Weston Woods Studios
Weston Woods Studios (or simply Weston Woods) is a production company that makes audio and short films based on well-known books for children. It was founded in 1953 by Morton Schindel in Weston, Connecticut, and named after the wooded area near his home. The company's first project was "Andy and the Lion" in 1954, and its first animated film was "The Snowy Day" in 1964. In 1968, Weston Woods began a long collaboration with animator Gene Deitch and opened international offices in Henley-on-Thames, England, UK, in 1972; Canada in 1975; and Australia in  1977. In addition to making the films, the company also conducted interviews with the writers, illustrators, and makers of the films. The films appeared on children's television programs such as "Captain Kangaroo", "Pinwheel", "The Great Space Coaster", "Lunchbox", "Eureeka's Castle", and "Mister Moose's Fun Time". In the mid-1980s, the films were released on VHS under the "Children's Circle" titles, and Wood Knapp Video distributed these releases from 1988 to 1995. Beginning in 1968, the company also made filmstrips and audio recordings synchronized to them, which became known as the Picture Book Parade. Many of these recordings  were narrated by actor Owen Jordan and were often different or expanded recordings from the films. In 1996, the company was acquired by Scholastic Corporation. DVD releases. In 2002, a DVD collection of Weston Woods films entitled "Scholastic Video Collection" was released. Many compilations of Weston Woods films have been released under the title "Scholastic Storybook Treasures". HBO Max. In 2021, the company's Mo Willems book adaptations were released on WarnerMedia's SVOD service HBO Max. "Mo Willems' Storytime Shorts!" include all 14 of the company's Mo Willems book cartoons as of 2021.