DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S MADAGASCAR: A LITTLE WILD CELEBRATES MILESTONE FOR DEAF REPRESENTATION

 

 I am so happy to see inclusion for those with special needs.  Hats off to DreamWorks!  While my son is not deaf, we use ASL to communicate due to his speech deficit caused by autism!

Deaf actress Shaylee Mansfield is featured in the sixth season of DreamWorks Madagascar: A Little Wild in a “sign over” performance, one of the first in a kids animated series. The character is named and modeled after Shaylee and was animated by using a video reference of Shaylee performing for animators to model from, building upon the previous five seasons featuring ASL and deaf characters. Like series favorites Dave and Pickles, Shaylee’s character uses American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, expanding inclusivity and promoting awareness of ASL.  Watch the below featurette highlighting the process used by actor Shaylee Mansfield alongside Delbert Whetter, Jevon Whetter and Justin Maurer, who serve as ASL consultants on the series.

Shaylee began her career as a deaf YouTuber with the goal of inspiring families and children worldwide to learn ASL. As an actress, she works to show authenticity to the deaf community and expand awareness for ASL through her performances.    Check out the final result in the below clips from this season!   Signing with Shaylee https://youtu.be/-vg0ZE_I3JE Wanna Trade? https://youtu.be/LfgQGFh1tUw Case of the Popped Tire https://youtu.be/x-VRYuiH_EM Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pH_D96-8kI