Todd Kessler
Encyclopedia
Todd Kessler is an award winning American
film
and television
writer
, producer and director. Among his credits are show runner and co-creator of Nickelodeon
's preschool series Blue's Clues
and director and producer of the feature film "Keith
."
's Sesame Street
, Kessler assembled the team that developed Blue's Clues
in 1996, a rival educational series aimed at preschoolers. Kessler produced Blue's Clues in New York City on Macintosh
computers, combining live action and animation in a continuous storyline, and engaging the audience in a virtual conversation. In four years, Blue's Clues established itself as a classic of children's programming and rivaled Sesame Street with an audience of 14 million viewers. It is estimated to have brought in over $3.6 billion in merchandising as of 2006. A chapter in Malcolm Gladwell
's "The Tipping Point
," The Stickiness Factor: Sesame Street, Blue’s Clues, and the Educational Virus, details the evolution of children's television from the 1960s to the 2000s, and quotes Kessler on the evolution of Blue's Clues.
Kessler moved on from Blue's Clues in 2000, The New York Times comparing him to television producer David E. Kelley
for his contributions to children's television. Kessler is credited as executive producer for the seven season, 142 episode run of the series.
His next project was "Keith
," an independent feature film based on the short story by Ron Carlson
. Kessler optioned the short story, co-wrote, produced and directed the 2008 film of the same name. "Keith" tells the story of the meticulously planned out life of a high school senior Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois
) which is disrupted by Keith (Jesse McCartney
), a manipulative student who is assigned as her lab partner
" won first place in the teenage sections of five international film festivals: Italy
's Giffoni Film Festival
, Sprockets (The Toronto International Film Festival
for Children and Youth), Sweden
's BUFF International Film Festival for Youth and Children
, Germany
's SCHLINGEL International Film Festival
and Quebec
's Carrousel international du film de Rimouski
.
Kessler has been also been awarded with a Peabody Award
in 2001 for Blue’s Clues in addition to two Television Critics Association Awards in 1997-98 and 1998-99, five Parents' Choice Award
s, and a New York Film Festival CINE
Golden Eagle. He has also been nominated for six Emmys.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, producer and director. Among his credits are show runner and co-creator of Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
's preschool series Blue's Clues
Blue's Clues
Blue's Clues is an American children's television show airing on the Nickelodeon family of channels. The show premiered on September 8, 1996 and airs on Nick Jr. and other channels, although production of new episodes ceased by 2006. Versions of the show have been produced in other countries,...
and director and producer of the feature film "Keith
Keith (film)
Keith is an independent film directed by Todd Kessler. It was written by Todd Kessler and David Zabel based on the short story "Keith" by author Ron Carlson, from his book The Hotel Eden...
."
Career
Following a stint writing and directing shorts for Sesame WorkshopSesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
's Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, Kessler assembled the team that developed Blue's Clues
Blue's Clues
Blue's Clues is an American children's television show airing on the Nickelodeon family of channels. The show premiered on September 8, 1996 and airs on Nick Jr. and other channels, although production of new episodes ceased by 2006. Versions of the show have been produced in other countries,...
in 1996, a rival educational series aimed at preschoolers. Kessler produced Blue's Clues in New York City on Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
computers, combining live action and animation in a continuous storyline, and engaging the audience in a virtual conversation. In four years, Blue's Clues established itself as a classic of children's programming and rivaled Sesame Street with an audience of 14 million viewers. It is estimated to have brought in over $3.6 billion in merchandising as of 2006. A chapter in Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell, CM is a Canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He is currently based in New York City and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996...
's "The Tipping Point
The Tipping Point
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference is a book by Malcolm Gladwell, first published by Little Brown in 2000....
," The Stickiness Factor: Sesame Street, Blue’s Clues, and the Educational Virus, details the evolution of children's television from the 1960s to the 2000s, and quotes Kessler on the evolution of Blue's Clues.
Kessler moved on from Blue's Clues in 2000, The New York Times comparing him to television producer David E. Kelley
David E. Kelley
David Edward Kelley is an American television writer and producer, known as the creator of Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Boston Legal and Harry's Law, as well as several films. Kelley is one of the only screenwriters to have had a show created by him run on...
for his contributions to children's television. Kessler is credited as executive producer for the seven season, 142 episode run of the series.
His next project was "Keith
Keith
Keith may refer to:People*Keith *Keith * Baron Keith, line of Scottish barons in the late 18th century* Clan Keith, Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern and northwestern Scotland...
," an independent feature film based on the short story by Ron Carlson
Ron Carlson
-Life:Carlson was born in Logan, Utah, and grew up in Salt Lake City. He received a masters degree in English from the University of Utah. He then taught at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, where he began his first novel....
. Kessler optioned the short story, co-wrote, produced and directed the 2008 film of the same name. "Keith" tells the story of the meticulously planned out life of a high school senior Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois
Elisabeth Harnois
Elisabeth Rose Harnois is an American television and film actress.-Early life:Harnois was born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA, and raised in Los Angeles. She attended St...
) which is disrupted by Keith (Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
), a manipulative student who is assigned as her lab partner
Awards and Nominations
"KeithKeith
Keith may refer to:People*Keith *Keith * Baron Keith, line of Scottish barons in the late 18th century* Clan Keith, Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern and northwestern Scotland...
" won first place in the teenage sections of five international film festivals: Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's Giffoni Film Festival
Giffoni Film Festival
The Giffoni International Film Festival is the largest children’s film festival in Europe, and possibly the World. It takes place in the little Italian town of Giffoni Valle Piana in Southern Italy, close to Salerno. Over 2,000 children attend the festival from 39 countries around the world...
, Sprockets (The Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
for Children and Youth), Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
's BUFF International Film Festival for Youth and Children
BUFF (Malmö Film Festival)
The International Children and Young People's Film Festival in Malmö. Swedish: Barn- och ungdomsfilmfestivalen i Malmö – BUFF, is a film festival in Malmö, Sweden, held in March.-External links:* - official web page in English...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's SCHLINGEL International Film Festival
SCHLINGEL International Film Festival
Schlingel is an international film festival for children and young audiences. The festival began in 1996, and has taken place annually in Chemnitz ever since in the week before the Saxon Fall Break. The festival gives an overview of the newest international productions in the area of children and...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
's Carrousel international du film de Rimouski
Carrousel international du film de Rimouski
Carrousel international du film de Rimouski is a children's film festival taking place each year in Rimouski, Quebec. The jury is composed of children from various countries.- External links :*...
.
Kessler has been also been awarded with a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
in 2001 for Blue’s Clues in addition to two Television Critics Association Awards in 1997-98 and 1998-99, five Parents' Choice Award
Parents' Choice Award
The Parents' Choice Award is an award presented by the non-profit Parents' Choice Foundation to recognize "the very best products for children of different ages and backgrounds, and of varied skill and interest levels." It is considered a "prestigious" award among children's products, and has been...
s, and a New York Film Festival CINE
CINE
CINE is a consortium formulated to depict American life and thought realistically for a global audience. CINE recognizes and fosters the highest quality of non-theatrical film and video production through its semi-annual film competitions....
Golden Eagle. He has also been nominated for six Emmys.