'Last Minute Book Reports' Stream Onto Disney.com; Classic Literature Comes to Life Online with the Humor and Animation of Jumbo Pictures, Inc.Business Editors NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 2, 2000 Disney Online, a division of the Walt Disney Internet Group The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) oversees several websites owned by The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries. [1] The division's Disney Online unit operates disney. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :DIG), in conjunction with Jumbo Pictures, Inc. today launched "Last Minute Book Reports," an online series of webisodes that introduce kids to a collection of literary classics. Available exclusively at Disney.com, "Last Minute Book Reports" combine streaming technology with an innovative and unique approach to storytelling that presents guests with thoroughly entertaining, tongue-in-cheek interpretations of timeless works from the likes of Homer, Tolstoy, and Herman Melville -- each installment covering hundreds of pages in about 60 seconds. The first installment of the series, which can be accessed at www.Disney.com/lastminute, offers a witty and comical portrayal of "The Odyssey," summarizing the epic in just over a minute. The animated presentation takes the form of a child's hastily written book report and delivers the classic tale to kids through a vehicle that speaks their language and caters to their attention span. "Last Minute Book Reports" is one of several recently announced Disney Online initiatives that encourage kids to use their imaginations to reinforce skills taught inside the classroom. These hilarious shorts provide kids with positive first experiences of respected selections of literature, while exposing them to basic plot and character information that they can draw upon later when the stories resurface re·sur·face v. re·sur·faced, re·sur·fac·ing, re·sur·fac·es v.tr. To cover with a new surface: resurfacing a road; resurfaced the floor. v.intr. as part of their educational curriculum. "We love storytelling at Disney and we hold great authors in the highest regard," said Ken Goldstein, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online. "If we are able to help create access for kids to material they might otherwise find intimidating, then we are meeting our goal of making entertainment a vehicle that complements learning." "We're excited to be involved with this innovative form of educational entertainment designed to captivate the minds of children through animation and the Internet," said Jim Jinkins, president, Jumbo Pictures Inc. "By creatively combining the two mediums, we're able to get kids interested in learning while inspiring their creativity and imagination," added David Campbell David Campbell may refer to:
"As award-winning producers of animated series, such as `Doug' and `PB & J Otter," for Walt Disney Noun 1. Walt Disney - United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966) Disney, Walter Elias Disney TV Animation, Jim and David are masters of quality storytelling and animation," said Barry Blumberg, executive vice president, Walt Disney Television Animation Walt Disney Television Animation is the animated television production division of The Walt Disney Company. It was formed in 1984. Tom Ruzicka, now at Universal Animation Studios, was one of the original executives in charge of this fledgeling group. . "Their involvement with this project perfectly exemplifies their commitment to providing superior educational entertainment to children." Plans for future "last minute" interpretations of some of the best stories ever written include "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," "War and Peace," and "Moby Dick Moby Dick pursued by Ahab and crew of Pequod. [Am. Lit.: Moby Dick] See : Quarry Moby Dick white whale pursued relentlessly by Captain Ahab; “It was the whiteness of the whale that above all things appalled me. ". New episodes will be launched every two weeks. For more information, or to experience the magic of "Last Minute Book Reports" firsthand, log onto www.Disney.com/lastminute. To access a complete list of all Disney Online press announcements, visit the Disney Online press site located at www.Disney.com/press. About Jumbo Pictures Inc. Jumbo Pictures Inc. was co-founded by partners Jim Jinkins and David Campbell in 1991. The company created and produced the award-winning animated series, Doug, and in 1996, The Walt Disney Company acquired Jumbo. This integration resulted in Jumbo producing Disney's Doug which is one of the top-rated animated series on television. Jumbo's quirky, character-driven creativity was also applied to an Emmy-nominated series adaptation of the classic 101 Dalmatians. On Disney Channel, Jumbo has produced the widely acclaimed PB&J Otter, a series that focuses on a fun lively family of otters and their creative problem solving Creative problem solving is the mental process of creating a solution to a problem. It is a special form of problem solving in which the solution is independently created rather than learned with assistance. Creative problem solving requires more than just knowledge and thinking. skills. In addition to its on-air success Jumbo Pictures has developed a thriving book series, consumer product line, as well as online and interactive programming. About Disney Online Disney Online is a division of the Walt Disney Internet Group (NYSE:DIG). Founded in 1995, Disney Online produces Disney.com, the No. 1 kids and family entertainment site on the Web. Walt Disney Internet Group manages some of the Internet's most popular Web sites, including ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. .com, ABCNEWS.com, ABCSports.com, Disney.com, DisneyStore.com, DisneyTravel.com, ESPN.com, Family.com, GO.com, Movies.com, Mr. Showbiz, NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Online, NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= .com, NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga .com, and Soccernet. The Internet Group also includes The Walt Disney Company's direct marketing business. Steve Bornstein is chairman of Walt Disney Internet Group, which is headquartered in North Hollywood, CA, with operations in Sunnyvale, CA; Seattle; New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of ; Bristol, CN; and London. For more information, visit our Web site at www.dig.com. |
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