About Us
ANIMAL JUKEBOX is a unique piece of entertainment for young children. It utilises music, string puppets, and wildlife and underwater footage to excite children about their natural world. Fun colourful stories combine with educational elements and a strong environmental conservation ethic, to provide true edutainment for young children.
Key to the conceptualisation of the series has been the Production Company’s intention to create television that provides an antidote to the barrage of visuals and sounds that very young children can be subjected to by fast-moving cartoons, and by programmes driven by special-effects.
In keeping with this, ANIMAL JUKEBOX is purposefully low-tech and tactile in appearance. The use of string puppets is central, and the original acoustic music has found fans amongst both parents and children.
Episodes
Each episode of ANIMAL JUKEBOX consists of a song in “Puppet Music Video” form - complete with Puppet Band and cut-aways to visuals of a specific Animal Adventure, using puppets to illustrate the story. This is coupled with superb quality footage of the relevant animals in the wild.
Episode 1 of ANIMAL JUKEBOX, I Wish I was a Dolphin, is set underwater, with dolphins, sharks, and underwater creatures in a magical underwater world. Footage of dolphins swimming and feeding off the Southern African coastline is provided by acclaimed underwater photographer Charles Maxwell.
Episode 2 of ANIMAL JUKEBOX musically tells the story of GERRY & HUGO - A Giraffe and a Hippo that Made Good Friends with Each Other. Gerry the Giraffe is very tall and skinny, while Hugo the Hippo is short and round. In spite of their obvious differences, the song shows that they each have distinctive strengths, and how they are each able to help each other out in different situations. We also cut to footage of real giraffes and hippos in the African Bush.
Each episode also contains several “learning pages”, e.g.: “h is for hippo” and “giraffes are TALL” to add educational value wherever possible.
ANIMAL JUKEBOX can be viewed in either English or Afrikaans.
Projected episodes include Am-phib-i-ous Froggies and Ernie the Absolutely Enormous Elephant!
Samples
A sample clip from Ep 1: I Wish I was a Dolphin
A sample clip from Ep 2: GERRY & HUGO - A Giraffe and a Hippo that Made Good Friends with Each Other
The Music & the Message
As the first 2 lines of the title track suggest, ANIMAL JUKEBOX is a proud product of the continent of Africa. The songs and brightly coloured opening sequences are ‘performed’ by the Animal Juke Box Puppet Band - a multi-racial band whose members have been sourced from all over Africa. The band plays a guitar, a drum and a double bass.
All the music on the DVD is original and composed and arranged by JOE VAN DER LINDEN, one of South Africa's most sought-after bass players and the creator of several CD's for children and adults.
The series has been devised for both the local and international markets and is intended to provide children worldwide with a fun and meaningful introduction to the animals of Africa.
ANIMAL JUKEBOX is positive, gentle and entertaining. It fosters a love for and appreciation of animals, conservation and the environment, and utilises sound educational principles.
ANIMAL JUKEBOX is proudly brought to you by an all-South African team based at the southern tip of Africa.
Buy the DVD: Click here to find out about pricing and ordering information.
Pricing & Ordering
The ANIMAL JUKEBOX DVD costs R120.
Stockists
You can get our Animal Jukebox DVD at your nearest Keedo Store, or order copies through this website and have them delivered to you directly (delivery charges are extra).
Online Ordering
We have a distribution base in South Africa, and one in the United Kingdom, making for quick and efficient shipping to you, where ever you are. Shipping is via one of two trackable options within South Africa, and via Royal Mail for customers in the UK and other countries.
We accept payment via credit card through Setcom, a secure credit card purchasing system similar to PayPal. South African buyers also have the option of making an EFT transfer into our account. Customers outside of South Africa can only make credit card purchases. Setcom uses the US Dollar as it's international currency, so charges will be reflected in Dollars for customers in the UK and other countries.
Special New Additional Offer
The Animal Jukebox music is all original, by Joe van der Linden. If you would like to hear to more of Joe's original Children's Songs, you can buy his music CD, ANIMAL KITCHEN, through this website too. The CD's cost R120 each.
Any Queries?
If you have any queries, please email us, or call +27 83 251 9654
About Crocodilly Productions
CROCODILLY PRODUCTIONS is headed up by Tombie Mitchell, who has over 15 years experience in Broadcast Television. As a result, she has worked on many of the premier productions that country has produced. These include Carte Blanche, 50/50, and a number of Miss World live broadcasts, including those based in India and the Seychelles.
In recent years she has produced and directed segments for the award winning prime time programme TOP BILLING, which has seen her travelling to and filming in around 25 countries over a 4 year period.
CROCODILLY PRODUCTIONS encompasses a pool of highly experienced independent broadcast professionals who make up a team with the capacity to produce and deliver superb quality work to deadline.
Tombie has been privileged to film and meet Nelson Mandela while filming for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
The Crocodilly Team has been intensively focusing on Developing and Producing programmes for young children for the last 5 years. Productions have developed out of a need commonly expressed by parents, for uniquely home-grown edutainment for this target market. The expertise of the team has ensured that the product has been produced to broadcast standards.
Music is central to Crocodilly Productions' flagship programme: ANIMAL JUKEBOX. All the music is original: composed, produced and presented by JOE VAN DER LINDEN. A professional musician with a long list of credits to his name, Joe has produced several CD's for different markets. His ANIMAL KITCHEN CD for children provided the inspiration for ANIMAL JUKEBOX, and the songs "Gerry & Hugo" and "I Wish I was a Dolphin" come from that CD.
Greg Shaw (Director of Photography) and Emma Watkin (Editor) are just two of the broadcast professionals who have put the weight of their knowledge and expertise behind these productions. Special thanks go to Michael Mol (Top Billing) for voicing the commentary sections of the DVD.
Animator and illustrator, Jane Appleby (Triggerfish), contributed her passion and experience by acting as Set Consultant, and by designing and personally creating the Underwater set for "I Wish I was a Dolphin"
Craig Leo (The Handspring Puppet Company, The Tall Horse) has added valuable support by acting as Consultant Puppeteer. All the puppeteers (notably Grant Powell, Nkosinati Gaar and Vernon Willemse) have brought their own energy and enthusiasm to the project with visible results.
Bathula Mputhumi and Freddie Adams contributed their on-set problem-solving skills and film production experience.
Crocodilly Productions owes a large debt of gratitude to Mark and Boris at Props to the Stars for long-term access to their wonderful studio space, and to Nick Chevallier and Charles Maxwell for the use of their superb wildlife and underwater footage respectively.
About Us | Episodes | Samples | The Music & the Message | Pricing & Ordering