CEO Catherine Winder of Wind Sun Sky Entertainment Brings New Innovation To Children’s Programming with Future Chicken
Q & A
In honor of International Women’s Month, I had a chance to talk to the CEO of Wind Sun Sky and former Lucas Film executive Cathrine Winder who is changing the way kids learn in her new show FUTURE CHICKEN!
Meet Plucky Chicken Potato coming from the year 2050 as she and her friends (Frittata the Egg, Worm the Worm, Persa the Electric Catfish, Bello the Mushroom, and Circutree) THE PLANET PROTECTORS teach kids they have the power to impact the earth positively. Future Chicken hosts interviews with scientists, activists, and influencers of the present-day (remember she’s from the future) on how we can make more eco-friendly choices in our own daily lives.
Kids can watch Future Chicken on YouTube in short and long-form with the Future Chicken Today Show.
View Trailer
https://youtu.be/lOVor7YEcHc?si=k2sGVcw9lqJNmJGO
The fun does not stop there as they can then join Future Chicken on Roblox in “Escape Bathroom Obby with Future Chicken!” a 30-level challenge adventure where kids learn eco-friendly and energy-saving tips without even knowing it!
In talking with Catherine Winder we talked about Future Chicken and the inspiration behind it.
Q: So, how did the “Hatching of Future Chicken come about?
Catherine: The “hatching” came about through children actually. Kids have so many great ideas. “Future Chicken” is a partnership between my company and a non-profit company called Ontario Water Center and Clear Water Farm. Clear Water Farm is a sustainable regenerative farm where they do workshops with kids, and they were talking to these young kids about the climate and how they are feeling and the anxiety and lack of hope about the future.
So, they are like, well, let’s talk about solutions and ideas on how we can help you. Next, they were playing in the farm with the chickens and they(the kids) said what if that chicken was in the future and came back today and told us about the good things that are happening as opposed to us hearing about bad things out there. So the founder of this nonprofit, Annabelle Sage, was introduced to me because I work in multi-platform content and she said I have this idea with this chicken and is there a way to bring this chicken into the world?
I said well let’s go big or go home. I think the idea you have is incredible, how do we counter the climate doom kids are facing today through a fun character. But we need to create a whole ensemble of characters, a world. Taking the learnings of what we had not so long ago from the likes of Sesame Street where they used characters, and entertainment to address inner city kids through entertaining ways. We can do the same thing using media so that is how it came to life but the seed of that came from children.
Q: So, you made Future Chicken to empower the children, but did you and your crew feel empowered as well putting Future Chicken together?
Catherine: Absolutely. Our team here at Wind Sun Sky worked with all sorts of other people from technologists, to storytellers, and educators. Everybody on the team is incredibly passionate because we believe that what we are doing is so important. We want to help impact the daily lives of kids in a positive way and create content that at its core uses positivity, humor, and fun to tell a story about the good things happening today that are impacting the future. It is very energizing and gives us all a sense of hope and positivity about the future.
Q: So, Future Chicken is not only a show it spans into the video game world too. Tell me about how you decided to span into video gaming too. How did that come about?
Catherine: Well the reality is kids today consume media on multi-platforms. They don’t watch a linear show. They want to have the ability to consume content when they want, how they want, so we said let’s use digital for a strategy and use that for our benefit. Go to where kids are today. The two most robust platforms where kids spend their time are on both YouTube and Roblox, so we built various different content experiences for them on those two platforms.
The reality is on Roblox there are 70 million users or active players a day. So that is where kids are. That is where they have their afternoon playdates. While all our content and stories encourage kids to get out into the real world and feel activated, we also give them hints, tips, and tricks on things they can do to make a difference around climate change. The reality is they are in the digital world, sowe are embracing that and helping create a community and empowering them there and owning that first.
Q: Expanding on that, you’re getting them on all fronts so to speak in hopes that they will go outside and do more in the outside world.
Catherine: That’s right. In the video game world for example one of our games is called “Future Chicken OBBY” which is an obstacle course game. We did a lot of research before we chose that type of game, and it’s a very popular type of game where kids get to be virtually active and play. In our world, they jump into this house and there is light touch learning all the way through. For example, as part of the obstacle course, you might have to close a window, fix a leaky tap, or turn off the water. So there are little ideas that we are hoping are seeded in their mind so that when they are in the real world when they leave a room they remember to turn off the light or close a window. It really connects the two worlds through gamified storytelling.
We also bring in all kinds of fascinating and inspiring “Echo Champions”, people who are doing great things, like writing books for kids about global life. For example, there is a book called “Global Weirding” by Katherine Hayhoe, about all the strange things happening in the weather. We find ways to continue to inform kids and again empower and engage them in what is going on and make them feel like the future is positive. That together no matter how big or small the steps they make are, they can make a difference. So, again continue to just share all the great stuff that’s happening. Kids are sophisticated. They are aware, but by providing them with hope we really believe they are the change-makers of the future. They’ll be in a position to really make a difference.
Q: Thank you again Catherine for taking the time to talk with me, and congrats on Future Chicken. I want to share that my son is eleven and he saw me watching an episode of Future Chicken and got drawn into it. Future Chicken is a hit for all ages.
Catherine: Thank you, that is such great news to hear that a child of eleven years old liked it! That’s our goal. We really wanted to make sure that it’s a family conversation. It’s also for the parents too! These are difficult topics, but we can do it in a way too that feels positive with humor and fun.
About Catherine Winder
Winder is a Canadian entrepreneur and the CEO/EP of Wind Sun Sky Entertainment A multi-media production company focused on building creator-driven global franchises based in Vancouver. She is also the CEO/Partner of Skybound North Entertainment in partnership with Skybound Entertainment (The Walking Dead/Outcast). Managing studios in both Vancouver and L.A. and collaborating with partners in Europe and Asia, she is in production and development on a diverse slate of multi-platform media content in all genres including interactive (My Singing Monsters Fandemonium) and linear shows as well as a kid’s mobile app and several ROBLOX games.
About Wind Sun Sky Entertainment
Wind Sun Sky creates at the intersection of storytelling and technology to build a multi-platform franchise for the global marketplace. Their expertise lies in multimedia storytelling spanning immersive experiences development and production of live-action and animated series, Roblox game worlds, and stories.
Learn more at windsunsky.com