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- Cartoons are made specifically for this documentary to better portray the story being told by the person being interviewed. Incorporating cartoons to further depict a story in a documentary about Nickelodeon is genius because that was what the network strived to do. Nickelodeon’s primary goal was to cater to children and tell stories in a manner that wouldn’t cause confusion.
- The social aspect of this documentary is rooted in the messages of inclusivity, diversity, and ethics. Within the first minute of the film Angela Santomero, the creator of Blues Clues says, “one of the things that people don’t know about Nickelodeon was how many women there were at the top,” promoting the idea that Nickelodeon has been a gender-inclusive company from the beginning. Before Nickelodeon, there were a lot of shows about kids who did extraordinary things, but these shows made kids feel terrible about themselves and so Nickelodeon’s goal was to make shows that felt real. Kids Rule!: Nickelodeon and Consumer Citizenship mentions that “...an important part of Nickelodeon’s claim to “empower” its audience had been specifically connected to the production of shows that featured strong female lead characters, garnering the channel an industry and public reputation as a vanguard in challenging television stereotypes about girls” (Barnet-Weiser 105).
- The film gives historical context to the Nickelodeon brand through Geraldine Laybourne’s discussion about an experiment in Columbus, Ohio with interactive television. The scene transitions from her sit-down interview to clips of archival footage of the time interactive TV was introduced, the QUBE. After showing archival footage, Burt Dubrow, former executive producer of live programming for QUBE, comes on the screen in a sit-down interview explaining that you could sit at home and press buttons and get involved with the show. Dubrow then mentions Talent Search, a show that incorporated this technology, and the documentary switches the visual from his interview to clips from Talent Search while the audio continues to have his voice explain the show.
- At 9:08, Laybourne’s voice is played over footage of children playing with toys, and the scene transitions to her sit-down interview saying that “mothers were going to work for the first time, divorce rates were high, kids were either coming home alone or to afterschool programs, they needed a place where they could just be kids and that was our motto.” This statement elicits an emotional response in people who were in this position as children and are watching this documentary and can relate to that specific experience of Nickelodeon being their refuge while growing up. This not only gives context to what was going on in America at the time but also allows people to better understand Nickelodeon’s goal.
- Nickelodeon’s symbols are iconic, so the aesthetic images of these logos automatically elicit a nostalgic response in anyone who grew up watching the channel. It brings them back to their favorite Nickelodeon TV show or going to the amusement park. Nickelodeon had made its mission to cater to children of all ages. The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story, gives insight into how the influential creators and actors of the company were able to move the needle forward in what it means to be a children’s network.
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