Where Faith and Fantasy Collide

THE WINGFEATHER BACKSTORY

The popular Wingfeather Saga books, written by Christian singer/songwriter and author, Andrew Peterson, chronicle the adventures of the Igiby family, made up of grandfather Podo, mother Nia, and three children, Janner, Kalmar "Tink," and Leeli. They discover secrets of their family history, then run into the evil Fangs of Dang who are occupying the country of Skree where the Igibys were raised. They combat Gnag the Nameless, the master of the Fangs. The story takes place in the fantasy world of Aerwiar, which has not developed electricity or firearms, and which has a number of strange creatures.  To date, The Wingfeather Saga (WFS) books, first published in 2008 and re-published in 2020, boast 1.5 million copies sold in the U.S., and have been translated in 14 different languages.

As to the video series, Season One was released in winter 2022- 2023, though plans for the family-friendly production began seven years prior.  In 2016, more than three thousand investors provided $265 thousand to bring to life a 15-minute short film based on the book series.  By 2021, many more investors made the way for a video series of six, 25-minute episodes.  The series targets 8-12-year-olds and their families, and is the second most-watched show to The Chosen on Angel Studios App.  As to the style of animation, Chris says that WFS is not “CG photo-real,” but “paint motion,” and then explains what each means.  Most of feature CGI (computer-generated imagery) animation aims for a photo-real image, where the visuals are so crisp that nothing needs to be filled in by the audience’s imagination, he says.  Chris and his production team aimed for a hand-crafted, “storybook” quality, which invites the viewer to fill in what’s not there, similar to 2D animation, like the 1942 movie, “Bambi,” where the abstract paintings inspire the imagination.  This approach is distinct in avoiding just making a “cheaper version” of feature studio work, Chris explains.  The voiceover talent behind the WFS characters is topnotch also, including Jodi Benson (of Little Mermaid fame), Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean), Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), and Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings). 

THE WINGFEATHER “WHY”

“If you want someone to know the truth, tell them.  If you want someone to love the truth, tell them a story,” said Andrew Stanton, filmmaker (Finding Nemo, Wall-E) at Pixar.  Chris Wall says this philosophy is the motivation for producing the WFS - for both kids and their families.  The truth, as he and his colleagues believe, is grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  For those unfamiliar with the WFS stories, Chris’ Shining Isle Productions describes them this way: “Epic, like Lord of the Rings.  Witty, like The Princess Bride.  Full of Truth like The Chronicles of Narnia.”  Like those great fantasy stories, Chris says WFS also embeds a deeply felt Christian worldview.  “This subversive approach allows the story to sneak past the ‘watchful dragons,’ (as C.S. Lewis put it), as the viewer considers the redemptive truths.  In a world that challenges kids to follow their heart, and cut the deadweight of family, it is rare for a series like this to resonate deeply with both mainstream and Christian audiences.  And the major theme of identity is more timely than ever for families, along with themes of self-sacrifice and redemption.”               

The fact that Chris and his wife have six kids of their own, and that Chris considers himself “a kid at heart” are hugely motivating factors for his career; he wants to make a difference for family entertainment.  Growing up in the 80’s, he says there weren’t great options in the family and faith market.  In 2006, Chris says, VeggieTales comprised 96% of the faith market for kids and families.  While it’s a great production, they found it sad that there weren’t more faith-oriented choices along the way.  Producing WFS is for him a way to lead others to help fill that space. 

THE WINGFEATHER FUTURE

The future of WFS looks bright indeed.  Season Two of the video series was released in April 2024, and pre-production for Season Three: The Ice Prairies began in August for Fall of 2025 release.  The project is the largest crowd-funded animated family video series in history, with ten thousand investors, and ratings of 8.4/ 10 on IMDB, and 100% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.  Chris says the plan is to produce seven seasons, completing the story in the novels.     

For more information click https://wingfeathersaga.com

CREDITS: 

Executive Producer and Showrunner, The Wingfeather Saga animated series since 2016 /  Founder, Shining Isle Productions, 2016 / Collaborated with DreamWorks Animation and Big Idea Productions for a dozen years, producing 16 direct-to-video VeggieTales CG animated movies, including Noah’s Ark, Wonderful Wizard of Ha’s, and Saint Nicholas / Creator, Slugs & Bugs Show with Brentwood Studios and RightNow Media / Editor, Max Lucado’s You Are Special video series; voice talent for “Punchinello” character /  Married to Heather, six children / Boy Scout volunteer / TV and Film graduate of Oral Roberts University