Video Dream Theater (lost Nickelodeon animated pilots; 1979)
From The Lost Media Wiki
Status: Lost
Video Dream Theater is a series of pilots developed for the then-newly launched children's TV channel Nickelodeon in 1979.
Origin
On April 1st, 1979, Nickelodeon launched with 5 show premiering Video Comics, By The Way, America Goes Bananas, Pinwheel and Nickel Flicks. To get more shows made, the network hired its future president Geraldine Laybourne to make two pilots for Video Dream Theater, the network's first effort of original animation content.[1] The pilots were produced over a half-year period with the first showing various masks drawn by Julie Taymor and the second using animation to visualize children's dreams in different styles, such as Xerox.[2]
Results
Nickelodeon ended up not airing the pilots, according to Laybourne herself saying:
"The trouble with kids' dreams is they're really scary. It's a lot about abandonment, it's a lot about suffocation. They don't make very good stories."[3]
According to sources, the pilots were test screen to children to negative reviews.
A decade later, now president of the company, Laybourne authorized the 3 first animated shows for Nickelodeon to go into production where them all premiering in 1991.
Status
As of 2023 no footage or any other information on the pilots had resurfaced. given how long ago these were made, it's uncertain if Nickelodeon still has them in their archives.
See Also
Anthology and Short Series
- Astrology with Squidward (found series of "SpongeBob SquarePants" Nickelodeon animated shorts; early 2000s)
- Attack of the Giant Vulture (found Nickelodeon short film; 1998)
- Balinese Slapping Fish (found Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 1998)
- Bobby the Lizard Boy (found Nickelodeon animated short; 2000)
- Eddie Retractorhead (partially lost Nickelodeon UK animated short series; 2008)
- Gordon Bleugh! (found Nickelodeon animated short series; early 2000s)
- The Hopkins (lost Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 2005)
- ICarly at the 2008 Kids Choice Awards (found Nickelodeon promotional short web series; 2008)
- Leader Dog (partially lost Nickelodeon animated short series; 2004)
- Making Fiends (partially lost promotional shorts for Nickelodeon animated series based on web series; 2008)
- Meet The Moores (partially found Nickelodeon UK animated short series; 2002-2003)
- Nick Studio 10 (partially found Nickelodeon channel block; 2013)
- Nickelodeon Addicting Games Showdown (partially found interstitial TV event of online game website; 2009-2010)
- Nickelodeon Blimp (found Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards animated short; 2005-2007)
- Oh Yeah! Cartoons (found Nickelodeon animated anthology series; 1998-2001)
- Schoolyard Safari (found Nickelodeon animated short series; 2002-2003)
- SpongeBob: Re-Hydrated (partially lost "SpongeBob SquarePants" animated short; 2003)
- Tortellini Western (partially lost Nickelodeon animated short series; 2004)
- A Very Aggressive Vegetable (found Nickelodeon Australia animated short series; 1998)
Bumpers and Promos
- 101% Whizbang! with Henry & June (partially found Nickelodeon channel block; 1999)
- Blood and Guts (partially found Nickelodeon bumpers; 2000s)
- HaHa Nick (lost Chinese block of Nickelodeon shows; 2005-2007)
- Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (partially lost TV promos for Nickelodeon animated film and TV series; 2001–2002)
- Nickelodeon (partially found idents and bumpers from TV channel; 1979-present)
- Nickelodeon's Historical Firsts (found animated promos from TV channel; 1997)
- SpongeBob's Nicktoon Summer Splash (partially lost bumpers from Nickelodeon channel block; 2000-2001)
Films
- Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (non-existent Nickelodeon TV film; 1998)
- Cry Baby Lane (found Nickelodeon TV horror film; 2000)
- A Day With SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie (unproduced unauthorized direct-to-DVD mockumentary film; 2011)
- The Electric Piper (found Nickelodeon animated TV film; 2003)
- Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie (partially found production material of cancelled original adaptation of Nickelodeon animated series film; 2002)
- Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus (lost/unreleased deleted Tak scenes of film based on Nickelodeon animated series; 2018-2019)
- Prometheus and Bob (lost production material of cancelled film adaptation of "KaBlam!" Nickelodeon stop-motion animated series; late 1990s)
- Rugrats Go Wild (partially found original 90 minute cut of Nickelodeon animated crossover film; 2003)
Game Shows
- BrainSurge (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 2009-2014)
- Double Dare (partially found Australian adaptation of Nickelodeon game show; 1989-1992)
- Double Dare (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 1986-1993)
- Family Double Dare (partially found spin-off of Australian adaptation of Nickelodeon game show; 1989)
- Figure It Out (partially found episode of Nickelodeon game show; 1998)
- Friday Night Slimetime (partially found Nickelodeon game show; 2005-2006)
- Gamefarm (partially lost Nickelodeon GAS game show; 2003)
- Legends of the Hidden Temple (lost Pit of Despair incident footage from unaired final round/episode of Nickelodeon game show; 1994)
- Legends of the Hidden Temple (partially found original consolation plugs from Nickelodeon game show; 1993-1995)
- Nick Arcade (found Nickelodeon game show; 1992)
- Nick Arcade (partially found original consolation prize plugs from Nickelodeon game show; 1992)
- Nickelodeon Splat! (partially found Nickelodeon game show; 2004)
- Slime Time Live (partially found Nickelodeon game show; 2000-2004)
- SuperNick (partially found Nickelodeon Netherlands game show; 2007-2011)
- SuperNick op De Stoep Bij... (partially found Nickelodeon Netherlands sports show; 2007-2008)
- Webheads (partially lost Nickelodeon game show; 2014–2015)
Inaugural Series
- America Goes Bananaz (partially found Nickelodeon variety series; 1977-1980)
- By The Way (partially found inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979-1980)
- Nickel Flicks (lost inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979)
- Pinwheel (partially found Nickelodeon educational puppet series; 1977-1990)
- Pocket Money (non-existent inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979)
- Video Comics (partially found inaugural Nickelodeon series; 1979-1981)
Live Action
- The Adventures of Pete & Pete (partially found original versions of episodes of Nickelodeon live-action comedy series; 1991-1993)
- All That (partially lost Nickelodeon sketch comedy series; 1994-2005)
- Bing! The Sound of Something New (partially found Nickelodeon magazine TV series; 1995)
- Cousin Skeeter (partially lost Nickelodeon live-action/puppet series; 1998-2001)
- Drake & Josh (partially found widescreen version of episodes of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2004-2007)
- Innie & Outie (found live-action Nickelodeon short film; 1996)
- Just For Kicks (found Nickelodeon live-action comedy-drama series; 2006)
- Kids' Court (partially found Nickelodeon non-traditional court series and other media; 1988-1994)
- Mcjuniorclub TV (partially found Nickelodeon Netherlands/McDonald's live-action short series; 2008)
- The Nick Cannon Show (partially lost spin-off of "All That" Nickelodeon sketch comedy series; 2002-2003)
- Nick News with Linda Ellerbee (partially found Nickelodeon educational news series; 1992-2015)
- Noah Knows Best (partially found English audio of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2000-2001)
- Reggie Jackson's World of Sports (partially found Nickelodeon sports series; 1981-1982)
- U to U (partially found Nickelodeon interactive series; 1994-1996)
- Vic's Vacant Lot (partially found ESPN/Nickelodeon sports series; 1982-1985)
Pilots
- Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; early 1990s)
- The Adventures of Johnny Quasar (found prototype "Jimmy Neutron" animated shorts; 1995-1997)
- The Angry Beavers "Cuffed Together" (non-existent second pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; early-mid 1990s)
- Back at the Barnyard (partially found original test pitch of Nickelodeon CGI animated series; 2000)
- Bad Seeds (found pitch pilot of "Harvey Beaks" Nickelodeon animated series; 2013)
- Big Beast Quintet (lost Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
- Camp Nick (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; mid-1990s)
- Catscratch (found animated pitch of Nickelodeon animated series; 2004)
- The Crowville Chronicles (partially found Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
- Curbside (found Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1999)
- Drake & Josh (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2002)
- Figure it Out (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon game show; 1990s)
- Fresh Beat Band of Spies (found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon animated spin-off of "The Fresh Beat Band" musical series; 2013)
- Generation Gap (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; early 1990s)
- Gibby! (found pitch pilot of cancelled spin-off of "iCarly" Nickelodeon teen sitcom; 2012)
- Go For It (lost Nickelodeon game show pilot; early 1990s)
- Hey Arnold! (found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 1994)
- Humongous (lost pilot of Nickelodeon game show; early 1990s)
- I Don't Think So (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1994)
- Invader Zim (lost 3D animation test sequence from Nickelodeon animated series pilot; 1999)
- KaBlam! "The Henry and June Show" (found spin-off pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 2000)
- Kappa Mikey (found pitch pilots of Nickelodeon animated series; 2004)
- Morph Sports (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1995-1996)
- Mr. Meaty "In Parker's Sight" (partially lost pitch pilot of Nickelodeon puppet series; 2005)
- Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (partially found original version of Nickelodeon sitcom pilots; 2003)
- Ned's Declassified High School Survival Guide (lost pitch pilot of rejected spin-off of Nickelodeon sitcom; 2008)
- The Penguins of Madagascar (partially found pitch pilot versions for Nickelodeon CGI animated series; mid-2000s)
- Pudding Toast (lost Nickelodeon animated pitch pilots; 2012)
- Rocket Beach (found pitch pilot of "Rocket Power" Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
- Roundhouse (partially found pitch pilot of Nickelodeon comedy series; 1991)
- Slime Survivor (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 2000)
- The Thundermans (partially lost pitch pilot of Nickelodeon live-action comedy series; 2012)
- Tooned In! (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1998)
- Trash (lost Nickelodeon stop-motion animated pilot; 1990)
- The Weasel Patrol (lost Nickelodeon animated pilot; 1990)
- Who Knew? (partially found Nickelodeon game show pilot; 1998)
- The Wild Thornberrys (found pilot of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
Other
- Action League Now!: The Series "Monster Mashed" (found episode of "Kablam!" spin-off animated series; 2002)
- Action League Now!: The Series "Thunder Girl: Tracking The Storm" (found episode of "Kablam!" spin-off series; 2001-2002)
- Adventures in Wonder Park (partially found unaired Nickelodeon animated series based on film; 2019)
- Against the Odds (partially found Nickelodeon documentary series; 1982-1988)
- The Angry Beavers "A Tail of Two Rangers/Bye Bye Beavers" (partially found finale episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 2001)
- Back at the Barnyard (partially found widescreen versions of Nickelodeon CGI animated series episodes; 2007-2011)
- The Butcher (lost Nickelodeon puppet short film; existence unconfirmed; 2001)
- Danny Phantom (partially found original opening title sequence of Nickelodeon animated series; 2003)
- Got Chocolate Milk? (found "SpongeBob SquarePants" animated tie-in commercial; 2001)
- Gruff's Groove Box (lost Nickelodeon music series; 2001)
- Hocus Focus (partially found Nickelodeon variety series; 1979-1981)
- The Humpback Hop (found full version of "SpongeBob SquarePants" production music; 2002)
- ICarly "How To" (found bonus content DVD from Nickelodeon sitcom "Web Show Set"; 2011)
- Invader Zim (partially found production material of cancelled episodes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2001-2002)
- KaBlam! "Episode 29" (non-existent episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
- KaBlam! "Just Chillin" (found final episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 2000)
- KaBlam! "KaFun!" (found episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1999)
- KaBlam! "An Off-Beats Valentine's" (found spin-off special of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
- The Lil' Sam & Cat Show (partially lost web series based on Nickelodeon sitcom; 2013-2014)
- The Loud House (partially lost deleted scenes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2016-present)
- Nickelodeon Japan (partially found various final sign-off footage of Japanese TV channel; 2009)
- Nickelodeon Launch Box (partially lost educational series; 1991-1994)
- Nickelodeon Magazine's Big 10 Birthday Bash (found Nickelodeon TV special; 2003)
- Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest 2010 (found Nickelodeon musical event broadcast; 2010)
- Nickelodeon Studios Opening Day Celebration (found live broadcast of Nickelodeon event; 1990)
- The Ren & Stimpy Show (non-existent unused Kurt Cobain song for Nickelodeon animated series; 1990)
- The Ren & Stimpy Show "Man's Best Friend" (found banned episode of Nickelodeon animated series; 1992)
- Robot and Monster (partially found unaired/unfinished episodes of Nickelodeon animated series; 2012-2013)
- Rugrats: A Live Adventure (partially found footage of musical adaptation of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998-2000)
- Rugrats "Incredible" (partially lost storyboard jam comic of Nickelodeon animated series; 1998)
- SpongeBob SquarePants (partially lost deleted scenes of Nickelodeon animated series; 1999-present)
- SpongeBob SquarePants "Sailor Mouth" (lost uncensored version of Nickelodeon animated series episode; 2001)
- SpongeBob SquarePants "Shanghaied/You Wish" (partially lost English audio from alternate "Patchy the Pirate" segments of Nickelodeon animated series episode; 2001)
- SpongeBob SquarePants "SpaceBob InvaderPants/Krabs' Army" (lost production material of cancelled Nickelodeon animated series episodes; 2015)
- War Blowers (found full version of "SpongeBob SquarePants" production music; 1999)
- Weinerville (partially lost Nickelodeon variety puppet series; 1993-1997)
References
- ↑ Interview with Cable Center. Retrieved 31 Oct '22
- ↑ The kids' channel that 'Double Dares' to be different - Washington Post (archived) Retrieved 31 Oct '22
- ↑ Interview with the Television Academy Foundation and New York Women in Film & Television, mentioning the reason why Nickelodeon didn't air the pilots. Retrieved 31 Oct '22