Woodsy Owl Returns in Animated Stories

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb. 21, 2012 - LOS ANGELES, CA – February 20, 2012 – Back in the day, Woodsy Owl's slogan "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute!" inspired respect and care for the environment. Both the message and the owl himself have endured for five decades and 2011 marked Woodsy’s 40th anniversary. Now Woodsy’s making a comeback in animated stories.

The plucky owl was created by Harold Bell for the United States Forest Service in 1970 as a symbol to promote wise use of the environment. He was introduced to the public in 1971.

Woodsy was often seen surrounded by kids as he romped across playgrounds or skipped along city streets during a two-decades long series of classic public service announcements (PSAs). The commercials were all live action with the eco-Owl portrayed by an actor in a costume. Woodsy was originally voiced by Sterling Holloway, who also supplied the voice for Disney's Winnie The Pooh. The PSAs were a television mainstay for a generation of Americans.

Now, working in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service, PineTree Pictures has begun preliminary work on Woodsy's first ever animated DVD adventures. The cartoons will fall into the category of "edu-tainment" - educational entertainment. And while Woodsy's look may have changed since the '70s, his focus has not. The stories will echo the classic Woodsy themes of recycling, litter prevention and environmental awareness. Newer topics, such as gardening, composting, bird watching and camping, will be added to the mix.

Woodsy's visibility has gradually increased over the last few years. T-shirt sales are brisk, and the owl has taken flight on the Internet. The U.S Forest Service maintains a Woodsy Owl site designed for kids, families and educators. There are two Facebook pages, Woodsy Owl and Woodsy Owl Animation, one of which, Woodsy Owl Animation, centers around the animation project.

Woodsy's cyber-green presence can also be found at, of all places, the popular crowd funding site kickstarter.com (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/woodsyowlanimation/wo...). The site has become a phenomenon for arts projects of all kinds, allowing interested parties to support a variety of endeavors by pledging money to any that interest them. In Woodsy's case, the funds will be used to produce a 5-minute animated sample video to support investment in a larger multi-story project.


"Social media is amazing. It allows everyone to get involved and nurture a grass roots
movement," explain Bill Matheny and Laren Bright of PineTree Pictures. "And who knows more about grass roots than Woodsy Owl?"

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PineTree Pictures is run by award-winning industry veterans and specializes in animated
productions designed to entertain children with fun and action-filled stories that contain positive,
educational and uplifting messages.

PTP President Bill Matheny is a three-time Emmy Award nominee and founder of Pinetree
Pictures, a company that is committed to producing fun, family-friendly entertainment and "edu-
tainment." He is a writer/story editor/producer of animation as well as a writer of comic books.
Bill has worked on a variety of well known entertainment franchises, such as Looney Tunes,
Batman, Scooby Doo, Smurfs, Addams Family, Pinky and the Brain, Where's Waldo along with
many, many more.

For more information about the Woodsy Owl Animation, please visit
www.woodsyowlanimation.com, or email hoot@woodsyowlanimation.com.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/11805216/1