Getting Ready for the Boston Shoot

Photo © 2005 by B*tween Productions, Inc.

Im working on questions for the Boston trip. Donna is focusing on the academic interviews and Im focusing on B*Tween Productions CEO Addie Swartz (pictured above) and Marketing Director Bobbie Carlton. I am very excited to talk with them both about their vision, their company and the process they went through (and continue to go through) in keeping their mission and products in line with one another. I realised today while combing through their website that I need to become more familiar with their brand. So today Im going to order some things from the site and use these and the website to formulate my first draft of interview questions this week.

For now...here's an excerpt I pulled from the PARENTS section of their site. Its from Addie's letter to parents.

"As parents, you and I know that tweens are facing a period of tremendous change. My girls had outgrown their dolls and toys but were nowhere near ready for the bombardment of mature messages that greeted them at every turn (we call it between toys and boysTM.) I was frustrated by the lack of appropriate books, products, and online material available. I wanted a world designed specifically for them that was both fun and inspirational.

Girls between 9 and 13 deserve their own world, a place that speaks to them about issues they care about, in their own language. They shouldn’t have to "make do" with teen products that have been scaled-down or tweaked. Teen books deal with topics unsuited to a younger audience; the emotions run high and the language is often inappropriate.

The Beacon Street Girls use media in positive ways - to help girls reflect on, understand, and deal with some of the difficult issues of growing up.

Creating responsible media that girls feel connected to doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and it doesn’t happen overnight. We spent our first few years just talking to girls from a variety of backgrounds, exploring their challenges, interests, and aspirations. Then we consulted with developmental experts. Finally, we assembled a creative team to bring the Beacon Street Girls to life. Through the book series and online media, girls follow the adventures of twelve-year old Charlotte, Maeve, Katani, Avery and Isabel as they come-of-age. Wholesome and engaging, our readers tell us the girls are "just like me."

The Beacon Street Girls series invites tweens into a rich, contemporary world where values and community service matter, and friendships are important. It isn't enough for us to dispense platitudes. Our characters are based on real girls with diverse backgrounds, working out realistic solutions to real-to-life challenges. They are joyful and well rounded, but they’re not perfect. Our readers follow their adventures as they navigate their way though middle school: making decisions, making mistakes, building confidence and self-esteem at their own pace, and having fun in the process.

At B*tween Productions, we have every confidence in girls. Given the right environment, images and tools, they will make smart choices and create successful, confident futures. Our goal is to make that journey a bit easier and more fun."