Co-creator of a Preschool Phenomenon
By Jake Friedman
*Originally published in the March, 2006 issue of the aNYmator newsletter.
In his bestseller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell discusses the "stickiness factor" that certain cultural trends have to maintain mass appeal and recognition. He also writes "'Blue's Clues' may be one of the stickiest television shows ever made."
Traci Paige Johnson didn't spare a detail when describing to me her venture into this show, one that helped maintain New York's place on the TV animation map. So I'll step back, and let the co-creator do the talking.
Picture courtesy of Nickelodeon Studios
JF: How has the process been for you to get where you are today?
TPJ: I always knew I wanted to do children's television so I made it a focus since freshman year majoring in television/film and minoring in child development. Animation was more of a side hobby and I concentrated on creating, directing and producing live-action in addition to animation … all focuses on kids' TV. I wanted to learn all sides of production. It's important to have an idea and know how to execute it from beginning to end. There are a lot of artists out there and a lot of producers out there but if you can be both artistic/creative AND budget/time- management conscious, you're golden.Once out of College, I'd just take any PA job in children's TV and learn as much as I could. The smaller the show, the better, because there was more opportunity to grow and take on more. Do your job, do it well, no complaining, and just soak up everything. If you've learned everything you could and there's no growth, move on. I always kept an idea book of stories, inspirations and designs of my own, waiting for the right opportunity (luck favors the prepared mind).
I freelanced for four years out of college starting as a PA, moving to AP, Producer, etc, while creating animations on the side. Sometimes I'd do them for the shows I was working on and other times it was just to keep my mind fresh. Then when I was twenty-five the opportunity came … I think it was my creative style in conjunction with being a producer that ultimately landed me the job.