Sometimes I wish I had OCD. Or the word fear was taken out of the dictionary and out of our lives. If this happened, I might not leave projects unfinished, and I would finish what I start. Well 9 years ago, I started Beobi. At first, it started out as a video for preschoolers, teaching them their ABC's and first words in an indirect way. Real children and babies playing with everyday colorful objects put to simple childlike music. An animated story is featured at the end of the video to keep storytime in their lives. I came across hurdle after hurdle during the process and gained appreciation for what really goes on behind the scenes on any production, with pre-production being the most important! I did finish the video which is what my goal was. Then the 7 year tornado occurred.
People told me, get this on TV, sell this to stores. Disney, PBS and Nickelodean need new characters that are cute and nice. The positive feedback I received from parents who said their kids loved Beobi, the book and the video encouraged me to do more. A Tv show they wanted, a tv show it is. I aim to please. It took me 1 year to create the series Beobi and the Magic Coloring Book. In every story, Beobi, Jazzica, Class and Bluezy meet a child in the library who is coloring in a magic coloring book. The monkeys and the child jump into the coloring book and go on new adventures. The illustrations appear as if they are in a coloring book. I pitched the series to a local PBS station. They had interest in making the pilot. That is when the fear set in. (To me, fear is the worst word in the english language.) Instead of raising the money to create the pilot I envisioned, I thought it would be easier to put the animation into my already existing products and unknowingly entered the world of manufacturing. I worked with companies oversees, designed packaging and display cases for my products. (Do you remember at the beginning of my story when I said, all I wanted to do was create a video?) My simple idea of making a video with a story to partner it and great music, turned into me trying to create a global product, by myself.
After the "product" was ready to be sold to stores and I did everything everybody told me to do, I submitted it to the buyers. They presented a new hurdle for me to jump. Their response was, "Ms. Cohn, Beobi is a wonderful concept and you should be proud of your product line. However, in our stores we need products that sell themselves. May we suggest starting a marketing campaign or getting a television show."
I was right back where I was before I made my decision based on fear and chose the "easier" path. I have learned so many lessons from my experience with Beobi. Mostly, stay true to who you are, what you believe in and have a passion for. Do not do what others tell you to do unless they actually have experience doing it. Also, share and connect with people and don't try and do everything on your own.
I have a passion for engaging children with wholesome creative activities to help them learn. So this year in 2009, I am going to focus on what I originally started and share Beobi with kids just for the sake of sharing Beobi with kids.
Reply to this post with your words of encouragement, your experience with Beobi, or a personal fear you have had to overcome, and I will send you a Beobi Storytime Value Set, which includes a coloring book, DVD/CROM, 2 picture books, and a plush toy. It really is a great gift for children 1-4 years old and it is FREE - from me. In conclusion, I have to thank so many people for helping me in the beginning. First and foremost, my two partners (Helene and Katy) who filmed the video with me and did every role in production from puppeteer to craft services. To the parents who brought their kids over to film and dealt with my poor directing abilities. Also, to the parents who arranged for me to come to their house and let me read the story to the neighborhood kids as well as told others about it. Lastly to my husband. Thank you. I love you. I know how hard this has been and you are always so supportive and encouraging. I vow, I will finish what I started.
The honeymoon doesn't have to be over. We just have to TRY harder and get creative to bring the romance back to the surface. So the last resolution in January 2009, is to plan a date with your spouse. Pretend like they are your boyfriend or girlfriend again and not the person who is supposed to deal with you. 
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