Q1: Where did the idea come from and how did you pitch it to Baker and Brett?

A1: Firstly we were Baker & Brett!, that being, Brett Cabot and François Boulangé.

After a tip-off from Franka, a local production manager who opened the door, we pitched the show to a new broadcaster in the Netherlands, FoxTV. Their charter required that a percentage of their shows be Dutch productions, so we quickly created a 3D animated video mockup of the concept, jotted down a game show format structure and costings, and pitched it. Much to our surprise, we received funding to create 120 half-hour TV episodes. More on that later…

A little back story is needed I think because the road to creating something requires it…
 
I’ve always, since the mid to late seventies, embraced a multimedia approach to my creativity playing with all the wonderful interactions and processes of mixing different media.
I combined words, visuals, film, photography, music, and audio, to create immersive audio-visual experiences.

Reference second half of Drug grub, SDC Some Rooms, music videos, multi-media shows made in Australia…

In 1996 I was employed as a creative advisor by the NOB Medialab here in Hilversum, to show case their latest tech; real-time motion capture – realtime virtual studio etc.. by creating pilot concepts which would use these technologies to show their potential to the Dutch broadcast industry...

To create the virtual studio environments and motion captured characters we used huge and expensive computers but the output was low res, half pal, it felt clumsy but it was the bees knees in hi tech at that time… See Destination Pilot 

After leaving the NOB Medialab and joining forces with François at Boldface Produkties bv,
I got to thinking why move the world (lots of polygons) to match the persons position, why not pre render high res (PAL) backgrounds and simply move the person on a couple of polygons to match their position within a pre rendered 3D world. A relatively low cost real-time solution but untested as yet but we knew a software guy...

Simultaneously, we hired a carpenter to create physical flying pods, incorporating hydraulics for movement, just in case our software solution didn’t pan out. Thankfully, Ruud came through for us.

In terms of software, hardware, and video card support, Ruud and Marketgraph developed the technique for the flying pods (approximately 25 polygons each). Then, we integrated the contestants’ camera feed into a single polygon, resulting in a straightforward real-time virtual studio software solution.
Enabling us to fly kids through the planets and play interactive games all in real-time!

The first Gameplanets turnkey system used 4 sgi computers interfaced with a normal tricage studio, keyers, ADOs, framestore etc. and the illusion was complete.

The original GAMEPLANETS was first produced in 1998/99 by Boldface Produkties bv and The Baker & Brett Game Company bv, at the NOB Media Lab tricage studio in Hilversum, commissioned by Fox and later by Fox Kids here in the Netherlands. Though circumstances (FoxKids decided too leave the Dutch market) Baker & Brett ended up owning 100% of the Gameplanets format. We then signed with the Dutch TV agent Absolutely Independent to sell the GP format in Europe and across the world.

Q2: Did Gameplanets have a different name at one point?

A2: Original working title was CUE. I might have a copy of the original 3d animated mockup someplace… the one that secured the initial finance and sold people on its potential.

Q3: Did you do all of the effects work on the show? How long did they take for you to do and what software did you use? They are pretty state of the art for the time. It must have been stressful given the programming limitations back then along with time.

A3: I developed the premise of flying kids in real-time and created about 70% of all the visuals used in the show, employing around three additional animators for the rest of the visuals. Each planet fly-in animation took anywhere from a few long days to a week and a half to create and render.

The principal software used to create the 3D background fly-in animations was NewTek’s LightWave 3D. The front-end graphics, gaming logic, flight paths of the flying pods, and compositing of contestants in real-time software were developed, according to our instructions, by Marketgraph, a third party. The initial system developed utilized four SGI computers coupled with the montage studio to create the show, which happened in real-time, with no editing. This was very efficient and somewhat innovative for that time. Over time, we transitioned to a PC-based system.

Q4: Did the robot host have a name?

A4: We referred to him as the Gamemaster, he was just a prerecorded rollin visual to support the unseen hosts voice. Oh and by the way the robot rollin was me in a robot costume keyed over the 3D control room background!

Q5: Did you have a favorite planet design you liked working on?

A5: Math, Green planet (Alien Planet) and probably the leader and hosts control room. But I gotta say I loved … The washing machine, fast food fight, puppy love and numerous other planets created by our freelance animators were just brilliant… Everyone involved put in a huge and inspired effort, we only had 6 weeks from green light to production of the first episodes. We employed all up around 15 freelances; researchers, producers, floor managers, runners, animators etc and so on…

Q6: Were the mini games like football and tennis different at one point?

A6: Football – tennis - fast food fight and laser end game were there from the start… In the German version Spielegalaxie we turned a bunch of Ravensburger puzzles and games into real-time mini games as well… See Spielegalaxie

Q7: What was it like behind the scenes? How much preparation was put into the virtual reality equipment, the music along with other production areas? Did you have a lot of creative input?

A7: The Gameplanets system, being a turnkey system was relatively easy to pre-produce, set up and run in the various territories. One of us would visit and train everyone… A half day to a day studio set up computers and test of the system, crew training then production… we were able to produce between 5 and 8 episodes per day. Once we had trained the local crew things tended to go smoothly. So production days were a lot of fun. Especially as the contestants adapted and had fun with the real-time flying Q&A and mini games illusion…

The theme music was commissioned and the incidental music created by Baker & Brett. Audio sfx created by Marketgraph’s software dudes…

Q8: Was the laser dodge game different at one point along with the Prize Planet?

A8: No, but I did change the prize planets design and laser to shoot hearts instead of laser bullets in the 2015 GP remake version.

Q9: How did teens get to be part of the show? Did Baker and Brett send out press material, get you to advertise the show through call competitions or send a letter to you saying why you would love to be on the show?

A9: Here in Netherlands we held auditions and worked with schools…. As too did the other territories.

Q10: I noticed on your Youtube page that you own the original pilot and that things were quite different such as the show was originally English speaking not Dutch, we saw the audience in the intro saying Gameplanets and some planets were different along with effects. How come these were changed? Did the studio not like them or?

A10: The original show was produced in Dutch for older teens (18-ish) and was more edgy… The English version was done specifically as a promotion, using actors and a little post edit… Through circumstances at the time, GP moved from FoxTV to Fox Kids, we modified the show to suite a younger audience and removed any need for post editing, and the rest is history.

Q11: Do you get any fanmail?

A11: No not really, likes on youtube yes, but I imagine the various broadcasters and country producers did… for example Cruinneas ran for 7 or so years on Ireland’s TG4. The beauty of the format was that it was producible in any language or country. We would re render the leader and rename the show to the local language and of course the frontend Q & A’s…
Funnily enough Gameplanets has never been sold to an English speaking territory!! Although not for the want of trying.

Spielegalaxie the German version was the highest rating kids show for its time slot for several years, spawning a website and a massive following. Coincidentally, Spielegalaxie still receives a couple of hundred hits a week on my YouTube channel…

History:
600 episodes produced across Europe between 1998 and 2007.
FoxKids Gameplanets - 67 eps FoxTV & FoxKids, Netherlands. 1998/99.
Cruinneas GamePlanets - 390 eps TG4 Telegael Ireland 2001/2007.
Spielegalaxie - 39 eps. SuperRTL4. Germany 2001/2003.
Jocul Planetelor - 40 eps Romania 1, CVI, Bucharest. 2003/2004.
Jogo dos Planetas - 64 eps SIC TV Portugal VideoMedia. 2005.

Q12: Has there been plans to revive the show? I know you have some videos on your Vimeo page saying that you were giving it an overhaul and making it more modernised.

A11: In 2008 B&BGC piloted GamePlanets Generations aimed at a family audience, with 2 contestants per flying pod, Grandparent and grandchild or Mum and son and so on... Bridging the generation gap...

In 2010 Cabot Holding BV took over the rights to Gameplanets from The Baker & Brett Gamecompany BV which folded…

Between 2013 and 2015 I put in the time and created a new version, 30 plus new planets, flying pods, music & SFXs, look and feel and turnkey software system, but unfortunately it never got traction… nothing ventured nothing gained as they say… I’m quite proud of the new look version… but times have changed, technology, interaction, broadcasters, budgets and expectations of the audience.

The Gameplanets format had a great run when it did. I’d like to think that it influenced a generation in a positive, creative and educational way in the different territories it was broadcast in…. Mixing fun, fantasy and education to create a real-time and affordable kids tv gameshow production. Thanks to all involved with the Gameplanets journey!

Some video links to Gameplanet videos mentioned above:

Gameplanets Netherlands
Gameplanets English pilot
Spielegalaxie
Gameplanets Generations
Gameplanets 2016 remake
Gameplanets 2016 all the planets, loops and worm holes