Why do people get started in app development? What kind of skills, ideas, and resources do you need to make it happen? This week’s feature relays how two Dads collaborated to produce Playtime Theater – an app devoted to creative storytelling . Publishing their background is one of our favorite things to do here at Moms With Apps. By supporting independently awesome ideas, our kids will have more chances to employ these independently awesome tools.
Two television editor developers?
Make Believe Worlds consists of two co-developer dads, David Katz and Seth Levine. We both are television editors with over 25 years experience between us. Television editors are needed to help shape and craft many hours of raw video into compelling and entertaining stories. Editing is both a creative and technical art form that requires a high level of detail and the skill of storytelling. Editors use music and sound effects in addition to dialogue to help advance the story or add drama and/or emotion to our work. It may seem odd that we have entered the world of app development, but it seemed quite natural to us. Here’s our story…
Editors are natural storytellers
As kids, we both played with themed action figure toys, made our own puppet shows and created radio shows on old tape decks. In short, we loved using our imaginations. Both of us are parents now and have noticed that most entertainment for kids is very passive, like watching TV; or very structured, like playing video games. This doesn’t give children the free form play that they need to develop. We saw a need for something more. We came up with this mission statement. Turn off the video game. Turn on your creativity.
When the iPad came out an idea was born. It’s magical touch based interface opened up a whole new way of interacting with technology for kids. It was natural and intuitive, just like playing with action figures and dolls. But what about those awesome radio shows we made as kids? Wouldn’t it be great if our kids could use the iPad to nurture their creative minds and their storytelling skills? Something part puppet show creator and part toy.
In our very first design meeting, we drew up mock-ups of various character archetypes from Hollywood’s history. We were inspired by creating worlds that could capture these familiar archetypes, but at the same time add customization that would allow children to create something uniquely their own. But how could we use our editing background to build all of this into an awesome creative app for kids?
But How?
We both brought different, yet overlapping skill sets into the development of PlayTime Theater. Seth has a background in programming and so he does the coding. David has become the Photoshop guy and put all the production elements together. Since we are both editors and have post-production experience, we licensed Hollywood sound effects, customizing them for our use. We even hired a composer to write original score. These sound design elements brought from our editing background, help make PlayTime Theater truly revolutionary for any app…or any toy for that matter.
Project management requires delegation
As television editors we were used to working with complex projects. We used our experience in editing to aid us in the production process with PlayTime Theater and bring a high level of detail and quality control to the product. Mostly we delegated responsibilities depending on our schedules and skill sets.
We wanted a background with moving parts like a toy and character puppets that could be customized to bring our interactive storytelling concept to life.
To do this, we were going to need art. And lots of it. As editors, we are used to improving upon already generated material. With this project, we were going to need to create everything from scratch. Since neither of us could draw, we hired Diane Cholette, a talented fantasy artist, who created hundreds of hand-drawn art elements, character faces, costumes, props, hats, etc.
One of the reasons we have been able to build this app with such a small team, from initial design, drawing, review, and implementation, is that we have had overlapping tasks. Having full creative control has given us the freedom to think outside the box and create something truly unique.
Marketing in 30 minutes a day
We started out knowing almost nothing and developers are notoriously private about their business strategies, so it was tough to get a handle on how to approach the marketing. We knew that we didn’t have the resources for an expensive ad campaign, so through a lot of online research and trial and error, we designed our marketing with a grass roots social networking approach.
We knew that we needed to be able to manage the marketing around our busy editing schedules. Twitter and Facebook are two free ways to reach out to like-minded people and develop a following. It is something you can do even if you only have 30 minutes a day.
Listen to your customers
Just as we take notes from Hollywood’s executives, we spend extra time spent getting to know our customers and listening to their feedback. We talk to reviewers and these conversations have been crucial to building a following and creating a better quality product.
PlayTime Theater is the world’s first ever AppToy© that combines the free play of play-sets, dolls and action figures with the story telling of puppet shows. In the same way that editors love customization tools, we’ve given children many tools that we hope will harness the creativity kids naturally have inside them.
Imagine. Create. Play.
