The Easter Carol (2004)
© Big Idea Productions

Based on an outline submitted from an outside writer, I wrote this script with Phil Vischer and Keith Lango. I also took a step and tried to write some of the songs. Believe it or not, we kept most of my lyrics, but ran my melodies through Kurt Heinecke and Phil for some critical improvement.

This is by far the most religious piece to come out of Big Idea. But what else could we do? After all, we are an entertainment company with a biblical worldview. We couldn’t stay true to our mission and skirt the cornerstone beliefs of our faith. The trick was tackling what we feel are eternal Truths… with vegetables, and somehow striking a balance between the sacred and the silly. I think you’ll like it.

3-2-1 Penguins: Runaway Pride at Lightstation Kilowatt (2002)
© Big Idea Productions

This show actually started out as an exercise for me. I wanted to redefine the format of the series and cement some things into place. (To some extent, I felt we were re-inventing the show with every episode.) I wanted to try splitting up the cast and experiment with some character chemistry. Anyway, I took an outline by Keith Lango and wrote up a script. The Big Idea powers that be liked it and it went into production. The director, Ron Smith, re-wrote the show, but much of what I did (but not all) is still there.

Lyle the Kindly Viking (2001)
© Big Idea Productions

Co-Writer of Omelet section

While I didn’t write the Lyle segment of this show (though I did cut a few lines out, much to Phil’s surprise), I did co-write the introductory sketch, Omelet. Eric Metaxes wrote the first draft, but, as director, it seemed a little complicated in its production values – too many complex locations. So I simplified it and streamlined it a bit, as well as added the “2-B? No, not 2-B” Battleship gag.
Oh, and the line, “The last poor yolks! I’ll chew them well, Horatio!” is mine, too.