Father-daughter creators Jason and Allison Flom reflect on their journey from picture book to animated musical special, incorporating original songs, vivid visuals, and character-driven storytelling to create a show grounded in curiosity, joy, and belonging; streams May 30 on Apple TV+.
What began as a picture book about identity and self-acceptance has grown into an animated musical special for Apple TV+, with a second book on the way. Created by Allison and Jason Flom, Lulu Is a Rhinoceros tells the story of a bulldog who believes she’s something more - a rhino. In this interview, the father-daughter creative team shares how their passion for empathy, music, and storytelling led to the animated adaptation, and how they worked closely with Bento Box Animation and Boulder Media to bring Lulu’s world to life.
Lulu Is a Rhinoceros debuts Friday, May 30, on the streamer. The show’s voice cast includes Auli‘i Cravalho (Moana), Alex Newell (Glee), Dulé Hill (Psych), Paul Rust (Love), and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts).
Produced by Propagate Content and Bento Box Animation, the special was developed by Jason and Allison Flom, who serve as executive producers alongside Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, and Rodney Ferrell for Propagate Content and Brett Coker, Scott Greenberg, and Dana Tafoya-Cameron. Allison Flom serves as head writer, with original songs by Leland and lyrics by Allison Flom. Jina Hyojin An and Shirley Song provide an original score.
Enjoy the trailer:
Lulu is a Rhinoceros started as a simple children’s book with a big message. The idea of turning it into an animated special took root long after the book’s release. “Honestly, the idea of bringing it to animation was beyond my wildest dreams in 2018 when we were working on this,” says Allison Flom. “But I’ve always had a dream of writing television for all audiences.”
She continues, “Something my dad has instilled me and my brother since we were very young is with a platform comes responsibility. And when you have an audience and you have people listening to you, you have a responsibility to be thoughtful and put your best foot forward. I would never honestly have imagined working in animation, but getting the opportunity to work with Apple TV+ on this special meant what is the most we can learn, who are the best people we can assemble, and what's the very best, most effective way we can make this show? Because we didn’t want to waste the opportunity.”
Jason Flom, Allison’s father and longtime music executive, adds, “The first person to jump on board was Ben Silverman. Everyone knows him from The Office and all the wonderful TV shows he’s executive produced over the years. He had the vision to turn this book into a TV show.” According to Jason, Silverman’s team brought in Bento Box early on. “They created a little animated vignette that we were able to show to Apple TV+. We’re talking over five years ago. Then Bento Box brought in Boulder Media in Ireland.”
The creative direction was guided by a simple idea. “We were guided by the idea of building out the world that we created in the book and keeping the tone the same,” says Allison. “Prioritizing those same themes of a world where kindness is cool, where everyone belongs.”
Director Angela Stempel played a key role in visually translating that world. “Once we had a script, she imagined these characters that were just full of joy and kind of leapt off the page,” Allison shares. “A kind of recognizable, but joyous, vivid, colorful – and all animal – version of New York.”
The team also credits art director Maria Pareja for her collaboration and visual guidance. “Even though it was all happening through Bento Box at Boulder Media in Ireland, we were very close to every step of the process,” Allison notes. “To see other people digging into this material and imagining it in their own incredible ways just gave us this gold mine of possibilities.”
For both Jason and Allison, the creative work was anchored in empathy. “One of the keys to success is being friendly,” Jason says. “I’ve run companies, and I can’t even pretend to be a jerk. Because it’s almost like people don’t take me seriously. But in general, it’s been a very successful strategy.”
Allison agrees. “Empathy and the power of listening… we never see the full picture of someone’s experience. So, it’s always better to replace judgment with curiosity,” she explains. “Whether it’s our shared passion for justice reform or my work in the arts, leading with empathy is the engine.”
That empathy extended to the characters themselves. “That brought clarity to each character,” says Allison. “Even when we had the slightest difference of creative opinion, we were aligned on the messaging.”
Music plays a central role in the Lulu special. “How could we not make it musical with my dad – a legend in the industry?” Allison laughs.
She wrote the lyrics to the songs, starting with a message or emotion. “For that finale, The Perfect Me, the kind of self-love anthem that we hope people will find themselves singing, I started from this idea of I’m easy to love, I’m good enough. The perfect me is me. The rhino of my dreams is me.”
Stempel proposed creating music video-like sequences within the special. “Each of the songs, animation-wise, has a visual heightening of what’s already going on in the story,” says Allison. “So, they do kind of stand out.”
Jason points out that the songs aren’t just decorative. “It’s not a musical per se,” he says. “But it has tons of music in it. It just feels like part of the story and seems to come along at exactly the time when you need that little extra lift.”
Apple TV+ brought in songwriter Leland to help develop the music. “He has been a dream,” Jason adds. “It felt so organic the way it came together — the lyrics, the music. It sort of tells the story seamlessly.”
As for what’s next, the Floms are already at work on another Lulu story. “We’ve always got plans,” says Allison. “We have a plan for a second book next year.”
“It’s very music-focused,” adds Jason. “The music jumps right off the pages of the book. So, it’s a new adventure for Lulu. And then we hope that this special will grow into an enduring series.”
They’re motivated not just by artistic ambition but by audience impact. “We want to keep making these and keep getting these messages out there,” says Jason.
What do they hope audiences take away from Lulu is a Rhinoceros? For Allison, it’s about self-acceptance. “Lulu starts the special and starts her day saying in the mirror, ‘I’m brave, I’m kind and I love who I am,’” she says. “She goes on a misguided quest to prove herself, only to land at what she already knew: she’s great as she is.”
“The messages are kind of in the songs,” she continues. “Who I am is up to me. Nothing I have to prove. I’m easy to love. I’m good enough. The perfect me is me.”
Jason shares a story about a friend whose 6-year-old had a number of issues, was refusing to read, and was experiencing rages. One night he saw the book on her nightstand, with the bulldog and rhinoceros on the cover, and wanted to read it. She began reading it with him at bedtime. The mother credited the book with helping her son through some dark emotional struggles. “He would read it every night and giggle,” Jason recalls being told. “If nothing else came from writing this book but that one story, that would be good enough for me. Receiving those types of messages has been a humbling experience.”
Allison adds, “For anyone who feels misunderstood, bringing joy and having this cornerstone of kindness — that is the message.”
And in a media landscape often filled with negativity, they believe in offering something different. “Everyone of all ages will encounter new things and people in situations,” Allison says. “But if we replace judgment with curiosity, if we lead with kindness, it can only go well.”
Lulu is a Rhinoceros is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
