DEVELOPMENTAL ENTERTAINMENT

Jan the Maven has some very interesting insights from writer Regina Doman on approppriate themes in children's entertainment. You have to skip down to the posts for Tuesday, August 3rd, but it is well worth the scroll.

I particularly liked this from Jan reflecting on Regina's thoughts...

I find this whole concept of metaphysical arena fascinating. It rings very true. And the thing that really struck me: The little kids, the 3- to 6-year-olds, really have it right. We should fear being lost (metaphysically speaking) much more than we fear death. After all, "to the well-organized mind, death is just the next big adventure." We don't, of course. As adults, we are much more likely to fear and try to avoid death than to be concerned in a major way about being "lost"... both for ourselves and for our friends. But I think we've got it backwards, and the little kids have it right.

I guess I find this so interesting because we are always talking at Act One about creating "responsible entertainment." Creating projects that are intentionally suited to the developmental needs of certain demographics of viewers seems to me to constitute the beginning of an ethical program for screenwriters.