JAPAN PRIZE 2007 : Runners-up

The Best ProgramList of Entry
Program Division / Early Education
Program Title Adrian (episode 1)
Organization Katholieke Radio Omroep (KRO)
Country Netherlands
JAPAN PRIZE is always a very strong competition and challenges participating broadcasters to deliver the highest standard of educational television. To be a part of the selection is already an honour. To be runner-up is a great recognition of the hard and creative work we did to realize Adriaan and the educational content we wanted to achieve.
I consider Adriaan a very personal project since it deals with an important topic for preschoolers that I wanted to bring on screen. In preschool television we easily forget to represent the rich world of senses and feelings that preschoolers have. The topic death, in this case death of a pet, has meanwhile moved many children and adults and the main character Adriaan became an inspiration for other children that will have to deal with such impactful moment in their lives.
Scriptwriter Janneke van der Pal debuted in children's television, creating a unique character and writing five sensitive and engaging stories. With my producer Winnie Rijnders I applied for a subsidy by the Dutch Culture Fund, which was granted. We then coproduced the series with Eyeworks Egmond Film & Television. Director Mischa Kamp directed a wonderful cast and crew and created subtle emotions and touching and entertaining television. On behalf of the whole team I thank JAPAN PRIZE for selecting our program and the international jury for its decision.
Jan-Willem Bult
Head of Department
Program Title Let's Write Poetry: The Big Slam (episode 1) "Observation"
Organization British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Country United Kingdom
In Let's Write Poetry - The Big Slam 16 children are given a week off school, taken to a farm in Devon and are given a poetry writing challenge. As programme makers, we had our own challenges. We deliberately selected children with mixed literary abilities from very different environments to test the theory that anyone can write poetry if given the correct tools to do so. Taking them out of school for a week posed its own challenge. What child would not want a week off school, go to a farm in the middle of the most beautiful countryside, and ride on tractors without their parents? Poetry writing seemed easily forgotten!  However, by the end, every single child had written a poem to be proud of and proved the programmes' aim - poetry writing is fun and everyone can write one. I, along with my colleagues, am thrilled to be runner-up in the Early Education Category in the JAPAN PRIZE and would like to thank the judges for recognising the programme and its educational value. It is especially pleasing this year, as three months after making the programme, BBC Children's Television closed down the Education Unit and made the majority of staff redundant.
Andrea Gauld
Producer
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