ADA TWIST, SCIENTIST Wins GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Children’s Programming!

Posted by Anahita Tabarsi

Load up the lab—we have some terrific news to share!

Ada Twist, Scientist has been awarded Outstanding Children’s Programming for the episode ‘Blue River Wedding’ at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

Ada Twist, Scientist, which is based on the best-selling children's book series by author Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts, was developed for TV by executive producer Chris Nee (Laughing Wild), Wonder Worldwide, and produced in partnership with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, with animation done by our awesome teams at Brown Bag Films Dublin and Bali.

The series follows the adventures of 8-year-old Ada Twist, a pint-sized scientist with a giant-sized curiosity, who aspires to discover the truth about absolutely everything, now with four seasons streaming on Netflix.

The season 4 episode “Blue River Wedding” follows the story of how when a tornado touches down on the day of Sensei Dave and Jiu Jitsu Joe's wedding, voiced by guest stars George Takei and Guillermo Diaz, our STEM loving friends Ada, Rosie, Iggy and Benny must think up a way for all of the guests to safely gather.

“We’re thrilled to see Ada Twist, Scientist honoured with the Outstanding Children's Programming award for the episode “Blue River Wedding” at the GLAAD Media Awards. Congratulations and thanks to the entire team in Brown Bag Films, Netflix, Laughing Wild, Higher Ground Productions, and Wonder Worldwide. This win is a testament to everyone’s hard work and dedication. We’re very excited to add this award to our trophy cabinet.”

—Jean Herlihy, Series Director on Ada Twist, Scientist, Brown Bag Films

“It's an incredible privilege to have Ada Twist, Scientist recognized by the GLAAD Media Awards. I'm extremely proud of the show and the entire dedicated team behind its creation. Huge thanks to everyone involved for crafting such a spectacular and successful production.”

—Nayanshi Shaw, Producer on Ada Twist, Scientist, Brown Bag Films

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community and the issues that affect their lives. Since its inception in 1990, the GLAAD Media Awards have grown to be the most visible annual LGBTQ awards show in the world, sending powerful messages of acceptance to audiences globally.

We are thrilled to see Ada Twist, Scientist receive this honour, and extend a huge congratulations to our talented teams, as well as our partners at Netflix, Chris Nee (Laughing Wild), Wonder Worldwide, and Higher Ground Productions.

THE TERRORIST, One of Ebert's Best of 2000

The Best 10 Movies of 2000

by Roger Ebert December 31, 2000

At many film festivals, the Special Jury Prize is awarded to a film that didn't quite win first place. This year I'm choosing ten titles, alphabetically, for such an award. Any of these titles could easily quality for the top ten list.

"The Terrorist." Santosh Sivan's film from India is simple and deep, the story of a few days in the life of a teenage girl revolutionary (Ayesha Dharkar) who volunteers to become a human bomb in an assassination attempt. What goes through her mind during the few days of training before the crucial moment? She is sent to a farm for a waiting period, and the farmer, who may not know of her mission, introduces her to his wife, who has been immobile in a coma for years. In its direct, subtle way, the film generates enormous power.

ADA TWIST, SCIENTIST wins EMMY - OUTSTANDING PRESCHOOL ANIMATED SERIES at Inaugural Children & Family Emmy Awards

The #ChildrensEmmys Award for Outstanding Preschool Animated Series goes to #adatwistscientist (@Netflix @NetflixFamily). pic.twitter.com/fuKJugGwsB

— The Emmys (@TheEmmys) December 12, 2022

By Mercedes Milligan

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presented the first annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, across two ceremonies held Saturday, December 10 (Creative Arts) and Sunday, December 11 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. Animation was a major part of the new awards — the first standalone expansion of the Emmy Award competition since 1979.

Netflix Animation really threw its creative weight around in this inaugural competition, taking the top category prizes for animation as across kids’ series (City of Ghosts), preschool (Ada Twist, Scientist), special class (Hilda and the Mountain King) and short-form (We the People), in addition to multiple craft awards for Maya and the Three and Centaurworld.

OUTSTANDING PRESCHOOL ANIMATED SERIES — Ada Twist, Scientist (Netflix)
Executive Producers: Andrea Beaty, Mark Burton, Tonia Davis, Cathal Gaffney, Chris Nee, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Darragh O’Connell, David Roberts, Priya Swaminathan
Co-Executive Producer: Kerri Grant
Creative Producer: Alex Pitz
Supervising Producer: Gillian Higgins
Producers: Nayanshi Shaw, Peedee Shindell
Consulting Producer: Jean Herlihy

ADA TWIST, SCIENTIST featured in MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

By Bruno Cooke

Ada Twist, Scientist graced the streets of New York with her presence for the second time at the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Her first outing was in 2021. That year, Michelle Obama was among those celebrating the young scientist’s attendance. She’s an executive producer on the show. 

Originating in 2016, Ada Twist, Scientist started out as a children’s picture book. But many will have heard of her for the first time from a TV series adaptation of the same name that came out in 2021.

The Ada Twist, Scientist balloon is 51ft (15.5m) tall, 41ft (12.5m) long and 29ft (nearly 9m) wide.

Behind Ada Twist’s giant inflatable ear is a giant inflatable pen. It’s the size of 27 regular pens, but the perfect size for a 51ft eight-year-old.

A Mexican marching band preceded the Ada Twist, Scientist balloon at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They played saxophones and sousaphones.

“Netflix brings us this bright star in the sky,” read the voiceover on the television coverage of the parade.

The TV adaptation of Ada Twist, Scientist “follows the adventures of eight-year-old Ada,” it continued, “who’s out to discover the truth about, well, everything!”

“With the help of her friends, Ada unravels and solves mysteries, putting her knowledge into action, making the world a better place.”

ADA TWIST, SCIENTIST nominated for Three Emmys in the first Children's & Family Emmy Awards

By Michael Schneider

Nominations have been announced for the first-ever Children’s & Family Emmys, which will include around 50 categories. Netflix led the pack with approximately 85 nominations across the board, while the combined mix of Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior was next, with around 78 nods.

Some of this year’s races have moved over from the Daytime Emmys, which New York-based NATAS also oversees, while others are new, to reflect the full scope of youth-oriented fare (including shows like “Heartstopper” that might have previously competed for the Primetime Emmy race, which is administered by the Los Angeles-based Television Academy).

According to the National Academy of TV Arts and Sciences, which administers the Children’s & Family Emmys, the content represents the fastest-growing genre that NATAS awards, with a 23% increase in related programming the past two years. With more than 3,000 submissions, NATAS said that the competition is now the largest that it oversees — which also includes Daytime, Sports and News/Documentary Emmys.

“Putting a spotlight on children’s & family programming after years of unparalleled growth in content quality and quantity in this space is an exciting moment for the television industry,” said Adam Sharp, President and CEO, NATAS.  “These programs entertain, inform and educate family members of all ages, and NATAS is proud to mark this milestone event and give these creators the stage they deserve.”

The first annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards will be presented on Saturday, December 10 (Creative Arts) and Sunday, December 11 at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles.

OUTSTANDING PRESCHOOL ANIMATED SERIES

Ada Twist, Scientist   (Netflix)

Molly of Denali  (PBS)

Octonauts: Above & Beyond   (Netflix)

Santiago of the Seas    (Nickelodeon)

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum  (PBS)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM

Ada Twist, Scientist   (Netflix)            

Alma’s Way (PBS)       

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood  (PBS)                 

Molly of Denali    (PBS)                                  

Muppet Babies  (Disney Junior)                                      

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM

Ada Twist, Scientist  (Netflix)                                     

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood   (PBS)                    

Go! Go! Cory Carson   (Netflix)      

Muppet Babies  (Disney Junior)                

Stillwater (Apple TV+)                    

Storybots: Learn to Read (Netflix)