EDGEWATER – The
recording studio at MH Audio fell silent all horseplay ceased. Up ‘till
that
moment the talent in the booth had been clowning around, pushing,
grabbing, teasing – then silence.
“5, 4, 3...” said
engineer August DiCaro into the microphone. His hand came down –
pointing to
the two pre-teen girls sitting in-front of the high tech recording
devices.
“Hey Ma!” the girl
playing Blinky yelled, “Winky’s chasing a blue tail skink again!”
Blue Tailed Skink
This was 6th-grader
Danielle Diaz and Megan Rodriguez’ big debut. Their moment to shine.
The duo’s opportunity
to WOW the world – or at least the public television viewers of
Central Florida.
“What we’re doing
here today,” said recording master Angelo Patane, “is, we’re
rolling tape on
the entire cast of the video production of ‘The Adventures of Winky
and Blinky.’” This locally
written and illustrated children’s book, is now in the process of
being made into an educational video.
“I always wanted to
write a book,” said local author James Woods, “but I never thought
it would
end up being a children’s book. I always thought I was cut-out to
write mysteries.” Before the
unblinking lens of Public Television reporter Andrew Chalanick, the
pleasant, literary transplant
from New England told the story of how this locally written, locally
illustrated book about two
lost, little kittens – ended-up where it is now.
“Well, I was thinking
about writing and planning on writing,” said the procrastinating
pensman,
“and one day as I was watching a
football game, my wife Joanne gave me the needle one last time.”
“I asked him when are
you ever going to write something?” said Joanne, “So he looked
around,
saw our two cats, and in no time at all had written a morality tale
about behavior and growth.”
Both of the Woods,
husband and wife, were surprised at how fast it all came together.
With book in hand, the
Woods’ went looking for a local illustrator. Someone who could bring
to
life, this tale of two little kittens who make some bad choices.
Southeast Volusia graphic artist,
muralist, and illustrator Gail DeCiechi rose to the occasion. “Yes,
I read the piece and
immediately started roughing out sketches”. When it was all said and
done, according to the
team of writer and illustrator, the book came together with ease.
“They woke up being
poked and pushed by three of the ugliest cats they ever saw,” said
narrator Jody Diaz (mother of Danielle). The book, like the video
production, would require a
deft hand to render it so that it piqued a child in 2009’s interest.
“This is our woods,”
said Scarface (the bully), “and we’re gonna teach you a lesson not
to come
into our territory.” Before the bully cat got a chance to leap upon
Winky and/or Blinky, the
characters’ Uncle, a genuinely imposing feline, vocally performed by
basso profundo Joe
Williams clears out the crowd of riff-raff, saving the day and
teaching the lesson of “sticking
together” and listening to adults when they give warnings.
“I’m planning an
entire series of these books,” said author James Woods, “In fact,
I’ve already
dummied-in a dozen different books detailing the on-going trials of
Winky and Blinky.”
WDSC-15 reporter, Andrew
Chalanick, will have his work cut out for him. For this first edition,
he is is writing and producing a half-hour long, prime time look at
what goes into creating not
only a book, or a video, but an entire series of books and videos
based upon this locally written,
produced, and soon to be aired, Children’s fare. So far, the WDSC-15
Special is slated to air in
September. “I think it’s great, ” said Mr. Pantane, “to have
something like this blossom in our
own back yard, it’s wonderful.”
To find out more about
the children’s book “The Adventure of Winky & Blinky” or the
video, you
can go to Web site, www.winkyandblinky.com. To find out more about
WDSC-15 or it’s
programming you can go to their Web site at www.wceu.org or send and
e-mail to
WDSC@daytonastate.edu.