A newly launched YouTube Original is putting a sweet-natured, colorful and super cute twist on the monster collecting genre. Launched today on the Little Zoo channel, Millie and Lou is a beautifully animated series (15 episodes) about a fearless young girl and her cautious cat BFF and their encounters with the “Forest Folk” — strange but sweet creatures all inspired by myths from around the world.
We recently heard from Mandy Wong, art director and co-creator of the show with Rory Cooke, about the creation of this charming new preschool offering, which celebrates the magic of making new friends and finding common ground, no matter who you are or where you come from.
Animation Magazine: Can you tell us a little bit about how you came up with the concept and designs of the show?
Mandy Wong: The show is about the magic of making friends. The two main characters are based on our different attitudes towards friendship. Rory comes from a big family, being one of seven children. He can be reserved when meeting new people, which is reflected in the hesitant but ultimately kind and friendly character of Lou. Whereas I came from a smaller family with two siblings in Hong Kong. I moved to the U.K. where I was new to everything and needed support but very excited to meet new friends, just like Millie.
Of course, this isn’t to say that Lou doesn’t get to learn that it is actually pretty amazing to meet new people and hear their stories, but he just needs a bit of encouragement! I think in the Millie and Lou story, Millie gets to help these monsters like how my friends have helped me. So, in a way, making this show is my way of thanking those who were part of my journey.
When did you start working on it and how long did it take to finish it?
For Season 1, production started in November 2020 and it went on for 15 months. But a lot of the characters are actually from the pitch bible that Rory and I put together ourselves years ago.
Where is the animation produced and what animation tools are used?
Animation was produced at Blue Zoo Animation Studio. We animated it using Toon Boom Harmony, compositing is a mix of Toon Boom and Adobe After Effects. Art and designs are painted using Adobe Photoshop and sometimes we use Procreate for any initial concept work.
How many people work on the show?
We had a team of over 70 for the Blue Zoo animation production team, with 17 voice actors, five people for sound and music, and seven writers.
What do you think are the show’s stand-out qualities?
I think the show’s stand-out quality is the combination of our heritage and different personalities! Rory and I spent our early childhood in the U.K. and Hong Kong. We wanted to put all that we loved as children into the show. We feel that it means it would appeal to an international audience because of how it looks a little bit Western and Eastern at the same time. We also think there aren’t many shows starring East Asian people. We hope the show will resonate with a lot of people like myself who migrated to the U.K. as a child.
We also think the show is very special where our heroes aren’t saving anyone or solving any problems. They are mostly just spending their days meeting new cool friends!
Can you tell us about the visual style and overall look of the show?
We are super proud of how our show looks.
We particularly avoided using 3D, even though Rory and I have spent 14 years working as 3D artists! We wanted to keep the characters looking as close to my drawings as possible as it’s something I’ve spent my whole life mastering. So it’s very exciting to finally release them to the world.
Like every other show, we want it to stand out. While we want it to look new we also want it to feel familiar. We tried to focus on what we like visually rather than trying to be on trend because we want to evoke nostalgia for the parents watching it with their children. The style pays tribute to the wonderful works by Disney and Hayao Miyazaki, which we both grew up watching.
The show is a very character-centric show as well, so we are very particular about the position of their simple features on their faces because it is important that they look as close to the designs as possible. We are crazy about their maximum level of cuteness!
What do you hope kids will get out of your wonderful show?
The show is about making friends and inclusivity! We want children to celebrate the magic of making friends with people who initially seem or sound different to you. In the show, Lou has a book which tells Millie and Lou about the forest folkies and can lead Lou to make quick judgments. When the duo open up to the folkies, they learn how each new friend is special and unique. At its heart, the show encourages young people not to judge others at face value. We want children to reach out to the quiet ones in their class (or the loudest ones in class) and spend time understanding them. A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met. I believe we all have a lot to learn from one another.
What’s the best advice you can give someone who would like to create their own animated show?
There are a lot of talks about what the industry is missing. But sometimes I feel like the industry is missing your own unique voice. We are all individuals with our own stories, I feel like actually reaching deep into your own life experiences and things you love will be the key of your very own show! Chances are your thoughts and experiences will result in a story that someone else can resonate with. So if you love it it means a lot of people will also love it!
Also let people in and seek people to collaborate with you! It will only make your show richer. Your job is to make sure the heart of your show stays intact. You just have to make sure you put your own stamp on what others want from your project.
Millie and Lou is available to watch exclusively on the Little Zoo YouTube channel and the YouTube Kids app.
