''Melody'' is a British preschool mixed-media music childseries created by Luke Howard, and produced by Wish Films and LAAH Entertainment for the BBC. Designed with disabled children in mind, it features a little girl with a visual impairment as the main character. Melody is also available on

BBC iPlayer BBC iPlayer (stylised as iPLAYER or BBC iPLAYER) is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services del ...

for over a year. Melody was developed with help from the RNIB Pears Centre in Coventry, which supports children with sight problems and additional needs. While helping to create the programme, the Pears Centre conducted research into animation and soundtracks that are easier for blind and partially sighted people to follow.

Premise

Melody introduces pre-school children to classical music through the main character's imagined stories, and specially created animations that are more enjoyable for visually impaired viewers. In each episode Melody undertakes an everyday activity with her mother. The fun she has, or the frustrations or difficulties she experiences, prompts her to want to listen to a piece of

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

. Her mother suggests a piece and gives Melody some

headphones Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound. Headphones let a single user listen to an au ...

and an

MP3 player A portable media player (PMP) (also including the related digital audio player (DAP)) is a portable consumer electronics device capable of storing and playing digital media such as audio, images, and video files. The data is typically stored o ...

to listen to it. Through animation, we are taken on an adventure through Melody's imagination as she listens to the music.

Cast and characters

Production

The animations were produced by six different animation studios: *Kingbee animation *Keyframe Studios *Finger Industries *Tentacle Media *Sea Monster *Factory Transmedia Character design was by the art director Keith Robinson who also oversaw the overall look of the animations. He also designed the logo and branding for the series. Lizzie Dyson designed the background. One of the show's producers, Will Brenton, explains that Melody's sight difficulties are never mentioned directly. "We often see her using her white cane, or placing her hand on top of her mum's whilst they cut something," he says. "It is never about what Melody can't do or needs help with, but always about what she can do and the methods she uses to do as much as most children."

Broadcast

The first series of 20 programmes was broadcast on CBeebies, in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, in December 2013 and January 2014, with a two-week break after the tenth programme. These episodes are also audio-described; an additional vocal narrative track fills gaps in the dialogue with helpful information for those who can't see what's happening on screen. A second series of 20 programmes started being broadcast in March 2015.

Episodes

Series 1

Series 2

Reception

Reaction from the partially sighted community has been "very exciting" according to Brenton. "They can really connect with an aspirational, capable character overcoming the same or similar obstacles." On the CBeebies Grownups blog, one parent writes: "I find it difficult to find TV programmes for my visually impaired son that are easily accessible. I love the idea of having a young girl starring that is visually impaired, these sort of programmes are great in helping children that have additional needs feel less isolated."

References

External links

* * * *
LAAH Entertainment

YoungCalibre Chat with CBeebies Melody

UCAN (Unique Creative Arts Network)

MACS (The Micro and Anophthalmic Children’s Society)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melody BBC children's television shows British children's adventure television series British children's musical television series British preschool education television series 2010s preschool education television series 2013 British television series debuts English-language television shows 2010s British children's television series CBeebies Television series about children