MIKE JOZIC: I know you had been working on making the show a reality for some time. When did Mainframe step in start developing it?

JILL THOMPSON: Mainframe optioned Scary Godmother in 1999, right before "The Revenge of Jimmy" came out. They excercised their option in 2001 and in January of 2002 they started pre-production on The Scary Godmother Halloween Spooktacular. It was completed in March of 2003.

JOZIC: Why did you make the choice to adapt an existing Scary Godmother book rather than create a new story for the Spooktacular?

THOMPSON: We had produced a one-hour play that was successful for 26 performances. Kids and adults loved it. We had a great track record with a test audience. It's what I wanted the introduction to Scary Godmother to be. Plus, it worked as a pilot for a series as well as a stand-alone holiday special. We just had to edit it to an hour of television, which is 46 minutes.

JOZIC: You were actually tapped to do the character designs for the show - was that incredibly satisfying as the creator of these characters?

THOMPSON: Actually, I did as much as I could on the show. I co-wrote the show with Heath Corson, the director of the Scary Godmother play that we did in Chicago in 2001. The Spooktacular is our play adapted for television. The play, of course, is based on the first Scary Godmother book with all sorts of cool stuff from the rest of the comics and books added, plus original bits and pieces for good stage laffs.

I also painted set designs, props and character designs as well as some matte paintings of skies and Hannah's neighborhood. Anything the director, Zeke Norton, could think of that would help the production.

I was lucky enough to work closely with him and I contributed storyboards here and there, copious notes each week on the previous weeks work and thankfully everything I mentioned was incorporated into the show.

I suggested the style of music that I thought would be good for the score and I got to choose voice talent with the producer and director.

So, yes, it was very satisfying, but I think the creator of something should be the one consulted about things like these whenever possible. I liked being part of it and realise that not many creators are listened to once their creations get optioned.

JOZIC: The choice to go CGI was yours, if I'm not mistaken. Why the emphasis on 3D over 2D animation?

THOMPSON: Because I love the look of the old Rankin and Bass and Ray Harryhausen stop-motion animation and CGI afforded me the look of it in much less time. Plus, I liked what Mainframe had done in the past. I thought they would be able to bring Scary Godmother to life in a way that I was not able to do. I make the 2D. The animation should be done in some other format to add another layer to things. Like the play was a live-action interpretation.

Very cool to see all the different versions.

JOZIC: What were the challenges, if any, that you faced in adapting the story to the screen?

THOMPSON: Well, we had to cut out a lot of funny jokes. But the biggest challenge was convincing Mainframe to make the Special themselves.

JOZIC: I was a little suprised by the running time of Scary Godmother. Why did you opt for 1 hour over the more traditional half-hour show?

THOMPSON: I think trying to introduce a cast of characters and explain their relationships to each other as well as set the stage for future episodes and jam the existing story in there is something that would be lacklustre and without heart in a half-hour.

I think an hour makes it special. Something to look forward to once a year or, if you're a parent with a DVD, you get an hour that's valuable time.

JOZIC: Did that create any new challenges while adapting the script?

No impossible challenges, just some really difficult editing choices. I would have added more instead of removing material.

JOZIC: There are some minor, and some not-so-minor, changes that have been made to the story in its adaptation to the screen. As a co-writer, what was the extent of your participation in the special, and how much of the changes were your decision?

THOMPSON: All of the things you view as changes were things that Heath Corson and I decided for the play. The addition of the vampires and Harry is something I could do because it improves the original story. Plus we had the luxury of looking at not only the original story, but the body of work that I had created up until that point and adding things after the fact. I prefer it to my original Scary Godmother book just because I wish I had thought of the entire cast at that point in time. Heath and I worked together to add things that would adapt well to a live action performance. Once it was to be adapted to TV we had to edit it to fit that format.

JOZIC: Did you have approval over all the stages of the project?

THOMPSON: I had as much approval as I could get. I was fortunate to work closely with the director and I was even more fortunate that there were no networks or outside investors involved in the project while we made it. That made it possible to keep the creative vision accurate.

JOZIC: Having only aired in Canada this year, how close are you to airing in the States as well next Halloween?

THOMPSON: Scary Godmother aired in Canada on YTV three times, it also aired on the Cartoon Network in the UK, on Euro Disney Channel in Germany and, I think, Italy. I got e-mail from a fan who watched it in Australia, and I know that it was going to air in South America and all of Asia, except Japan, at this point. That's all I know.

I have absolutely no control over where the show is sold or who decides to purchase it for broadcast. I wish I could make everyone decide to show it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Halloween of 2004.

JOZIC: Do you have your eyes set on any merchandising? I know some people big and small who would love a Scary action figure or a plush Bug-a-boo.

THOMPSON: I would love for there to be Scary Godmother merchandise as well. I designed a catalogue of merchandise that includes a multitude of Bug-A-Boo plush things, backpacks, Halloween costumes, dishes and decorations. Merchandisers interested in making some of my creations have to contact Mainframe Entertainment.

JOZIC: The Spooktacular was reviewed well here in Canada and was given three airings on YTV. What kind of feedback have you gotten on the show since it aired?

THOMPSON: I've gotten lovely e-mails from fans who have seen it and I heard it was the pick of the week in the Canadian TV Guide.

JOZIC: Is Mainframe interested in pursuing more Scary Godmother Specials? Possibly for other holidays (Christmas and Valentines day were well handled in the comic book)?

THOMPSON: I know that Mainframe is looking to produce a feature, possibly based on the "Ghouls Out For Summer" mini-series. I would love to produce a series of one-hour holiday specials based on the other books and comics. I like things that can stand alone, and I like series.

JOZIC: How closely involved were you in the voice casting of the show, and how do you feel it came off overall in the final product?

THOMPSON: It was really difficult when we were casting the play because here were people that were going to be the characters. So that was actually kind of scary. But I think that's where my initial anxiety was overcome. When we casted the voices for the special it was more a matter of finding the right tone and being able to try to describe how Scary Godmother or Bug-A-Boo or Mr. Pettibone spoke.

I still think that Renee Prince was my perfect Scary Godmother, but Tabitha St, Germain was the perfect Canadian Scary Godmother. In fact, I asked her to stop using a made-up voice and just use her real voice, once I heard her speak. She had a lot of Scary Godmother in her when she showed up for the record. She has crazy, cool, curly hair, but really dark, not red, and she was wearing an outfit that Scary Godmother would wear, or that I would wear, for that matter! Once I saw her I said, "You are a Scary Godmother! You don't have to put on a voice, just exaggerate you!"

And Keith Ellis, our Chicago Harry, may not have been a large fellow, but his voice is still the only one that was exactly like I heard it in my head. He was a fan before he auditioned, so I think he just knew.

I loved all the voices. The kids we chose were super. Our Hannah…My one regret is that we didn't do a musical because that girl could really sing. She screamed at Bug-A-Boo really nicely, too. The voice director did have to coach the kids a bit on de-Canadianing their voices when they said spook house and stuff. They also weren't allowed to say mum. We forced them to say mom. I'm a harsh taskmaster.

I enjoyed helping out at the voice recording. I just wish that, in my excitement, I hadn't forgotten to take my video camera out of my bag. It would have been nice to document the experience.

JOZIC: What's next for you? Any projects in the works Scary or otherwise?

THOMPSON: Wow! I actually have several projects on my plate. Some have been scheduled, some are on the verge.

Evan Dorkin and I will be collaborating on another story for Dark Horse's Coven anthology. There's been much discussion about more Manga, other digest sized books and stuff for DC, and while writing a Wonder Woman for Mark Chiarello's solo book, I find that I actually have the makings of a graphic novel. I just have to talk to somebody about it. Maybe plans for another Little Endless Storybook.

As for Scary, I want to do another mini-series and a Christmas book. I have two other children's book projects that I'm talking to publishers about and Mick Foley and I will be collaborating on more books. There will probably be two books out by us next fall.

Hmmm…I think that's everything.