Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci create earworms about eggs and salt. If you’ve been watching Netflix’s new children’s series, “Waffles + Mochi,” then songs like “Crack Me Up” and “Umami” are already embedded in your head. But for the songwriting team, known to most people as the duo Garfunkel and Oates, found the series offered them a whole new opportunity: To cement themselves as individual songwriters — just Riki and Kate — and write and create the exact kind of music they want.
It all started with a song about a tomato. That was the pitch presented to them by series co-creator Jeremy Konner, who’d worked with the two on the Comedy Central comedy “Another Period.” “He, at first, asked us to write a song when he was pitching the show; it was a concept,” Lindhome told IndieWire. “He called us and said, ‘Hey, can you do me a favor?...
It all started with a song about a tomato. That was the pitch presented to them by series co-creator Jeremy Konner, who’d worked with the two on the Comedy Central comedy “Another Period.” “He, at first, asked us to write a song when he was pitching the show; it was a concept,” Lindhome told IndieWire. “He called us and said, ‘Hey, can you do me a favor?...
- 4/19/2021
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
As all parents know, there are three tiers of children’s TV. At the bottom, there is the “Please, just please, give me 20 minutes to finish this” tier — shows you throw on in the hope they’ll anesthetize your child into silence for the amount of time it takes to just make this goddamned call to the pharmacy, please.
The middle tier is the “Huh, this is pretty cute” level — shows with a little sass and verve that you don’t regret displaying to your child’s still-developing sense of self: the “Octonauts” and the “Storybots” and “The Muppets.”
The top tier, inarguably, is “Sesame Street.” Sweet, kind, watchable even for adults, full of smarts and in-jokes and characters that make mistakes but learn from them in a way that isn’t cloying.
And now “Sesame Street” has a companion in that top tier. Netflix, Higher Ground Productions, and creators...
The middle tier is the “Huh, this is pretty cute” level — shows with a little sass and verve that you don’t regret displaying to your child’s still-developing sense of self: the “Octonauts” and the “Storybots” and “The Muppets.”
The top tier, inarguably, is “Sesame Street.” Sweet, kind, watchable even for adults, full of smarts and in-jokes and characters that make mistakes but learn from them in a way that isn’t cloying.
And now “Sesame Street” has a companion in that top tier. Netflix, Higher Ground Productions, and creators...
- 3/16/2021
- by Ann Donahue
- Indiewire
Michelle Obama befriends two aspiring puppet chefs in Waffles + Mochi, out March 16th on Netflix.
The former First Lady stars as a supermarket owner who hires Waffles and Mochi, two puppets who dream of being chefs. Obama helps the duo embark on a global adventure, using a flying shopping cart as their guide. They visit restaurants, kitchens, and farms around the world — riding in gondolas in Italy and llamas in Peru.
The series features appearances by Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, as well as Jack Black, Zach Galifianakis, Common, Rashida Jones,...
The former First Lady stars as a supermarket owner who hires Waffles and Mochi, two puppets who dream of being chefs. Obama helps the duo embark on a global adventure, using a flying shopping cart as their guide. They visit restaurants, kitchens, and farms around the world — riding in gondolas in Italy and llamas in Peru.
The series features appearances by Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, as well as Jack Black, Zach Galifianakis, Common, Rashida Jones,...
- 2/11/2021
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
If you thought the Obamas would be taking a break anytime soon, you haven't been paying attention! The former first lady has been booked and busy since her White House exit, and her husband is joining in on the fun. In March 2018, it was announced that the former Us president and Michelle were in talks to produce a collection of series exclusively for Netflix, and in May of that same year, the two finalized a multiyear agreement to produce a diverse mix of content under their Higher Ground Productions banner. Now, almost a year later, we're finally learning about the seven projects, currently in various stages of development.
"We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling. That's why we couldn't be more excited about these projects," Barack said in a statement released by the streaming giant. "Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights, and much more,...
"We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling. That's why we couldn't be more excited about these projects," Barack said in a statement released by the streaming giant. "Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights, and much more,...
- 5/1/2019
- by Mekishana Pierre
- Popsugar.com
On Tuesday former President Barack Obama‘s production company with his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, announced its initial slate of projects as part of an exclusive deal with Netflix.
The list includes fiction and nonfiction programming — TV series, films and documentaries — including a children’s show for preschoolers called Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents, from Jeremy Konner and Erika Thormahlen; a narrative film adaptation of the biography Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom; Bloom, a new series from Nashville creator Callie Khouri “set in the world of fashion in post-wwii New York City that depicts barriers...
The list includes fiction and nonfiction programming — TV series, films and documentaries — including a children’s show for preschoolers called Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents, from Jeremy Konner and Erika Thormahlen; a narrative film adaptation of the biography Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom; Bloom, a new series from Nashville creator Callie Khouri “set in the world of fashion in post-wwii New York City that depicts barriers...
- 4/30/2019
- by Adam Carlson
- PEOPLE.com
Almost exactly a year after entering into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series with Netflix, former president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions has unveiled its initial slate of upcoming projects. Promising a diverse mix of content, including scripted and unscripted series, documentaries and features, the announcement was made by Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis, co-heads of the company.
“We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling,” Obama said of the inspirational projects which touch on a variety of issues including race, class, democracy, civil rights and much more. “That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects.”
Speaking on behalf of Netflix, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said, “President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and the Higher Ground team are building a company focused on storytelling that exemplifies their core values. The breadth of their initial slate across series, film,...
“We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling,” Obama said of the inspirational projects which touch on a variety of issues including race, class, democracy, civil rights and much more. “That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects.”
Speaking on behalf of Netflix, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said, “President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and the Higher Ground team are building a company focused on storytelling that exemplifies their core values. The breadth of their initial slate across series, film,...
- 4/30/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Roster includes postwar fashion world drama, non-fiction series Fifth Risk adapted from Michael Lewis book.
President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions has announced (30) an initial slate with Netflix, including Sundance entry American Factory, and scripted anthology series Overlooked.
The roster encompasses projects in various stages of development and production, covering fiction and documentary features and scripted, unscripted and documentary series, to be released over the next several years.
Participant Media’s Sundance documentary U.S. Documentary directing award winner American Factory from Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, about culture clashes when a Chinese billionaire...
President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions has announced (30) an initial slate with Netflix, including Sundance entry American Factory, and scripted anthology series Overlooked.
The roster encompasses projects in various stages of development and production, covering fiction and documentary features and scripted, unscripted and documentary series, to be released over the next several years.
Participant Media’s Sundance documentary U.S. Documentary directing award winner American Factory from Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, about culture clashes when a Chinese billionaire...
- 4/30/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Higher Ground Productions, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company in partnership with Netflix, has unveiled an initial slate of projects that include adaptations of Michael Lewis’ “The Fifth Risk,” a Frederick Douglass biopic and a period drama set in the fashion world penned by Callie Khouri.
The content comprises a range of scripted and unscripted projects for a range of audiences, as well as full-length features and documentaries. Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis, the co-heads of the organization, revealed the slate on Tuesday.
The announcement includes seven projects that are in various different stages of development, to be released over the next several years.
The former President and first lady launched Higher Ground last spring.
“We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling. That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects,” Barack Obama said. “Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights,...
The content comprises a range of scripted and unscripted projects for a range of audiences, as well as full-length features and documentaries. Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis, the co-heads of the organization, revealed the slate on Tuesday.
The announcement includes seven projects that are in various different stages of development, to be released over the next several years.
The former President and first lady launched Higher Ground last spring.
“We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling. That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects,” Barack Obama said. “Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights,...
- 4/30/2019
- by Rachel Yang
- Variety Film + TV
Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis, co-heads of Higher Ground Productions, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company in partnership with Netflix, have set the company’s initial slate of upcoming projects. The content encompasses a wide range of fiction and nonfiction signature productions for all audiences including scripted, unscripted and documentary series, as well as full-length features and documentaries.
The Obamas launched Higher Ground last spring to create content that embodies the core values of celebrating the human spirit through struggles and triumph; facing adversity through resilience, determination, and hope; lifting up new voices and stories to bring about change; and transcending divides to bring us together. The projects selected are a reflection of these values and a commitment to quality storytelling. Higher Ground expects to make additional project announcements in the coming months.
They’ve been active in courting projects. That includes King Richard, the Will Smith...
The Obamas launched Higher Ground last spring to create content that embodies the core values of celebrating the human spirit through struggles and triumph; facing adversity through resilience, determination, and hope; lifting up new voices and stories to bring about change; and transcending divides to bring us together. The projects selected are a reflection of these values and a commitment to quality storytelling. Higher Ground expects to make additional project announcements in the coming months.
They’ve been active in courting projects. That includes King Richard, the Will Smith...
- 4/30/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Barack and Michelle Obama’s Initial Netflix Slate Includes Nonfiction Series From ‘Big Short’ Author
Netflix unveiled the initial slate from Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, which includes a mix of scripted and unscripted, docuseries, documentaries and features.
The slate includes seven originals in total, the first of which will be “American Factory,” directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. The film takes a deep dive into a post-industrial Ohio, where a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant and hires 2,000 blue-collar Americans.
Other projects include a scripted anthology series based on The New York Times’ popular “Overlooked” column, and “Bloom,” a drama series set in the world of fashion in post-wwii New York City. “Big Short” and “Moneyball” author Michael Lewis is adapting his book, “The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy,” into a nonfiction series.
“We created...
The slate includes seven originals in total, the first of which will be “American Factory,” directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. The film takes a deep dive into a post-industrial Ohio, where a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant and hires 2,000 blue-collar Americans.
Other projects include a scripted anthology series based on The New York Times’ popular “Overlooked” column, and “Bloom,” a drama series set in the world of fashion in post-wwii New York City. “Big Short” and “Moneyball” author Michael Lewis is adapting his book, “The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy,” into a nonfiction series.
“We created...
- 4/30/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
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