TOY FRENZY! — We’ve Found Our Subjects!

A Documentary About the Heart Behind the Toys

By Sivhour Sim
February 2008
Every year, toy manufacturers and retailers clamor to get inside the Javits Center in New York City, host to the annual American International Toy Fair. According to the fair’s official website, last year’s show saw over 28,000 buyers, 1,236 manufacturers and nearly 800 media representatives.

FROM DEMOS TO A FEATURE
Since 2005, the TDmonthly Magazine video crew attends the show and videotapes a variety of manufacturers demonstrating their latest innovative products. This year, our crew is taking it two steps further, creating a short-feature documentary detailing the lowdown of life as a toy manufacturer: the financial, emotional and mental strains of getting one’s beloved creation on the shelves of stores and into the hands of children. We will see their anxiety and excitement before, during and after the New York show.

Still recovering from the effects of the mass toy recall of lead paint products from China, toy manufacturers are trying to prove to the world that the toy industry can be trusted. The Toy Frenzy! documentary will delve beyond the toy industry itself and provide a closer look at the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, grandparents and friends behind the toys and the inspiration that led them to create these unique products.

So who will TDmonthly follow at the show? After reviewing the stories of a variety of toy makers, TDmonthly has whittled the long list down to three winners: The Tails of Abbygail - Dreams Come True!, Frolicking Floaters - Water Toys and ethiKids, inc. - "what's the deal?" Game.

WORLDWIDE DISTRBUTION
“Toy Frenzy! – Only the Fun Survive” is tentatively set for release in May 2008. The in-depth documentary will be broadcast on TDmonthly’s ToyTV, Google Video and YouTube. Additionally, it will be sent out to film and video festivals worldwide.