About to embark on her summer internship, Cheyenne McLean, a student in the Children’s Media program, has already begun to make her mark in the industry with her budding YouTube channel McLeano Productions. Comprised of videos aimed at children between four and six years old, Cheyenne is creating content that involves the use of puppetry as a way of storytelling. She says that one of her biggest goals is to get her name and puppetry out into the open and show her skills as a young puppeteer, and this can certainly already be seen with the content she has started creating on her channel.
“When I was little, I would always sign my homemade construction paper cards and comics McLeano Productions. I never stopped doing that. Now, instead of it just being a funny thing I like to do, it has become something more. We were to create a YouTube channel for our Media Production class, and I saw it as an opportunity to finally expand McLeano Productions into something more than just a few one-off videos and a signature on drawings and cards. It now has a series attached to the name! Marvin and Marsha’s Play Day is an adorable series starring two sibling rod puppets that were created by Brooklyn Puppet Conspiracy,” she says.
With three videos in the series uploaded on her channel to date, she explains that the series follows “two sibling puppets who use their imagination to play when they can’t go outside.” She continues, “We encourage co-viewing and using Marvin and Marsha's Play Day to inspire at-home activities with everyday objects!”
Prior to enrolling at Centennial, Cheyenne went to White Pines Collegiate and Vocational School in Sault Ste. Marie where she was part of the Integrated Arts and Culture Program. “I was heavily involved in musical theatre in Sault Ste Marie, a passion helped by my teacher Sue Barber, who sadly passed away in 2016,” she shares. She then moved to London, Ontario and attended the Theatre Arts: Performance program at Fanshawe College, and after graduating, she was a founding member of The Peanut Gallery Theatre Collective. “Immediately before the pandemic hit, I directed my first show, Pterodactyls by Nicky Silver. I moved to Toronto in the midst of the pandemic in July 2020 to be closer to where the opportunities within my chosen career field are located,” she says.
What led Cheyenne to the Children’s Media program is rooted in her early love of children’s entertainment, particularly puppets, which were very important in her life. She explains, “Puppetry was my greatest passion, but where I grew up, it didn’t seem like an actual career path. Therefore, I went with acting, which seemed like it was close enough. But in acting school, I felt something was missing. I did not want to be the face of something, I wanted to be the hand. I didn’t want to entertain adults, I wanted to entertain children. I wanted to give to others what I was able to have as a child through shows such as Under the Umbrella Tree, Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Dressup, The Big Comfy Couch, and Between the Lions.
After I graduated from Fanshawe, I looked up children’s entertainment programs in Canada, and this one was the only one that existed containing all the elements I wanted and needed to explore. For two years, I nervously considered signing up until one day I asked myself, why are you not doing this? Is it because you’re afraid to move to Toronto?The answer was yes, and I finally signed up, auditioned, and was accepted at the beginning of 2020.”
Now having completed the curriculum portion of the program, Cheyenne says that the material she learned has helped her to acquire numerous skills. She says, “The program is very intense. The number of assignments can be overwhelming, but all have a reason. Every time I have stressed about an assignment, when I did complete it, I recognized how helpful it was. The teachers also take time to develop skills that other programs may not cover. This includes how to introduce yourself to someone at an event or how to answer interview questions effectively.
All of the instructors still work in the industry and are always up to date with everything going on in the Children’s Media world. I also appreciate that we are all treated as equals, no matter our age or skill set. I was concerned because I felt like I didn’t have very much experience and was very young, but all the teachers find your special skills and help you build on them. Everyone is special in their own way, and they help us see that in ourselves. I went from saying I like puppets to I am a puppeteer”.
Some of the best memories on campus for Cheyenne have involved taking original ideas and propelling them into something further. She says, “I wrote an idea for a television show called Tyler Pylon, [and it was] about a tiny grey safety cone who cannot do his job as he is the same colour as cement. This was a one-off idea that has now ended up being developed into a full television pitch. I’m very proud of Tyler, and I am glad that my teachers and peers enjoy him!”
She also shares that interacting with classmates has been an integral part of the program. “The best thing about this program is knowing that there are other people with the same goals as you. When I was in elementary school / high school / college, I thought I was the only person who wanted to play with puppets and entertain children. But having a crew of people who all have the same passion is so exciting and motivational.”
In terms of how the program prepared her for a career, she says, “The program gives us all the tools needed to both create on our own projects as well as work within a team. There are also many guest speakers that come in and talk to the students about the current industry and how to break into certain areas.” She continues, “All of the classes are very specific and tackle each and every area of the children’s media field. I feel extremely prepared to begin my internship and then break into the industry fully.”
Enrolling at Centennial and taking this program has proven to be extremely influential on Cheyenne, and not just for her career. She says, “I think it’s worth mentioning I grew up in a tiny township in Northern Ontario called Goulais River. It’s a lovely area for some, but not for myself. I felt very out of place and was constantly afraid I wouldn’t be brave enough to really tackle my dreams. The takeaway from this is that I now live in Toronto, doing what I love and attending my dream program. It was very scary, and it took a lot of work, but I am now where I want and need to be. I always say to myself ‘would I make my eight-year-old self proud?’ and I can say that I definitely do.”
Now that she is at the end of her second semester, she has more time to focus on growing her YouTube channel to a more widespread audience. She says, “Connecting with others in the industry and having them help out and give advice on how to build your brand has been very helpful.” In terms of connecting with others, she adds, “Already established people within the industry are usually extremely willing and accommodating to help the newcomers out. I have made incredible connections to people who were huge parts of my childhood, and many are eager to help you out. This industry is full of positivity and creativity, and I’m so glad to see senior members of the industry lending a hand. I will use this as a plug to say, feel free to connect with me via LinkedIn. I love meeting new people and making new friends!”
You can follow McLeano Productions on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @mcleanoproductions to find out more about future content they will be releasing, new characters, and short films! Also, be sure to check out Cheyenne’s series, Marvin and Marsha, on YouTube.
Written by: Alexandra Few