Sid the Science Kid



Sid the Science Kid is a preschool television series produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with KCET Los Angeles. The show features real-time computer-generated puppets, using the Henson Digital Performance System. Production began in the fall of 2007 with 40 half-hour episodes of Sid the Science Kid having been ordered. The series debuted on PBS Kids on September 1, 2008, with a two-year on-air commitment.

The main character in the show is Sid, an "inquisitive youngster" who uses comedy to tackle questions kids have about basic scientific principals and why things work the way they do. He tries to answer questions and solve problems with the help of his classmates (Gabriela, May and Gerald), his teacher (Susie), his parents (Alice and Mort), his Grandma and even his baby brother (Zeke).

Two DVDs of the show, The Bug Club and Change Happens, were released in August 2009 ; while a more DVDs are slated for release in 2009 and 2010. In August 2009, the first ten episodes of season one were added to The iTunes Store.

Content and structure
The conceptual content of Sid is based in national science learning standards, cognitive learning theory, and on the preschool science curriculum, Preschool Pathways to Science.

Each week's episodes are built around a single scientific theme or concept, such as scientific tools and concepts, changes and transformation, the senses, and health. The Friday shows are designed to review, reinforce and summarize the central concept of the week.

One recurring segment, "Good Laughternoon", features the kids opening panels in a brightly-colored playground structure and telling jokes. The format and set borrow heavily from the closing "joke wall" of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, but for a pre-school audience. Other recurring segment include The Sid Survey, Rug Time, The Super Fab Lab, Susie sings, and Sid's "super-duper-schmoper" big idea. On rare occasions, Sid invites a friend over, mainly Gabriela, to play with him, such as in the episodes The Rolie Polie, My Ice Pops!, A Brush With Teeth, and Home Tweet Home.

History and development
Sid the Science Kid was developed by Halle Stanford and Jim Lewis. The initial concept was to create a show to teach science concepts to pre-school kids. The series went into production in the fall of 2007.

Jim Lewis discussed his role in the creation of Sid the Science Kid in a 2008 interview, stating:

"I was the first guy in. I worked with an executive at Henson, someone I've worked with for years, Halle Stanford. They had an idea there for a science program – basically a pre-science, I forget what the exact term was, but it was to teach science concepts to pre-school kids... My involvement in that was I helped developed the show. I basically got it up to the point where it was sold to KCET, which is the public television station in Los Angeles... When they actually wanted to go into production, I realized I'm too old for this, I don't want to be a show runner – it's a lot of work. So I found someone that Halle and I had both worked with, Bradley Zweig, an enormously talented writer whose worked on a variety of things, I'm sure you can look up on imdb. He's very funny and has just the right sensibility and he's a lot younger than me, and more willing to work brutal hours for the 18-months it takes to do that kind of thing. And he ran the show and executive produced it with Brian and Lisa and Halle. And I wrote a few scripts, you know, and I feel part of it's my baby – but they deserve all the credit."

The original working title for the series was "What's the Big Idea?" and the central character, Sid, was originally named Josh.

Sid's personality was originally based on executive producer Halle Stanford's son Max.

The initial conceptual designs for the characters were completed by Elanna Allen, while Creature Shop Creative Supervisor Peter Brooke ensured that the original concepts and designs were translated into the 3D world of the Henson Digital Performance Studio. Brooke sculpted detailed maquettes of the characters to help translate the designs into three dimentions.

Awards and honors
In 2009, Sid the Science Kid was awarded the Parents' Choice Award and was called "Recommended Television for the spring of 2009" by the organization.

In May 2009, Sid the Science Kid ws nominated at the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in two categories - "Outstanding Children's Animated Program" and "Outstanding Achievement in Main Title & Graphic Design".

The series was nominated by the Television Critics Association for a TCA Award in "Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming." The winners will be announced August 1, 2009.

Crew
For full credits, see the Sid the Science Kid credits on the Henson Digital Performance System Wiki.


 * Executive producers: Brian Henson, Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford, Bradley Zweig
 * Producer: Chris Plourde
 * Directors: Brian Henson, Hugh Martin, Allan Trautman, Katy Garretson, Dean Gordon, David Gumpel
 * Head writer: Bradley Zweig
 * Writers: Bradley Zweig, Jim Lewis, Eric Shaw, Corey Powell, Joe Purdy, Craig Bartlett, Will Shepard, Elise Allen
 * Story editors: Craig Bartlett, Joe Purdy
 * Character designs: Ellanna Allen, Peter Brooke

Merchandise
For more coverage, see the Sid the Science Kid merchandise category on the Henson Digital Performance System Wiki.

Videos
DVDs of the series are being released by the Jim Henson Company and NCircle Entertainment.

Books
HarperCollins Children's Books and The Jim Henson Company plan to release a series of books based on the program. The first titles will hit book stores in December 2009.


 * Sid the Science Kid: A Cavity Is a Hole in Your Tooth by Jodi Huelin
 * Sid the Science Kid: The Trouble with Germs by Jennifer Frantz
 * Sid the Science Kid: Why Are My Shoes Shrinking? by N. T. Raymond
 * Sid the Science Kid: Everybody, Move Your Feet! by Jodi Huelin
 * Sid the Science Kid: What's That Smell? by Jennifer Frantz

Toys
In February 2009 The Jim Henson Company appointed Hasbro, Inc. the master toy and game licensee for Sid the Science Kid. The four-year license grants Hasbro the rights to introduce an array of Sid the Science Kid products. Hasbro's line of Sid the Science Kid toys and games is slated to debut at retailers in the fall of 2009. The first set of toys, a series of mini plus dolls and the Talkin' Sid plush doll were released in November 2009.


 * Gotta Know Microphone
 * Talkin' Sid the Science Kid doll (with bonus DVD)
 * Mini plush dolls

iPhone App
In fall 2009 the Jim Henson Company released an iPhone application of Sid's microphone. The apps design and audio effects replicate the functions of the microphone Sid has on the show. On the iPhone, users can record their own voices, or other sounds, for up to 20 seconds and then play them back. The Sid's Microphone app was developed by Stevo Brock from Sunset Magicwerks in partnership with PBS and The Jim Henson Company. The app was released as a free download.