Metrobaby crew (l. to r.): Patrick Sasso, Anthony Bellov, David Horvilleur, Laura Sherry Miller, Tiny Taxi, Subway Squirrel, Scott Molampy
About Metrobaby
Your children do not live on a farm, yet many of the DVDs and books they see focus on things that only exist in a rural environment. Your children can moo like a cow and quack like a duck. But do they know how to correctly ride an escalator? Do they know that they should stay behind the yellow line on a train or subway platform?
My name is Laura Sherry Miller, M.D. As a fellow parent, I know that you are your child's first and best teacher. Let our lovable puppets help to reinforce the most important safety lessons. Tiny Taxi, and his friend Subway Squirrel, will help you to teach your child how to hold an adult's hand when crossing the street. They will remind your kids how to cross at the crosswalk. They will review the difference between the "walk" signal and the "stop" signal.
METROBABY MANHATTAN will show your child many exciting sights. Tiny Taxi will escort them down busy streets. He will show them cars, buses, fire trucks and police cruisers. He will show them tall buildings and bridges. He will talk about safety around construction sites, elevators, escalators and subways.
I made METROBABY MANHATTAN because I wanted my two New York City-born children to have a DVD that reflected their world. After seeing it, my children fell in love with their new furry friends, Tiny Taxi and Subway Squirrel. They beg to see it by shouting, "Taxi, taxi!". After seeing it only three times, they started reciting the safety rules along with Tiny Taxi.
My 4 year-old son now tells me that I must cross at the crosswalk, and wait for the light to change. He insists that I hold his hand, because Tiny Taxi told him so.
My two-year-old daughter shouts "Tiny Taxi!" whenever she sees a cab. She loves the classical music, the city lights and the antics of Subway Squirrel (who, like a toddler, can never seem to stay out of trouble!).
I am a doctor and a Mom. I have had the privilege of serving my patients at the best hospitals in the world for over ten years. I gave birth to my children in 2004 and 2006. After my son started walking, I started searching for a DVD that would teach street safety. But I was unable to find one. So I made one myself.
The result is METROBABY MANHATTAN! I know you and your children will enjoy it!
Behind the Scenes
Laura Sherry Miller, M.D.
Laura is a native of Massachusetts. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown University in 1988. She fulfilled her dream of becoming a doctor when she graduated from University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1992. She completed her internal medicine residency at New England Deaconess Hospital (now known as the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) in Boston in 1995.
For two years Laura worked at a primary care practice owned by Brigham and Women's Hospital. Then she moved to New York City, where she was affiliated with NYU Medical Center for nine years. She loved life in the big city, and so did her kids.
When her husband's job was transferred in 2006, the family moved to Austin, Texas. They feel lucky to be living in another great American city. Currently, Laura has the honor of working with our war veterans in the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System.
Laura would like to thank her husband, Morgan, for his support throughout this adventure. She would like to thank her children, Austin and Grace, for their joy and inspiration.
Educational Consultants
Drs. Francis T. and Annette C. Sherry are a husband and wife team who hold doctorates in education from Boston University. They spent their entire professional lives in the field of education, doing teaching, testing and research. They have worked at the elementary school and college levels over their 40-year careers.
After they raised their four children in Massachusetts, they moved to Hawaii 1989 to become professors in the University of Hawai`i System. Among their distinctions, Dr. Francis Sherry was awarded an honorary doctorate for his leadership while chair at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts. Dr. Annette Sherry is a recipient of the Chancellor's Recognition for Meritorious Teaching Award from the University of Hawai`i. They were engaged as educational consultants for Metrobaby Manhattan from its inception to its final version.
Video Production and Direction
Anthony Bellov (video producer, director, editor), a Native New Yorker, is owner & Principal Partner of Anthony Bellov Video Productions (www.AnthonyBellov.com). A video professional since 1996, his first project, a collaboration with Elissa Kennedy called "Eddie & Bonnie", won a Best Student award at the Cannes Festival. In 2003 he opened his own full-time video production company and remains busy working on a broad mix of projects. His work has been featured at the Poetry Project and the Whitney Museum in New York City. He has worked on projects throughout the United States, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, the UK, Ireland, and the Bahamas. Anthony's education includes a Bachelor's in Architecture from Pratt Institute (Brooklyn) and a Master's in Education and Museum Leadership from the Bank Street College of Education (Manhattan), a leader in progressive early childhood education. Metrobaby Manhattan is the first time Anthony directed both a squirrel and a taxi.
Sound Engineering
Loop Seven is a multi-media, full-service production company. The Loop Seven team combines its talents in photography, graphic design and art direction, music composition, arranging, production and sound design, along with strong experience in web design and preparation to enhance the overall online experience. Co-Founders David Horvilleur and Patrick Sasso have produced videos, sound and music productions for Fortune 50 corporations, venerable non-profit organizations, government web sites as well as small businesses, individual artists and entertainers.
For Metrobaby, Loop Seven has created a sonic learning environment by calling on their skills as Producers and Music Supervisors. All the music was chosen to enhance the learning environment and recorded especially for Metrobaby. The DVD introduces the children to a broad range of classical music.
You can find out more at loopseven.com
Puppetmaker and Puppeteer
Geppetto Studios is the brilliant partnership of artists Will Mills and Scott Molampy, who create highly imaginative costumes, puppets, and masks for video, television, film, and live entertainment. Geppetto has worked with such clients in film and television as Warner Brothers, Columbia Pictures, Universal Studio, Dreamworks, SKG, U.S.A. Network, Nickelodeon, and HBO to name a few. Their outrageous costumes and various creations have appeared on MTV, The David Letterman Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Chris Rock Show, The Today Show, Comedy Central, Sci-Fi Channel, Nick at Nite, and Square One TV.
Working first out of two small storefronts in Manhattan's Lower East Side and now out of a large studio in Brooklyn, Geppetto has produced a myriad of creative delights over the years.
Scott designed and built Subway Squirrel and Tiny Taxi. He also brings these loveable characters to life as the master puppeteer on “Metrobaby Manhattan. You can see Subway Squirrel and Tiny Taxi in production from the “Puppets” link on their web site geppettostudios.com.