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Tampa Boy's Short Film Gets TV Spot

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By WALT BELCHER

wbelcher@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

TAMPA - Rueben Schaffer says he would like to be a cartoonist or a NASCAR driver when he grows up.

The fourth-grade honor-roll student hasn't gotten behind the wheel of a race car yet, but he has created dozens of cartoons, many of them appearing on an educational Web site for budding animators.

The 9-year-old is excited because one of his short animated films has been selected to be broadcast nationally on the Qubo network.

"I can't wait to see how it looks," says Rueben, one of 12 young animators whose films were selected by Qubo to be remastered from the child's original concept into animated minimovies for television.

Qubo is a TV and online entertainment service for children and families.

Rueben's film, "Aliens Are Evil," is less than a minute.

It will make its world television premiere Thursday during the afternoon block of Qubo children's programs on the ION TV network.

The film also will air between programs on "Qubo on NBC" and "Qubo on Telemundo" during Saturday and Sunday morning programming Dec. 20 and 21, respectively.

Rueben, a student at Chiaramonte Elementary School, created his short animated film using an innovative storytelling application on the qubo.com Web site.

"He has made a lot of films using the computer, because his mind is just full of stories," says Rueben's mother, Sonia.

CHECK IT OUT

The film will make its world television premiere about 3:40 p.m. Thursday during the afternoon block of Qubo children's programs on the ION TV network (channel 17 on Bright House and Verizon).

Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654.

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