educational program gets bought outright by major publisher
“Looking back it’s hard to believe.. it felt like a life’s worth of work to make it happen and get it finished, but it actually happened and Pearson loved it so much they bought it”
What started as a few hours on Saturdays singing songs with kids grew to become 50 new and original recordings,100s of videos and activities in cards and books. There’s so much to say about Sounds’n’Stories as it took much of my life for several years.*
The promo’ videos here (superbly shot and cut by Gil Dylan were sent -initailly- to school buyers, then on the S’n’S website, and later (and ultimately) to prospective mainstream publishers. The program had evolved from fun worksheets, stories and songs tested in classrooms, followed by my desire to make ‘commercially viable’ music and video to support student learning. Opening a door to the wider fields of music and video production was in hindsight a ‘seriously?’ moment but a move for which I have no regrets and have continuously grown. The project stands the test of time and is indelibly part of me.
s'n's card packaging
Sven's Magic Shield
s'n's book shop packaging with removeable sound chart
original Sounds'n'Stories CD packaging
The excellent Stuart Packer as Sven
John Laudon and Wayne James after completing 50 songs for Sounds'n' stories
Sounds'n'Stories logo by Linda Valencia and Wayne James
Sven Blends logo and image for original Souns'n'Stories website moving banner
Sample of Original Sounds'n'Stories packaging
Original Sound'n'Stories website banner promoting songs
Sample of 144 word cards with QR codes linking to videos
Original array of 12 Sounds'n'Stories books
Sound-Scape developed from Phonological research and made into a game
Original Sound'n'Stories packaging
John Laudon and Wayne James during the making of Sounds'n'Stories music
Sample colour illustrations from 2nd edition (pre-Pearson) Sounds'n'Stories books
Original book collection box for Sounds'n'Stories release at Hong Kong Book Fair
Sample of original Sounds'n'Stories phoneme cards with QR code links to videos
The excellent Stuart Packer as the excellent Sven at the Hong Kong Book Fair
Wayne James as Mafan The Dog posing with daughter Ella for original Sounds'n'Stories website
Sample illustration from Sounds'n'Stories books
Sample cover illustrations from 2nd edition Sounds'n'Stories books released at Hong Kong Book Fair
Sample of Sounds'n'Stories phoneme cards
Original Sounds'n'Stories cover art for i-tunes, spotify and others
*
CREDITS
Thanks to May Sin Han James without whom it would never have started, and to whom I will forever be in debt. Credit too to John Laudon -from a most serendipidous meeting- his knowledge, patience and teaching , Gil Dylan, Eric Au, Steffan Leyshon-Jones, Stuart ‘Sven’ Packer, Carsten Schael, Louisa Lau, Tony Webster, Johnathan Nguyen and Simon Galea.. plus many more of the school principals, proffessionals, friends, students and parents who helped in more ways that I can describe. Finally, thanks to Stephanie Mak and Wing who spotted the commercial worth from my early teaching demos, and Janice Ko (formerly editor) at Pearson Publishing who worked so hard to transition the product to digital formats for the mainland market and helped to close the buy-out deal.