Making of The Sun Show

When Sun Safety for Kids (SSK) initially searched for instructional materials on the subject of sun safety, one important item was not found, namely, an educational video for children of elementary school age.  To fill this void, SSK initiated production, naming as Executive Producers, and authors of the Teacher’s Guides:

• Jeff Ashley, M.D.
  Dermatologist; President, Sun Safety for Kids
• Andrew Manthe, MPH, CHES
  Chief, Skin Cancer Prevention Program, California Department of Health Services

Dr. Ashley and Mr. Manthe convened an Advisory panel:

• Ms. Linda Rutsch
  Director, SunWise Program, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Ms. Andrea Canady
  Director, Elementary Education, Burbank Unified School District
• Sjaan Buck, R.N.
  Director, Nursing Services, Burbank Unified School District
• Linda Phillips
  Health Coordinator and 5th grade teacher, Lorne Elementary School, LA Unified School Dist.

The brilliant concept for an imaginary children’s TV morning show was suggested by writer, Henry Bloomstein and director, Chip Miller.  Thus was born The Sun Show.  This gave us the framework we needed to produce videos that would be highly entertaining while still providing thorough coverage of the subject.
 
Due to the age span in elementary school, the advisory panel recommended the creation of separate videos for ages 6-8 and 9-11.  The TV show format afforded us the opportunity to create the different versions as if they were two episodes of a regularly scheduled program.
 
For the younger children, we present the benefits vs. dangers of sunlight.  They learn about the existence of ultraviolet radiation and, through animation, they see how it can damage the skin.  Skin cancer is only briefly mentioned for this age group.  After watching a variety of short segments, many of which are quite amusing, the children will be enabled and motivated to protect themselves from over-exposure to the sun.
 
Basic principles of sun safety will be reviewed for the older children.  They will learn in greater detail about skin cancer and understand how they can prevent it.  The glamour of sun tanning will be debunked for this pre-teen group by seeing the ugly results of a 50-year trip in our time machine.  And, they’ll think twice before going outdoors without sun protection in case the “Man in Shade” is standing by.
 
Scripts for the videos were given a very favorable review prior to production by the American Academy of Dermatology and the Skin Cancer Foundation.  We’re extremely pleased that each finished version was declared a Winner in the 2005 Aegis Awards competition.

CHKRC Review
The Sun Show videos have been reviewed and recommended for inclusion in the California Healthy Kids Resource Center's statewide lending library of the highest-quality, research-based health education materials for K-12 classrooms.

Sun Safety for Kids gratefully acknowledges funding from:

• The US Environmental Protection Agency
• The Sun Safety Alliance, a nonprofit
• 3M Pharmaceuticals
• Schering-Plough Health Care Products (Coppertone)
• The Walt Disney Company,
  through a grant to the Sun Safety Alliance
• The Los Angeles Metropolitan Dermatological Society
  and numerous individual donors

The following companies and organizations provided generous in-kind contributions:
 
Facilities & Equipment

• Cinelease
• L.A. Digital Post
• Marquee Productions
• Media City Sound
• Modern Videofilm

Props

• Evoluzione
• E-Z Up Shade Shelters
• Diggler mountain scooters
• Radicool
• Shadestructures, Inc.

Locations

• Brace Canyon Park, Burbank
• Burbank Fire Department
• Burbank Police Department
• Burbank Unified School District
• George C. Page Museum, La Brea Tar Pits
• Private residence of Ms. Beth Anderson

Meals

• Genio’s restaurant
• Poquito Mas restaurants
• Providence St. Joseph Medical Center

Still Photography

• Deanna Sparks Photography