Crayola, Kickstart team up with Calandrelli and Pepin to Create the Impossible

Emily Calindrelli (left) and Sabrina Wiewel

Crayola Studios, the content arm of the US art supplier, has entered into a development deal with Canadian prodco Kickstart Entertainment for a new live-action STEAM series for children.

Co-created by science television host and MIT-trained engineer Emily Calandrelli and executive producer Maria Pepin, Create the Impossible sets engineering and creative challenges that are designed to appear initially unachievable, from painting a picture without touching the canvas to building a machine that draws while in flight.

Teams of children then race to solve each problem through a combination of art, science and engineering. Calandrelli serves as host, working alongside the child contestants as they develop their solutions.

The development deal was announced by Sabrina Wiewel, executive VP and head of Crayola Studios, at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas, where it was revealed at the conclusion of the festival’s first Kids’ Content Development Initiative.

Wiewel said: “Creativity is one of the most powerful forces in a child’s life, and Create the Impossible perfectly captures the spirit of Crayola by turning imagination into action. By connecting creativity with STEAM [science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics] learning, the series encourages kids to think beyond limits, build confidence, and celebrate collaboration, while reinforcing that creativity has no boundaries and plays an essential role in shaping future innovators.”

Calandrelli, who became the 100th woman to fly to space and has more than four million followers across social media under the handle TheSpaceGal, previously took Crayola products with her on her spaceflight. Her television credits include Xploration Outer Space on Fox and Emily’s Wonder Lab on Netflix.

Create the Impossible joins a Crayola Studios slate that includes Pablo Next Level, Rainbow Brite and The Neverending Pillow Fort.