#JATD official page

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Hello Shortlives,

welcome to the world of Jane And The Dragon.

I have so much to show you I hardly know where to begin.

Perhaps by introducing myself.

I am Jester, the King’s Fool, the Court’s official food taster, and - most importantly - Jane’s best friend. Her best shortlife friend anyway, no one can compete with the big reptile in her life. So these pages are my small contribution to the archives here at the castle. I have gathered together all kinds of documents and every week I shall add new ones.

Fun Stuff will have some of the games we make for the Royal children.

Dragon’s Diary is.. well.. his diary. I need to apologize for this, but Jane insisted we include it. Please excuse the language, the grammar, the subject matter and.. well, pretty much all of it.

Dragon Files are where Jane and Dragon record everything they have discovered about dragons. Some of it is from their research and some of it is just wishful thinking from his big greenness.

Jester’s Jokes will have some of my very best jokes. (Gunther thinks this will be a blank page, but that is completely fine by me because I think Gunther is a blank page.)

Behind the Castle Wallshas contributions from everyone here in the castle. Smithy will be telling you how his gadgets work. Pepper will have all kinds of advice to share with you, though my advice is not to act on any of it. And Rake has a great deal to say about vegetables, which says a great deal about Rake.

And this is just the beginning. There is much else besides, so come on in and visit the archives as often as you like.

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Pre-Entries

Poor Dragon. I tried to explain what animation meant, how it was stories told with pictures that move. He threw a huffy and flew off to his cave leaving me to issue this challenge in his place. My name is Martin Baynton and I created Jane and the Dragon. (Please don't tell THEM that.) So for those Knight School Students who are keen to create animated stories of your own I would love to see your work.

And here's the challenge. You know how Smithy loves designing and building new tools and devices, well I challenge you to write and animate a short story based on one of Smithy's new inventions. Get together with some of your school friends and give it a go - it can be done using any animation software you're familiar with, or stop frame animation using cut out images. Have fun and be as inventive, creative and entertaining as you can.

You might need to carry out research, so I have found some places where you can learn about simple animation, and life in the Middle Ages.

The competition closes on May 30th, 2008. In the teachers' turret your teachers can find out everything they need to know about the competition such as entry forms, rules and prizes which include books, DVDs, and a visit to the Weta Workshop Studios for some lucky animators who will get to see Weta Workshop animators at work.

We will publish the winners here in Knight School, and we will also publish them on Weta Workshops own website too.

And if you have any questions, you can write to dragon@janeandthedragon.school.nz

Post-Entries

This was a great challenge and we had lots of fun watching the entries. Your animated stories used a wide range of styles and techniques, as you can see from the winners that we have published here.

The winners were Maungatapu School (up to year 6), and Otumoetai Intermediate School's Incredible Minds ICT Extension group (years 7 to 10). Representatives of these two classes have been invited to tour Weta Studios, and watch the animators at work.

Take a look at the winning entries. They are totally brilliant.

Maungatapu School "Smithy's Invention", "Smithy's Apple Problem", and "Smithy's Invention".

Otumoetai Intermediate School's Incredible Minds; "It's not fair".

[my-chemical-friendzone]

I do apologise, dear guests. I had a great many games and puzzles to show you here but it appears someone has made off with them.

I would like to say it was Prince Cuthbert, but since I am his subject I would never dream of suggesting such a thing.

However, I shall go and search his royal room and return with whatever I can find. In the meantime I hope you enjoy what still remains here.

Ah, I do believe, hmmm. Yes!

I have found a littly ditty that someone - probably that overgrown newt, Dragon -

made up to explain, well, to explain Jane, I guess.

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Now then! Listen up all you shortlife chefs and cooks out there. You know that Pepper is the only Cook in the castle, yes? Well she is, and Jane tells me she needs new recipes to surprise the King and his guests.

But Pepper is so busy cleaning and baking and cooking and peeling that she has no time for creating new dishes or looking for new recipes. So Pepper asked Jane to ask me to ask you for some ideas. Nutritious and delicious, she says, food fit for a shortlife king.

So look around for ideas about the kind of food that the Royals might like to eat here in our medieval castle, and send your recipes to me up at my cave. dragon@janeandthedragon.school.nz

The tastiest recipes will be posted on the wall here at Knight School for everyone to dribble and salivate over. And for pepper to read of course. I will send the top cooks a book and DVD pack too.

[my-chemical-friendzone]

2007

Weta Productions and CORE Education are together developing Knight School; an interactive website with an educational focus for New Zealand schools. Knight School will be a platform for creative participation by students, where they can take part in school-based activities, and share their work online. We have planned a sequence of educational activities for schools, groups of students, and individual students.

The first activity, the Composition Competition, is now underway and will run during Term 4, 2007. Author and illustrator Martin Baynton has provided the lyrics for two songs; “Chasing your Dream”and “We are Knights of the Guard���, and you are invited to choose one (or both) and have your students compose and record a piece of music for it. Students may use modern instruments, created instruments, or perhaps new technologies to improvise and compose a simple musical piece to accompany the lyrics.

The Composition Competition guidelines outlines the competition, with links to information about instruments, samples of medieval music and life in the medieval times.

The entry form and Terms and Conditionsprovide further details.

The competition closes on December 7th, 2007. Prizes include Jane and the Dragon books, DVDs, a video conference with Martin Baynton and Richard Taylor of Weta Productions, and a visit to Weta Studios for representatives of the overall winning group of students.

For further information contact info@janeandthedragon.school.nz

2008

Weta Productions and CORE Education are together developing Knight School; an interactive website with an educational focus for New Zealand schools. Knight School is a platform for creative participation by students, where they can take part in school-based activities, and share their work online. We are offering a series of educational activities for schools, groups of students, and individual students.

The first major activity for 2008 is an Animation Competition, in which students or groups of students in New Zealand schools are invited to create and record an animated story. Students may use any of a number of animation techniques, as long as the finished work adheres to the criteria outlined in the competition guidelines.

The Competition guidelines also outline the competition rules, with links to information about animation and life in medieval times. The entry form and Terms and Conditions provide further details.

The competition closes on May 30th, 2008. Prizes include Jane and the Dragon books and DVDs, a videoconference with Martin Baynton and Richard Taylor of Weta Productions, and a visit to Weta Studios for representatives of the overall winning group of students who will meet with Weta Workshop animators, see how they work and have the opportunity to ask questions. Selected student work will be published on the Knight School website, as well as on the Weta Productions website.

For further information contact info@janeandthedragon.school.nz

[my-chemical-friendzone]

My favourite joke at the moment: what do you call a cow with no legs? Give up? No idea?... Ground beef! Ha! Brilliant, a totally hilarious joke.

Old Floppy Hat thinks he is the joke master, and Gunther tries to crack a few as well. But where do they get their best material from? Mmm? Me! They have squeezed me dry of all my best jokes, so help me out here, shortlives—load me up with a bucketful of side splitting new jokes I can fire at my friends.

Keep them brief though, and none of these shortened words that I cannot understand. Please use the same language as Jane and our friends.

Send your rib tickling jokes to me up at my cave. dragon@janeandthedragon.school.nz

I shall decide which are the best jokes, and they will be posted up on the wall at Knight School for everyone to read. I will send the best joke writers a book and DVD pack too.

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Results of the Composition Competition 

The first challenge for Knight School Students is over—thanks for the great entries! There were many entries from students who all did a fantastic job of composing and recording music for the two songs provided by Jester. He agrees that you have done a great job and has been humming the tunes as he walks around the castle.

The winning composers and musicians are Te Winika Morell and her classmates Jayden, Jerome, Te Anima and Kaya from Waipa Primary School with their recording of "Chasing Your Dream". Te Winika and her teacher will be traveling down to Wellington for a tour of Weta Studios.

The two schools that will be taking part in a videoconference with Richard Taylor and Martin Baynton of Weta Productions are the students of Room 23 at Aquinas College in Tauranga, and a group of students from Green Bay Primary in Auckland, who all produced very impressive compositions. All other entries received a pack of Jane and the Dragon books and a DVD.

Thanks for the great work. Maybe you would like to try the next competition—how are you animation skills?

Listen to two top composers and singersÉ Te Winika Morell from Waipa Primary School; "Chasing Your Dream". The girls of Room 23, at Aquinas College in Tauranga; "Chasing Your Dream".

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Beef-wit! Maggot brain! Dung weevil! All magnificent expressions from my little flame headed shortlife here at the castle. She really does like to use a colourful turn of phrase that girl. Gunther, Rake and Smithy have tried to come up with expressions of their own, but only his little purpleness Prince Cuthbert can match Jane in the battle of wits for wickedly wonderful words. His favourites are Gong farmer! Hedgepig! and Puss and pestilence!

In the face of such excellent and energetic expressions, Jane's friends need to be much more inventive with their invective. So I this is where you might come in, my shortlife students of colourful conversation. Please invent completely new swear words and expressions for them! But remember - clever is kingly, offensive is offle.

Send your suggestions to me at my cave— dragon@janeandthedragon.school.nz and I will pin the best ones on the knight school wall for Jane and her friends to read.

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Before Full Release

Knight School is on the way

We are proud to bring you news of Knight School, a new place for you to visit, to be launched on Sept 24th.

Knight School will be a place where schools and students can take part in activities and competitions. The first of these is the Composition Competition, beginning on Sept 24th.

We have the lyrics for two songs, but no music! We will be inviting you to compose and record a piece of music for them. Come back after Sept 19th, and see how you can take part.

Released

Welcome back to Knight School, shortlives!

Knight School is where you can take part in activities based on the adventures of our very own flame-head, Jane, of whom we are strangely proud.

For a bunch of shortlives barely out of your eggs you did magnificently well with the recent challenges. You penned some top table melodies for the ballads written by Jester, and created new jokes and swear words too.

Keep sending me those recipes for Pepper. The whole castle pleaded for this challenge to be run. Then there is finding new and completely brilliant Jokes for Jester. He needs all the help he can get. And of course creating new swear words for Jane. If she says 'bog off' or 'maggots' one more time I will not be held accountable. And finally creating moving picture stories. This is my favorite, seeing shortlives creating adventures about me and my friends. Not that it goes to my noble and perfectly formed head of course.

So please find your way to these challenges.

Good luck shortlives.

Updated

Welcome to Knight School, shortlives!

Oh yes, Knight School - totally my own brilliant idea, with a little help from some shortlives. So what is it?

Knight School is where you can take part in activities based on the adventures of our very own flame-head, Jane, of whom we are strangely proud. And on the adventures of all her friends here at the castle - one big, green and completely magnificent friend in particular.

At Knight School you can share your ideas and creations with others, too. And I need your help to make it grow. Got that? Do not make me fly down there and ask nicely.

We already have a challenge for Knight School Students - you know how Floppy Hat likes his ballads? Well, he has written the lyrics for two new songs. So I asked him—very nicely, no hot breath or anything—if he could gift them to Knight School. Which he did, very quickly. So now we just need music to go with the lyrics, which is where you come in.

Can you and your school friends compose and record a piece of music for these lyrics and send them into Knight School?

You should visit the Composition Competition to find out more, including news of some great prizes. No, a ride on my magnificent back is not one of the prizes. There is also a teacher turret too, where your teachers can go to learn more about the competition and the prizes.

Updated

Welcome back to Knight School, shortlives!

Oh yes, Knight School - totally my own brilliant idea, with a little help from some shortlives. So what is it?

Knight School is where you can take part in activities based on the adventures of our very own flame-head, Jane, of whom we are strangely proud. And on the adventures of all her friends here at the castle—one big, green and completely magnificent friend in particular.

At Knight School you can share your ideas and creations with others, too. And I need your help to make it grow. Got that? Do NOT make me fly down there and ask nicely.

For a bunch of shortlives barely out of your eggs you did magnificently well with my first challenge. You penned some top table melodies for the ballads written by Jester. Jane has pinned the results of the challenge up on the walls of the yard where she posts all the shortlives work.

Put your ears to the stone and take a listen to the winning entry. It's totally brilliant and had Jester fearful for his status as castle balladeer.

Now I have a set of new challenges for you: Creating recipes for Pepper. The whole castle pleaded for this challenge to be run. Finding new and completely brilliant Jokes for Jester. He needs all the help he can get. Creating new swear words for Jane. If she says 'bog off' or 'maggots' one more time I will not be held accountable. And finally creating moving picture stories. This is my favorite, seeing shortlives creating adventures about me and my friends. Not that it goes to my noble and perfectly formed head of course.

So please find your way to these challenges and find out more about them including news of some great prizes. No, a ride on my magnificent back is not one of the prizes. There is also the teacher turret of course, where your teachers can go to learn more about the competitions and the prizes.

Good luck shortlives.

[my-chemical-friendzone]

“Smithy’s Invention” An animation entry winner for the JATD Animation Competition. 

[my-chemical-friendzone]

So here we are, dear Visitor. Your search through the Royal Archives has brought you to this collection of Pepper's favorite expressions.

Many guests to our castle find these a little strange and confusing. I believe I understand most of them, though understanding Pepper herself might take a little longer.

I shall continue to add to this list over time, and my best interpretations of their meaning.

Plain as pea pudding Pepper is describing someone or something who is nice but a bit boring. Or a day where nothing goes wrong, but nothing interesting happens.

Wicked as a wasp These are strong words for Pepper. She thinks wasps are wicked because they get in her jams and onto her fruit. And she has never yet found a single useful thing a wasp has done around the castle. Unlike bees which she loves unreservedly, mostly because Rake loves them for the work they do in his garden.

No coin like a kind word Nothing is worth as much as kindness. Pepper believes this and tries very hard not to be cross with anyone.

Lovely as linen Pepper loves linen. One of her favorite jobs is helping the Lady In Waiting make the Royal beds with fresh.

Two wrongs don't make a fool. Don't judge people too quickly when they make mistakes. Pepper knows how many mistakes she made when she was learning to cook.

Top table! Anything which is very good. The top table is where the King and Queen eat, so Pepper always puts the best food on the top table

Clean as a cauliflower Nothing looks as clean and white as a fresh head of cauliflower peering out through its dark green leaves in Rake's garden

[my-chemical-friendzone]

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Fun facts about Jane, her friends and the medieval kingdom in which they live.

JANE

Jane is twelve years old.

Jane was ten when she first met Dragon, up in his cave in the mountain.

Jane and Dragon are friends because of what happened when they first met. That story is told in the illuminated manuscript: Jane And The Dragon.

Jane wants to be a knight because it seems more exciting and adventurous that the job she was training for: to be a Lady-in-Waiting.

Jane has a suit of armor. You can see it near her bed in her tower room!

DRAGON

Dragon has not been able to find any other dragons, so he thinks he might be the last one left in the world.

Jane and Dragon don’t yet understand why they are best friends. They just know that they are. But one day they will find out why. They will find out there is a special reason they need to be friends and help each other.

When they met Jane and Dragon made a promise to each other. She would help him to discover everything there is to know about dragons. And he would help her in her training to become a knight.

Dragon’s favorite color is red. But because Jane’s hair is red and Dragon’s skin is green, he pretends the best color in the world is really green.

CASTLE LIFE

The kingdom is called Kippernium and the castle is called Kippernia Castle. All the townsfolk call it Kipper Castle because the main business of the village is catching and smoking herring, which are called kippers. The King doesn’t like this nickname, so none of the castle staff ever use it.

The castle was built 300 years ago.

Young women of the Court do wear a form of make-up, especially because a “pale face” is fashionable – it means you never worked out in the sun like the common folk. Chalk is the most popular face powder, because it is cheap and safe to use. Jane’s mother wears it rather a lot. People also use sticks of charcoal to paint black soot on their eyebrows, and sometimes color their hair red using a plant called henna. Although Jane has no time for make up of any kind and refuses to wear any!

[my-chemical-friendzone]

What Was it Really Like Back in Jane’s World?

(Part I)

Windeyes.

Jane's tower window has shutters, not glass. Back then windows let the cold wind in and were called wind eyes. Windeyes. Over hundreds of years the word changed to be easier to say and to spell, until the word became windows.

So why was there no glass in the windows?

Glass was INCREDIBLY expensive back then. It could only be made in tiny pieces that were joined together by lead strips, and so only the very rich could afford them.

A few of the royal rooms in the castle have glass in their windows. But they are too expensive to replace so everyone is very careful not to break them.

Smelly breath!

No-one in Jane's world had a toothbrush or toothpaste so did their breath smell and their teeth rot? Sometimes, but not always. In fact the poorer you were the better your teeth could be. There were two reasons for this.

One was the food they ate. Only the rich folk could afford the sugary foods that would decay the teeth - foods made with honey or sugar beet. Simple foods like bread and vegetables were much kinder on the teeth.

The other reason was the way they cleaned their teeth. Rich and poor both used a kind of toothbrush. They would snap a twig and chew the end till it was soft like a small brush, and then rub their teeth with it. They took great care to only chew the right kind of twigs because the wood of some trees can be very poisonous.

But very rich ladies of the Court sometimes polished their teeth with pumice stone. Ouch! This made their teeth a little whiter, but after a few years it rubbed away the protective cover on the teeth and made them decay even faster.

Toilet Paper.

There was no soft paper back in Jane's time. They had parchment, a very crisp and very expensive type of paper. So what did they use after they had been to the toilet!

How did they clean themselves!

They used leaves. Everyday someone on the castle staff would collect large fresh leaves and hang them on a hook near the seat above the toilet chimney. (Yes, they sat over a long chimney that dropped down to a collecting chamber at the base of the castle walls.)

Depending on the time of year different leaves were used. But the biggest and softest leaves were prized above all, and some plants had leaves that had natural perfumes that would rub off when you - used them.

One plant with large leaves that grew everywhere in England was the stinging nettle.

It caused a very itchy rash on any skin it touched. These were not good for the toilet!

(Part II)

A BOUNTY OF BOOKS

Jane is lucky. She is allowed to borrow books from the Royal library for her education. But in Jane's day, books were very rare and VERY expensive. Books were so expensive that a simple farmer or fisherman could never afford to buy one.

There are two reasons they were expensive. One was because printing had not been invented, so every page of every book had to be written by hand.

The second is because paper was very hard to make. Early forms were made by the Egyptians and the Greeks, but the first real paper was produced in China around 600AD. The secret formula passed through Korea to Japan, and then to the Middle East. (All these countries were more advanced and civilized than Europe.) Finally the formula came to Italy, and the Italians became famous throughout Europe for their wonderful, and very expensive, paper.

COME BACK STICKY THING.

In one Jane episode Ivon uses a boomerang as a weapon. (Watch out for it, the episode's called Jester Justice.) Today when we think of boomerangs we think of the aboriginal people of Australia. But curved boomerang sticks date back to the Stone Age in Europe. They were used for hunting by these ancient tribes. And many cultures have used them since then. King Tutankhamun, an Egyptian Pharaoh who died 2,000 years ago, owned a large collection of boomerangs. We know this because they were buried with him along with many other treasures, and were unearthed when his tomb was discovered.

JANE PLAYED BOWLS

Some of the games we play today were very popular in Jane's time. Bowling was one of them. Ivon had a weapon made for him which he called the 'Bowling Ball Of Doom. It was a bowling ball with spikes on it. His plan was to roll it at his enemies, but of course the bowl just stuck in the ground and didn't roll. Totally brilliant, Ivon, well done.

A very early form of the game was played by the ancient Egyptians. Then in 200 AD a group of German monks adapted the game and called it kegels. This form of bowling became a huge hit with ordinary folk all over Europe. Then in 1500, hundreds of years after Jane's time, a famous theologian called Martin Luther refined the game to become nine pins which is very like the ten pin bowling we play today.

[my-chemical-friendzone]