortlisted for the BAFTA Rocliffe Children’s Writing Competition, judged by an esteemed jury, including executives from CBBC, Nickelodeon and Heyday Films.Her sketches have been seen on TV and stage, and one of her sketches was voted a winner by the general public on ITV’s ‘Shoot the Writers’ (UK); her comedy crime feature film ‘Salsa Cartel’ was optioned by Fahrenheit Films. Elsewhere, her work has been shortlisted for numerous screenwriting competitions, as well as being promoted by Industrial Scripts Talent Connector in the UK.

D I R E C T O R

Katerina Lavrionova was born in Moscow, Russia in 1987. She was classically trained for 5 years at Moscow Fine Art Watercolor School, which prepared her for the course in Production Design at the Russian national film school (VGIK). Having spent 6 years working and studying closely with animation directors and artists, she developed a true passion for the animation media and decided to completed her studies at the National Film and TV School in the UK. Katerina has completed her MA in Directing Animation and continues her career in animation and fine arts. Her most recent credits include: Animation Director for TV docu-drama “Lermontov” 2x50min, 2014 commissioned by major Russian Broadcaster Russia-1; Animation Director and Fine Artist on the drama called “Decembrist revolt”, 2015, commissioned by Russia-1.

P R O D U C E R

Inesa Ivanova is an award-wining producer and founder of production company Kinomind Films. With extensive experience producing fiction films, she has recently extended her activity to distribution and the development of cross-media projects.Kinomind Films projects have been selected for renowned development labs, such as Eave B’est, Eave Marketing, Eric Pommer Institute, DPC II Lab by Focal, Birds Eye View Filmonomics (observer) and BeCre8ative Lab. Inesa has been supported with bursaries from Creative Skillset, Lithuanian Ministry of Culture and the Nordic Council.Within the past six years, Inesa has produced diverse body of work from award-winning shorts to feature documentaries. She has developed relationships with several talented writers and directors.Two of Inesa’s short films were supported by Arts Council of England, and were presented at La Biennale di Venezia the 55th International Art Exhibition and Geneva Museum of Contemporary Art.Inesa graduated from the National Film and Television School in 2012 with an MA in Film and TV Producing. Andrea Calderwood, Slate Films, mentored Inesa through the NFTS scheme.

C R E A T I V E T E A M B I O G R A P H I E S

happy go hopscotch bible, published by kinomind films

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