Richard Hollis - HTI Toys

Every animator wants to inspire devotion in their audiences and to create characters that have a lasting impact.  To make that little short that grows and grows to become a series, a movie, a theatre show, a toy range and a treasured memory that transcends generations.  All that involves a long chain of inter-related partnerships, and the most daunting of all is the partnership with the retailer.  How do you convince a distant and cynical retail giant that your property can be next year’s Toy of the Year?
 
The retail panel we have assembled know the answers.  It combines an industry-leading leading licensor who has led operations at Disney, Paramount and Nickelodeon, an inspiring retail entrepreneur whose business is a trusted barometer for licensing success, and a licensee whose unique business has over 1000 licences.  These are people who know not just how to create and sell a product range, but how to directly inspire passion and trust in their customers.
 
In my own career I have led the licensing business at the BBC and at Dreamworks for many years, and three times have licensed products that won that coveted Toy of the Year title.  In our session at Get Animated conference we’ll be looking at why so few animations translate to successful product, and what makes the difference between a hit and a miss.  We’ll be looking at how animators can give their properties greater commercial potential without stifling your creative freedom, and what key things you need to know before you embark on a licensing programme.  And most importantly, we’ll be helping you understand how to grab that elusive retail shelf space.
 
Get Animated is a conference that is long overdue – giving the creatives the power to make commercial decisions and to help you understand and influence the long chain of decision makers between you and the viewer who buys your merchandise. Here’s to creating that next Toy of the Year!