Frequently asked questions

I first discovered the Wogglebug in the original Oz books when I was twelve years old. I at first read only books that portrayed him in a negative light and didn't like him. At first, I didn't know him as being any different so I had no problem going along with hating him. But then I read the second book, The Marvelous Land of Oz, and the first book he was in. Then right away I saw him as being different from how he was later portrayed in the series. I didn't find him unlikable there, but the complete opposite. He struck me as being just the sort of character I could calmly sit and talk to without a care in the world as he made me smile a lot. By the time I'd read the book to the end, I was wanting to hug him because I felt so sorry for him. I understood he had been mistreated and that wasn't his fault.  I felt he was a very lovable character with an equally lovable smile who I could identify with and sympathize with in some ways. Also, the backstory I read of him in that book was awesome and certainly seemed like something meant for this day and age on the movie screen instead of the early twentieth century and on a cheap theater stage.

I read about Baum's life and discovered the Wogglebug was actually in his first two years something of a famous icon. He had a musical named after him, and was the hero of a Sunday comic series, and "What Did the Wogglebug Say?" was a popular catchphrase that came from this series. It didn't last due to the musical's failure and the rise of the Oz books franchise. I find I love the Wogglebug more than I love the Oz books and the way the other characters were typically portrayed in them (ironically).

I was interested in becoming a filmmaker for a little while before I discovered the Wogglebug, and when I looked at him, I felt I had found a profound reason to pursue this dream of making him famous as a movie character for the children of today. The time has now come for his stardom to rise and shine. Also thinking I've found an excellent purpose for my life that involves making people happy in ways that make me happy gives me a feeling of fulfillment unlike any other.  After all, everyone needs to have something to do with their life as long as it is a good thing and can be of positive value and benefit to others in the world in some way or another.

I hope to achieve an original vision. I hope to use the movie series to provide a good example of how education pertains to both the head and the heart at the same time. I hope to gain a large fan base, especially including children, who love the Wogglebug and are inspired by him to pursue education in life and believe heroes can use brains over brawn and that love, optimism, natural growth, and freely seeking knowledge and truth are the keys to all of wisdom. I hope to prove to all the world that Mr. Wogglebug can be used as a very good example of being a good role model and children's hero outside of the Land of Oz, as well as make for a most excellent movie star. I hope to improve on what L. Frank Baum created, and also right the wrongs he did with the Wogglebug's tragic past life.

Mr. Wogglebug, in addition to being a lovable and huggable character for children to love and admire, is also a great potential role model for them to be inspired by. His movies have themes and messages that are perfect for lesson plans that teachers can either make up on their own or purchase the teacher's edition of the DVD. The movie's storylines also have plenty of deep meanings embedded within them for parents to have opportunities to discuss these things with their children.

The Wogglebug's movies value and emphasize themes of caring, kindness, courtesy, humility, optimism in the joy of living, being honest, using brains over brawn, the meaning of true friendship, and loving unconditionally. It is my belief and deepest hope that my movies and short films as a whole can help many children to develop excellent social skills, be inspired to be kind and caring individuals, and desire to become as well educated as Mr. Wogglebug is as possible.

It was after all, my being able to feel so much empathy and compassion for Mr. Wogglebug in the first place that largely inspired me to do my best to try to treat others the way I wish to be treated as much as possible. He has made a profound and positive difference in my life that I want to have him make in many others.

It has two meanings that are closely related to each other. One is what the first three letters stand for. Which is "(W)ell (O)rderly (G)entleman" which Mr. Wogglebug most certainly is.

Another meaning is the one that Professor Nowitall gave to it in my film series. Which is that it means "wisdom and love in a collective sense while also implying they go one way or another with each other depending on which one is emphasized the most or neglected the most." The Wogglebug's Movies are all about him on a life's journey woggling along with wisdom and love intertwined together as much as possible. By the end, he has achieved a super degree of near to perfect in every way. It's as Professor Nowitall says to Mr. Wogglebug from the very first, "Your well-rounded education enables you to not just attain a success, but to also sustain a failure." And it's true.

Mr. Wogglebug is overall always very gentlemanly, intelligent, and lightheartedly humorous. This is why I am hoping that parents of autistic children might be among my most targeted audience and valued customers.

It's very simple.  First of all, the Oz franchise has become SO enormous these days that making just another Oz film or book would prove meaningless and likely another failure. As there is not a great market for new Oz books these days and the latest films haven't been very successful as ratings have shown. Besides the presence of other Oz characters and an Oz setting would only be a terrible distraction to the Wogglebug's greatness. So just as most Oz films omit him from Oz, now the film he stars in will omit all the rest of the Oz characters and take place in a different fantasy land that is actually closer connected to our own world than Oz ever was, and thus a better home for the Wogglebug. There's no place like your true home, as the saying goes.

Another important fact is that the Wogglebug was never actually meant to be in the Oz books to begin with. Baum himself stated this in a 1904 interview when he explained how the Wogglebug's name just came to him at random and out of the blue when he wasn't thinking about the plot of his second Oz book, which was already a third written. Then he had only chosen to put him into the story right where he was only because his wife suggested it. If either of them had adequate common-sense Baum would have known to just have the Wogglebug star in a completely different and separated book from Oz altogether.

Just as certainly as Baum should have known to put Dorothy in the second book as a heroine again since he only even was writing a sequel at all because he made a deal with a little girl named Dorothy he would when a thousand letters to him requested one. Instead of needing for her to be updated on all that had gone on while she had been absent from Oz when she returned in the third book. Just as certain as if the Wogglebug was in a book and musical completely separate from Oz all along they might not have flopped at least.

Genoma is more more close to our world than Oz in that it has a much better balance between magic and logic, and a better harmony with fantasy and reality, and science of our world is more accepted and more appreciated. And it's a mortal world with a natural aging and growth life cycle.  It is basically also a place where most all of the residents (human or otherwise) came from other fantasy lands nearby and the ones living there now are their descendants. And also as it is closer to our world than Oz it is also not a perfect world by logic (Oz was not perfect either but Genoma does not try to pretend to not be perfect and the citizens do not hold the false perception of it being the best and most glorious fairyland ever by logic that no place ever really is) and so this is exactly why the Wogglebug is better off there instead of in Oz and why it would be best to have him born again there like his origins were always there to begin with.

The Wogglebug's new life will not exactly be perfect there either (he won't be completely immune to mistakes or suffering) but in comparison to his life Oz it's the closest thing to Heaven on Earth for him, metaphorically speaking of course. Genoma is closer to our world than Oz in the fact that it doesn't require some major catastrophe in our world to get to it. I recall Dorothy getting to Oz only via a tornado, a shipwreck, and an earthquake. But Sylvie always goes to Genoma through a very simple magical portal that is always in a different place than before. The first time is through a painting in her attic that represents the adventure she has with Woggie, and the next time she is transported by musical notes played by a music box that looks like Queen Elysia the fairy mother of the elements from the previous film. The next time is through an ordinary box a magician at a magic show puts her in she opens a door and comes out of it just in time to catch and hug Woggie when he is lonely for her. She just always comes in when the golden links between the two worlds are set just right to do so. This is a mystery that Professor Nowitall is working hard to uncover and Woggie and Sylvie ultimately ensure he succeeds.

In my series Professor Nowitall loves Woggie in the same way Sylvie does, but in just a much more parental sort of way. Which is all just the way I love her combined and that is so much that I want to make sure he has everything in his new home and way of life. He has a kind and loving mentor in Professor Nowitall who devotes his final years to making his first years the best start for him, and a little girl from the world outside who loves him like a mentor and best friend that links the two worlds and causes a stronger connection between them that opens the portals this way.