Andy Lee at Richmond Primary School with his nephews Freddy Miles (left) and George Miles (right) students, at front from left Grace Miller, Manuela Valente, Theodore Ang and back Nikolas Daglis(left) and Cece Dragovic (right). Picture credit Daniel Mahon.
Today VicScreen announced that Andy Lee's bestselling Do Not Open This Book series for children is being adapted into an animation series, Do Not Watch This Show.
Andy Lee is one of Australia's most loved stars of radio, television and podcasting, best known for working in collaboration with Hamish Blake in the comedy duo Hamish and Andy.
Created and written by Andy Lee and illustrated by Heath McKenzie, the Do Not Open This Book series has become one of the most successful in Australian publishing history, having sold more than 3.5 million books worldwide and has been a #1 best seller in many countries.
Now Wizz is coming to television screens across the nation.
Like the books, the series revolves around a blue monster, named Wizz, who tries to stop viewers from watching through a series of playful shenanigans.
The 12 x 11-minute episode animated series is created, written and produced by Andy Lee (who also lends his voice to the series), with Greg Sitch.
An incredible crew of Victorian talent is bringing Wizz to life, with Leo Baker, the sole animator of the Academy Award® winning short film The Lost Thing, directing; the illustrator of the book series, Heath McKenzie, providing art direction and independent Victorian animation production company Studio Moshi producing the animation for the series.
Do Not Watch This Show will create more than 70 job opportunities for Victorian screen workers across animation and post-production, including five heads of department and training and development for five junior animators, and will inject $5.3 million directly into the Victorian economy.
Victorian Minister for Creative Industries, Minister Brooks said, "Andy Lee's new animation series Do Not Watch This Show demonstrates how Victorian creative ideas can resonate so successfully with global audiences. Andy is an incredible Victorian talent and his books are hugely popular with kids around the world. The Allan Labor Government is proud to back this team of local writers, illustrators and animators to bring Do Not Watch this Show to life from the page to the screen."
Show creator Andy Lee said, "On behalf of a friend of mine, I'm extremely disappointed with the news of this announcement. My friend is a blue monster called Wizz and has specifically asked for nobody to watch this show. Please disregard everything you read above".
Do Not Watch This Show was supported through VicScreen's incentive program and is set to screen on ABC Family in 2025.
