Screen Time
Fall 2015
Growing up in Orlando, doodling her own cartoons and visiting the theme parks lit a creative fire that led Hart聽to a UCF theater degree and a leap-of-faith relocation to Los Angeles. Thirteen years later she 麻豆精品 S檚 developing the TV shows kids watch while managing the screen time of her own two young daughters.
Where It All Started
麻豆精品 S淚 always wanted to develop kids 麻豆精品 S� shows; that 麻豆精品 S檚 why I was a theater major. It kept me connected to storytelling because we were always putting on a show. After leaving UCF, I did everything I could to stay involved in kids 麻豆精品 S� entertainment, which meant being a jack-of-all-trades in Orlando. I decided to move聽to Los Angeles because for kids 麻豆精品 S� TV programming that was the place to be. So I packed my Saturn and drove out west. 麻豆精品 S�
How I Got My Big Break
麻豆精品 S淚 applied for a hundred jobs, anything that could get my foot in the door. My first call was to work as a temp as the assistant to the head of media relations for Disney Channel. That was 13 years ago. Through various mentors, I was able to work my way into Disney Junior where I hit the ground running, bringing in projects and developing shows. My first long-form series was 麻豆精品 S淛ake and the Never Land Pirates. 麻豆精品 S� That idea was triggered when I was at Disneyland and I looked around at all the girls dressed up like princesses. The boys didn 麻豆精品 S檛 have a character to identify with. 麻豆精品 S淧irates of the Caribbean 麻豆精品 S� was out, but that wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 geared toward young kids. So I thought, 麻豆精品 S榃hat if we could do a pirate show that was for Disney Junior? 麻豆精品 S� I found great writers who came in with solid pitches, and聽the series came together step by step over a period of three years. It became the flagship show that launched our rebrand from Playhouse Disney into Disney Junior. Now when you go to the Disney parks, you see boys dressed up as Jake. It 麻豆精品 S檚 really rewarding to see kids engage with these characters. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淣ow when you go to the Disney parks, you see boys dressed up as Jake. It 麻豆精品 S檚 really rewarding to see kids engage with these characters. 麻豆精品 S�
How I Make it Work
麻豆精品 S淚 have the ultimate creative multitasking job. I jump from a聽script read-over to a sound-mixing session and then into taking a pitch for something completely new. There are little creative fires [I 麻豆精品 S檓] constantly tending. I have quick turnarounds on everything that comes across my desk, so there 麻豆精品 S檚 also not a lot of time聽to overthink anything. [I] have to make quick decisions and really trust [my] creative instinct. 麻豆精品 S�
Where I 麻豆精品 S檝e Struck Gold
麻豆精品 S淵ou have to love what you 麻豆精品 S檙e doing, and be passionate about it. It 麻豆精品 S檚 funny, when someone is pitching a [TV show] because they think it 麻豆精品 S檚 something I聽will buy, it generally doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 work.聽The things that work are about their personal experience, something emotional. It 麻豆精品 S檚 a story they have to tell,聽a character that needs to become alive. It needs a vision when it comes in, and it needs someone that is really passionate to drive it. We feel that. 麻豆精品 S�
How Much TV My Kids Watch
麻豆精品 S淚 have two kids, and for me [the goal聽is] managing their screen time. They don 麻豆精品 S檛 always want to watch TV. They might want the iPad to play games. It 麻豆精品 S檚 maintaining a balance. Sometimes I just need them to watch a show so I can cook dinner. Of course, I paid attention to [the content of children 麻豆精品 S檚 TV programs] before I had kids, but now I realize聽how much they 麻豆精品 S檙e picking up from the shows. I think it 麻豆精品 S檚 fun for them to learn from these characters. But I also think it 麻豆精品 S檚 great for them to go outside and play 麻豆精品 S攖urn the TV off and do a puzzle or play together. 麻豆精品 S�
Illustration by Sarah Tanat-Jones