The Toy of the Film, Or the Film of the Toy?

How movies and TV shows have come to dominate the toy market

It's impossible to ignore how today's toy market has come to be ruled by films and television programs. From action figures to bicycles, soft toys to dressing-up clothes, the vast majority of kids' toys and games these days are tied in with the likes of Darth Vader, Jack Sparrow, or Dora the Explorer. And if existing toy ranges want to compete, there's only one thing for it - make their own movie! Transformers, Bratz, and Masters of the Universe are all lines of toys that have received the movie-star treatment, with more to come. But when did this relationship between toys and films begin, and how did it get so big?

A brief history of movie merchandising

The first notable production of a toy based on a film is still popular, and instantly recognizable around the world, today. In 1928, Walt Disney created the character of Mickey Mouse, who was an instant hit on the silver screen. Two years later, the first stuffed Mickey Mouse dolls were on sale, beginning a successful tie-in that has lasted more than eighty years. From Snow White onwards, successful toy ranges were produced to accompany Disney's feature films. Other popular cartoon producers followed suit, licensing toys and other merchandise to cash in on the popularity of their characters.

In 1952, Mr Potato Head became the first toy to be advertised on television, netting over four million dollars in his first year on the market. Mr Potato Head would later experience a revival after his appearances in Disney's Toy Story movies, which rejuvenated sales for several classic toy ranges. These days, Mr Potato Head continues to follow movie trends, and can be purchased with Darth Vader and Spiderman outfits, amongst others.

In the 1960s, a line of dolls were manufactured, based on US TV show The Lieutenant. Called GI Joe, this range of figures were instantly successful in the US, and are still popular there and in other parts of the world to this day. Other television and film series, including Batman and James Bond, had great success with merchandising spin-offs aimed at children.
The explosion in toy and movie tie-ins

But the relationship between film and toy was taken to a whole new level in 1977, with the release of the movie Star Wars. The film's creator and director, George Lucas, shrewdly realised that the heroes, villains, monsters and spaceships that populate the movie, lent themselves effortlessly to the toy market. Kenner's range of Star Wars figure and toys came to dominate the toy industry for years to come, and original items of Star Wars merchandise are now highly sought after collectibles which can fetch a high price.

Toys start starring in their own movies

The massive success of Star Wars toys showed toy manufacturers just how important television and the cinema could be in marketing toys to children (and their parents). The 1980s saw an explosion in this style of toy merchandising, especially in the world of TV. In the early '80s, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe became the first cartoon series to be based on a range of toys, rather than the other way around. This technique led to huge sales of the toys, and led to a spate of toy-related TV shows and movies based on toy ranges, including Care Bears, My Little Pony and Thundercats. In 1987, He-Man got his own movie, called Masters of the Universe, with Dolph Lundgren portraying the plastic action figure.

This was the start of a trend which would lead to the blockbuster movie Transformers in 2007, the biggest film so far to be entirely based on a range of toys. Another Masters of the Universe movie is in production, with a bigger budget than the original and the benefit of modern special effects techniques. The advent of CGI makes it much easier for filmmakers to recreate the world of toys on the big screen, and much loved toy ranges like Thundercats and GI Joe have films in the early stages of development.

Film and toy tie-ins are here to stay

Some may argue that such collaborations are cynically exploiting the "I want that" syndrome in the modern child. But it can also be said that the relationship between films and toys encourages imagination, story-telling, and creative development in children. After all, once the movie is over, children can continue the adventure at home, deciding for themselves how the story continues.

The making of cartoons

Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and the rest of the alliance comedian made Walt Disney a household name. As of today, are part of every child in the world, spawning products that the characters come alive even more.

The animation is regarded as an art form. It has its origins in the days of cave men, and among the artists of ancient Egypt and Greece. For centuries, artists tried to move the pieces dragging them, and the inspiration of the movement -a crusade that was never fully successful until the feat on film and cartoon film was born, has been administered.

Disney (Philippines) Animator Panlaqui monomer says: "Disney cartoons to do, (originally from the classical models) already in 1920, your personality must be clearly defined for the series. Drawing in many situations is a very serious matter, to do but very rewarding as well. "

The Disney animation studio in Los Angeles, he says, makes a numberCharacteristic of the animation, if the original film released makes money in cash. The series is shown on Disney Australia, Japan, Canada and the Philippines Disney Disney. The original film lasts two hours of play, while the number is reduced to at least 24 minutes.

The entertainer begins his work with a binder consisting of a storyboard, layout and background. The storyboards, which is like a giant comic strip is, wrote a script. The site is located in a fixed number ofsmall pencil sketches that are ambitious, and the sequence in the message boards. Dialogues and descriptions are printed below each picture. Animators a guide to follow sketches and drawings for the characters. But the appearance and depth of the design depends on the skill and talent perspective animator.

Sometimes Panlaqui points out, "I imitated the sign in front of the mirror and let others do them. Mickey When, for example, cry or feel sad, I even hear it howland sad. In animation, animators, actors who draw them. We bring excitement to the drawings, the collection of the most vibrant scene in the drawing. "

"We also need to know what the character says, most of the time. For example, Mickey always says, 'Damn', that is for sure 'Attaboy'" Hot Dog "and" Oh Boy! "We have scripts and scores to lead us to remove the drawings. If the work off the model, we update it. The rule is always follow the classicPattern. "

Panlaqui monomer is a graduate of fine arts.

Making a Pleated Valance

When making a pleated valance, we first suggest that a pattern be made on paper. Six inches should be allowed for each pleat with space between each pleat of eight inches in width. Let's assume, for example, that a valance is to be made into five pleats. It will be necessary to allow 30" for the pleats. There are to be 6 spaces between the pleats of 8" each, making a total of 48".

The material needed at the two ends to turn the corners and reach the window trim should be at least 4" on each end, making 8" for two turnbacks. Add 1/2" at each end for hems, making 1" additional. The total width of material needed is 30" plus 48" plus 8" plus 1" = 87". When the pleats are drawn together, as indicated in the illustration, the final width of the valance is 57". The valance may be made smaller or larger by reducing or increasing the spaces between the pleats.

Most materials are not sufficiently wide for valances and have to be pieced. If a valance board is not used the 4" for the turn-backs at the sides will not he necessary. In the latter case an inch or two on each side may he turned under or cut off, according to the width of the window or the inside corner blocks.

Valance boards should be about 4 inches wide and long enough to come to the edge of the window casing. The top of the valance board should be on the level with the upper edge of the window trim or casing. For a well finished effect, the board should be covered with lining similar to that used to line the material. The valance is then tacked on to the edge of the valance board.

If a curtain rod is to be used for the valance, triple rods may be purchased. The inner rod to be used for the glass curtains, the middle one for the over-draperies and the outside one for the valance. Valances may be attached to the curtain rod. Hooks are sewed on the back into the pleats when the pleats are being made. Extra hooks may be placed between the pleats which help to keep the heading upright. Rings are sometimes used instead of hooks and they are slipped over the rod.

After the paper pattern is completed, we would suggest cutting a model out of muslin or other cheap material, pin the pleats in place, try the model at the window to see how it fits and at the same time determine its height. The height of the valance is determined by the height of the window.

A good general proportion to follow is to make the valance one-sixth of the height of the curtain treatment. If the window is six feet and the curtains stop at the window apron, the valance should be twelve inches deep. If, however, the curtains go to the floor, the average height of a window from the top of the window casing to the floor is 9 feet, making the valance in this case 18" deep.

The valance is lined by placing the right side of the lining and material together, cutting the lining so it extends 1/2" beyond the material at the bottom. Stitch across the top and at the sides. Turn the valance inside out so that the wrong sides are together and baste across the lower edge, 1/2" lining showing beyond the edge of the bottom of the material.

If a fringe or other edging is to be used, it is placed underneath next to the lining upside down so that the top edge of the fringe is even with the edge of the lining and will not be noticeable against any wood corner blocks With the fringe and lining in position, stitch together, then turn the edge of the lining and fringe up over the front edge of the material and sew neatly together for these stitches will show on the back and front. Remove the basting threads that are left.

To make the pleats, draw the material together as indicated on the pattern where 6" has been allowed for each pleat and baste together. The fold is then made into a box pleat or pinch pleat. A pinch pleat is made by gathering the 0" fold together and dividing it into three small folds and sewing the three folds securely in place.

A box pleat is made by drawing the material together and getting the effect of a straight pleat as shown in the illustrations previously referred to. For making shaped valances, it is advisable to first make a paper pattern and place it in position in order to study its lines and proportions. For accuracy fold the paper in the middle and draw half of the design. Cut the other half by it.