Helbling: Whatsit, Space

For the last few years, we’ve had the great pleasure to work with Austria-based publisher of English Language Teaching material, Helbling, on animated series and music videos to accompany their workbooks. These have been released across 2023 and are now in schools across the world. Whatsit is series 1, Space Time Adventures is series 2 (both under the Marbles brand) and a third one has yet to be released. Cloth Cat also provided illustrations for the workbooks using the designs, backgrounds and character rigs from the series. Each series is aimed at a different age level, for both new learners and more advanced. Key words feature in every episode to be discussed in the classroom following a viewing. All the series were scored by the wonderful Brollyman!

Whatsit is for levels 1 and 2 and is about a mischievous sprite who can morph into any shape imaginable. Locked away by a wizard, he’s released by a group of friends and in every episode uses his magical abilities to help them and save the day! 10 episodes were produced, with the same episodes reedited and lipsynced with more complex dialogue for advanced learners.

Space Time Adventures is for levels 3 and 4 and features an ongoing story set on an alien world, about a group of friends who stumble on a shape shifting robot called Mona. On the run from the evil Wiza, Mona and her new friends travel around the world in search for the rest of her family. 10 episodes were produced, with the same episodes reedited and lipsynced with more complex dialogue for advanced learners.

Series TBA is for higher levels and will be released in early 2024.