On The Day You Were Born

A radiant sunrise welcomes the world to a new day, symbolizing the beauty, wonder, and connectedness of life on Earth.

On the Day You Were Born, an award-winning children’s book by Debra Frasier which became a symphony composed by Steve Heitzeg, is now a unique 30-minute animated video weaving together symphony, story, and animation. The Imaging Research Center was responsible for producing over 15 minutes of high-end animation that brought to life the illustrations from the book. On the Day You Were Born is the pilot in a series of three “Story Concerts” for children released by the Minnesota Orchestra under its trademark “Notes Alive!” label.

Animation

Work on the video began with a live recording session with the Minnesota Orchestra. With the music track laid down, the IRC Interns, under the direction of animator Dan Bailey, could begin synchronizing movement to music. Their task was to make the characters emerge from the page but also to retain the simplicity of Frasier’s art, originally constructed with only paper, scissors, and glue.

“Debra’s illustrations are gorgeous, and we knew from the start that we wanted to keep the cut-paper look. We used a computer to animate, but the finished product doesn’t have a typical computerized look.”

— Dan Bailey, Director

Awards

Since its release in 1997, the On the Day You Were Born video has received four national awards, including the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence. Awarded by the American Library Association, this medal is given to only one children’s video in the U. S. each year that “is of especially commendable quality and reflects respect for the child’s intelligence and imagination.”

Excerpts of the animation were also screened on the NBC Today Show in honor of the video receiving the Oppenheim Platinum Video Award.

The complete list of awards is as follows:

  • Andrew Carnegie Medal of Excellence
  • Parent’s Choice Award
  • Oppenheim Platinum Award
  • Kids First Seal of Approval
The Earth’s layers reveal their vibrant depths, as nature blossoms above, celebrating life’s cycles and the foundation of our world.

In the heart of a tranquil forest, life flourishes as the figure dances among towering trees and lush green leaves, embodying harmony with nature.

Researchers and Creators

Produced by: The Minnesota Orchestra, Ward Gill, Executive Producer

Animation Director: Dan Bailey

Animation Supervisor: Maria Palazzi

Technical Assistant: Jeff Goldfarb

Producer: Tacy Mangan

Author and Narrator: Debra Frasier

Music Composed by: Steve Heitzeg

Conductor: Bill Eddins

Students

IRC Graduate Research Assistants: Claudia Herbst, Leslie Heins, Will Brooks

UMBC Interns: Tim Best, Irene Bertoldi, Yin Chien, Jed Duvall, Susan Gonnelli, Joseph Jeppi, Angelika Kirkland, Raphael Reggie, Suzanne Sarich, Phil Vogelgesang, Jr., Aleksey Zolotaryov

Imaging Research Center, UMBC © 2024