About

Edward Lear’s Nonsense Stories is a series of original animated webisodes produced for YouTube and national TV. Based on Edward Lear’s A Book of Nonsense (1846), these black and white whiteboard and Flash cartoons expand on Lear’s limericks and add more cartoon action and improvised mockery. First season is 33 one- to three-minute webisodes released at least once a week (and always on Sundays). The launch date was April 1, 2012 (April Fools Day).

The ELNS YouTube channel has all of the webisodes that have been completed thus far:
http://www.youtube.com/user/nonsensewhiteboard

Each show starts with a standard intro, then in the foreground, a caricature of a celebrity or politician appears and starts to recite that episode’s limerick. Celebrity voice impressions are provided by Ron Hayden. In the background is an actual whiteboard, and on this, speeded up video shows an artist drawing one or more cartoons. The artist steps aside and their drawing comes to life as black and white Flash animation. The show ends with credits and links to subscribe, other episodes, etc.

Throughout the show, across the bottom of the screen and in front of all the above action is the cartoon silhouette of a small audience, with caricatures of some of the same people seen in many of the narrations, and others. The faux audience contributes comments, alternative dialog, funny asides and the like. (Think Mystery Science Theater 3000.) The audience dialog is improvised by Ron Hayden and other voice artists.

The show is being produced in Colorado Springs at ARG! Cartoon Animation, LLC.