Big Idea Productions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Big Idea, Inc is an American computer animation studio best known for its VeggieTales series of Christian-themed family home videos. The company is a subsidiary of Classic Media, an American production company and distributor that has the rights to a large variety of children's properties. Big Idea is based in Franklin, Tennessee.
Contents |
[edit] Company History
Big Idea was founded in 1993 by computer animator Phil Vischer to produce his idea for a Christian Children's series which was to become VeggieTales. The VeggieTales series rapidly gained a large following through the mid- to late-1990's, but internal mismanagement, coupled with the double-punch of a skyrocketing production budget for the company's first feature film (Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie) as well as a court ruling against the company for breach-of-contract against one of its major distributors (Lyrick Studios), forced Big Idea into bankruptcy in 2003.[1] As part of the bankruptcy settlement, the company became a subsidiary of Classic Media, who has since kept the series alive and continued to produce several new videos, as well as announced plans for at least one new feature film called The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie. On August 9, 2005 a federal appeals court overturned the ruling against Big Idea Productions in the Lyrick lawsuit, finding that Big Idea did not, in fact, breach the distribution contract as alleged.
Prior to the 2003 bankruptcy, all production was done with an in-house computer animation staff. After Classic bought the company, they outsourced all production to Dan Krech Productions in Toronto, which has since merged with IDT Entertainment, which is now Starz Media. Big Idea collaborates with the Phil Vischer-owned Jellyfish Labs company.
[edit] Series produced by Big Idea
- VeggieTales: 1993-Present
- 3-2-1 Penguins: 2000-2003
- Larry-Boy: The Cartoon Adventures: 2002-2003
[edit] Films
- Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002)
- The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (Announced, scheduled for 2008)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Big Idea Productions, Inc. at the Internet Movie Database
- What Happened To Big Idea? article by Phil Vischer

