My love for nature, literature and food, combined with my desire to get children outside, inspired me to launch ActiveKidsClub.com to encourage other parents to start an outdoor playgroup where they live. We are very proud that we have reached out and connected with outdoor heroes in the US and Canada.
I want to send a big thank you to our readers, playgroups and our #playoutdoors friends (you know who you are) for being a part of our journey and helping us realize our vision with creative ways to connect children and adults with nature.
As we prepare for a new chapter to create opportunities to get children outside, I wanted to give you a glimpse of what is going on behind the scenes here at AKC.
Next week my partner and I are going to New York City to pitch our children’s TV series at Kidscreen Summit. The show is building on ActiveKidsClub.com’s simple message: go outside and play. We will be showing preschool kids being positive outdoor play roll models. We believe the show will not only inspire kids but parents and caregiver as well to get outside in all kinds of weather.
I’m lucky to have some world-class talent from the film and television industry to help get our vision to the screen.
Meet our team:
Producer/Director/Cinematographer: Russell Gienapp has been a professional photographer for 22 years the last 15 years of which he has shot documentary films across the globe for numerous acclaimed and award-winning shows.
Dive Detectives (National Geographic/HIstory)Gemini nomination for Best History program; Murder of Crows (Nova & CBC Nature of Things); Firejammers (Discovery) Gemini for Best Performing Art series or show; Out in the Cold (Discovery); Iris Chang Story Feature length doc (History); Nine Lives (Discovery); Pretty Dangerous (Global) Gemini Nomination Best Photography SPAM (CBC) Gemini nomination Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program; Trudeau’s Other Children (NFB); I Made A Vow (NFB); Men of the Deep (NFB / CTV) Gemini Best Photography in a Documentary Program & Gemini Best Performing Arts Program or Series; Mystery Hunters (DiscoveryKids) Gemini Nomination Best Photography Information Program; The Last Just Man (History) Gemini Best History Documentary Program; Cecil’s Journey (NFB); Gemini Nomination Best Biography Documentary, Atlantic Film Festival Best Short film; Where’s My Chance (PBS) Regional Emmy Award Best Documentary.
Production Manager: Jono Nemethy began his career 15 years ago as an independent producer. At age 21 he produced his first drama, Shelter (CTV). Nemethy has work extensively both in feature film as a production coordinator and in the business affairs department and in factual television programming at Cineflix and Barna-Alper while starting his family. At Sinking Ship he production managed nearly 200 episodes of children’s television on seven different series including Roll Play (Treehouse); Are We There Yet? (Treehouse); The Jungle Room (TVO); and I Dare You (Heart and Stroke Foundation).
Music Composer: Angelo Oddi has been writing music for television and film for over 18 years. In that time, he has specialized in children’s music writing for Sesame Street, Sesame Park, The Big Comfy Couch, Dot & Paws, Kids’ CBC, Anti Gravity Room, A La Claire Fontaine, Tastebuds, and Sailor Moon to name a few.
Angelo has been nominated for a Regional EMMY® Award for The Big Comfy Couch. He also wrote several songs and produced the CD This Is Daniel Cook, Here We Are! This CD was nominated for a Juno award in 2008.
