Cbeebies Preschool Show ‘My Petsaurus’ Returns for Third Series
Skwigly
Cardiff-based indie animation company, Bumpybox, have just completed work on the third series of their preschool show, My Petsaurus, for Cbeebies
My Petsaurus, a live action/animation mix, returns Chloe (Alea Beechey) with her beloved pet dinosaur, Topsy, as they go on new adventures highlighting some of the tasks and responsibilities a child might encounter when owning their first pet. In series 3 the team have also introduced new characters for Chloe and Topsy to meet. Neighbour Megan, played by Eva-Ossei Germing, with her pet Dinosaur Fluffy – who acts like a cat in comparison to Topsy’s doggy nature and Bethan – Chloe’s older cousin who uses a Guide Dino. Bethan is played by Amelia May Elliot, who was, at the time of filming, the youngest guide dog owner in Wales. Her guide dog, Libby, stood in for dinosaur Sparky on set. Milly, enjoyed making her acting debut. “The weather in the park was great, and Libby loved being in the limelight,” she said. “I had a chaperone, and the outfit chosen for me was really nice.”
Leon Dexter, Animation Director, said:
Animating the guide dinosaur was an interesting mix between following the rules and intricacies of how a guide dog moves and interacts with their owner, and giving the performance we needed for the scene. It was also interesting in the sense that as soon as it’s ‘play time’ and she’s off the leash, she’s a completely different dinosaur because she’s no longer working, which is something we hadn’t really considered before, but was a lot of fun to animate.
To get the details of this just right Bumpybox turned to the Royal National Institution of Blind People (RNIB) and Guide Dogs Cymru in Cardiff.
RNIB Cymru Director Ansley Workman: “We were thrilled to be asked to advise on the new series of My Petsaurus. The programme is a great way to show young children how guide dogs help blind and partially sighted people to get out and about independently. We are very excited to see Milly’s on-screen debut and wish her and Libby every success.”
Amelia and Libby spent nearly a month training together in Cardiff and Ebbw Vale with the help of a Guide Dogs Mobility Instructor. Speaking about the training Milly said: “There was so much to learn and as I was used to navigating obstacles for myself it took time for me to relax and allow Libby to navigate them for me. It was also quite challenging remembering the commands to give her but now it all feels very natural and we make a great team.”
Andrea Gordon, Engagement Manager for Guide Dogs Cymru, said:
Having a guide dog has opened up a world of opportunity for Milly, who was able to bring real authenticity to her role. Guide Dogs is committed to helping more young people to achieve their full potential, and we hope the show will remind families that we are here to support them.
Taking on directing duties for Series 3 is Iwan Watson (Biggleton, Old Jack’s Boat and Show Me Show Me). The series was once again filmed and animated in Cardiff.
Producer Sam Wright says:
It was brilliant being able to get the cast and crew back for more adventures with Chloe and Topsy. This series we looked to expand Chloe’s world by bringing in new friends, family and dinosaurs. It was really rewarding working with Eva, Milly and Libby bringing their characters to the screen. With Milly, I’m really excited for the Cbeebies audience to learn about what it means to use a guide animal and how it compares to a pet. Milly’s real-life relationship with Libby really informed how the animation team brought Sparky to life and she worked with us on the script to make sure the commands she was giving Sparky were accurate to her real life training.
Eva’s character Megan brings a real cheekiness to the show. Her character is bright and creative – only foiled by her pet Dinosaur Fluffy who is sly and mischievous. I can’t wait for everyone to see them meet Chloe and Topsy!
My Petsaurus Series 3 is on BBC iplayer now and starts airing on Cbeebies channel 24th February. For the first time Series 3 is also presented as Audio described on BBC iPlayer.