Cincinnati Animation Firms Support Youth Wellbeing in Schools.

Students at Parker Woods Montessori prepare for Mindful Music Moments. (c) Kyle Wolff, Courtesy The Well

October 24, 2023

For Immediate Release
Contact: Bryce Kessler
513-578-2187
Bryce@TheWell.World

Two Cincinnati Firms Help Cincinnati Non-Profit Create World-Class Animations for National Mindful Music Program for Student Wellbeing

Two Cincinnati animation firms, Pixel Fiction and Lightborne, joined forces to support Mindful Music Moments, Cincinnati non-profit The Well’s signature program that brings world-class music in combination with daily creative, calming prompts to schools and classrooms in Greater Cincinnati and far beyond. 

The Well’s Director of Music and Arts Programs, Bryce Kessler says “We heard from a lot of our teachers that students need support in focusing their attention. As a small non-profit, we needed to find a dynamic, cost- and time-effective way to create daily video content in addition to daily audio content for all 300 schools and national partnerships we serve. Kessler continues, “we innovate and learn directly from our school partners and lean in to our 50+ schools in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky to make sure we are always supporting the ever-changing environment for schools.”

Kessler continues, “Pixel Fiction, with support from Kattspaw Audio, created our new mascot Mel O. Dee. And Lightborne’s team created colorful, audio-responsive designs that animate to the daily music selections. The result is delightful and compelling to both students and teachers.”

Lightborne President Scott Durban explains “we harnessed the power of TouchDesigner—a commercial software frequently used to generate visuals for touring music artists—to craft bespoke audio reactive visuals that enhance and deepen the Mindful Music Moments program.”

“Bringing the mascot, Mel O. Dee, to life was made easier by starting with their fun logo design that had the character already built in. It informed much of what we needed to know about their personality,” explains Scott Thierauf, co-owner of Pixel Fiction. “Working closely with Stacy and Bryce, we created an energetic, childlike character that bounds around with seemingly endless energy, then slowly calms to ease the viewers into Mindful Music Moments. The goal was to show a fun, encapsulated version of what a child might experience at the beginning of their day.”

Myesha Jewell, Preschool and Kindergarten teacher at Parker Woods Montessori, a Cincinnati Public School, has experienced the audio version of Mindful Music over the last several years. She says that the new animated content allows us students to “listen to Mindful Music all throughout our school day. This year, I feel like the kids can see the visuals and calm their breathing to match the visuals.”

For more information about bringing Mindful Music to your school, preschool or organization, visit www.TheWell.World/MMM or reach out to Bryce Kessler at bryce@thewell.world. The Well appreciates additional support for new animation from the Ohio Arts Council.

About The Well

The Well provides programs, practices and connection at the intersection of arts and wellness. Its programs include Mindful Music Moments, Mindful Poetry Moments, True Body Project and a new youth curriculum My True SELF. The Well is based in Camp Washington and is nourished by the non-profit A Mindful Moment.

About Lightborne

Lightborne Communications is a world-renowned video production studio creating visually stunning works for complex multi-disciplinary projects. Their work includes live stage performance content, broadcast TV commercials, web and social videos, retail environments, projection mapping, brand experiences, and beyond.

About Pixel Fiction

Pixel Fiction is a unique animation, edit and visual effects studio producing dazzling visuals that persuade, inform and entertain. Their specialties include creative editorial, high-end 3d animation, visual effects, motion graphics and concept design for broadcast TV, web videos, experiential & immersive design, music videos and more.