This toy bus playset is my favorite of all the merchandise ever produced for The Doodlebops. It comes with a plastic Bus Driver Bob figure. Apparently Deedee, Rooney and Moe were sold separately. The side of the bus folds down to make a stage, just like in the TV show.
I came up with the idea of a transforming bus when I was trying to figure out how to shoot the Get on the Bus dance sequence. The solution comes from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. We could shoot from the front as they get on the bus, then swing around to the side and transform the front wall into a stage so they can dance.
This scene in Hedwig features a trailer with a wall that opens up into a stage. I love it! It gives the dancers lots of room to move and when you cut to a wide shot you don't have to pretend you're shooting through a fourth wall.
Here is the Get on the Bus music video. Notice how our fold-down stage has the same row of lightbulbs at the front?
The fact that Mattel made this into a toy still blows my mind.
