Best Documentary, Best Week

The Naperville Independent Film Festival brought me to Chicagoland last week and it wasn't just winning "Best Documentary Feature" for Toyland that made it so memorable.

On the 22nd I had wonderful dinner with John and Madeline Spinello. He is the inventor of Operation and she is the most fantastic cook in the world. What a fun night filled with good conversation, good wine, and great food. We filmed in John and Madeline's home 2 years ago for Toyland and director Ken Sons, videographer Steve Kistler and I had the best time hearing John's stories of his time with Marvin Glass & Associates and the development of Operation.

On the 23rd I met with Mary Couzin of the Chicago Toy and Game Group and Mike Hirtle of Hasbro at the Museum of Science and Industry where we will host the third annual Toy and Game Inventor Awards. It's the perfect venue for these awards with a wonderful new exhibit on Jim Henson and The Muppets. This year's event will be a can't-miss celebration for everyone in the toy business.

Later that night, it was the second screening of Toyland, which turned into a toy industry party. A virtual who's who of toys showed up to support our little film, including some stars of Toyland like Burt Meyer (who worked for Marvin Glass & Associates and invented Lite Brite and co-developed Mouse Trap, Inch Worm, Toss Across, Mr. Machine and more). Burt later formed Meyer/Glass, a toy design firm which although closed down, still has a hit on the shelves this year in Loopz from Mattel. Peggy Brown was there. She's an author and game inventor who created games like Q-bitz from Mindware, Hide & Eeek from Gamewright and Backseat Drawing from Out of the Box. Other industry insiders included Mary Couzin, Tracy Dudkiewicz, Kim Vandenbroucke, Michael Steer, Moira Tuffy, Dana Lutz, Mary Kay Russell, Carle R. Wunderlich II , Al Waller, Leah Sugar, Chris Campbell, Anita Daniel, Juan Mendez, Ruth Green-Synowic and more!

The following day I went into Jane Addams School in Palatine and talked to the kids there about staying in school, dreaming big and setting goals for themselves. We had a blast playing Blurt! Next it was over to a cool new toy and game store in Libertyville called Whatsit & Doohickey Co. After that it was an afternoon of promoting Blurt with Julie Park of Educational Insights at Best Toys show. Check out the video below of all the Blurt fun.



The following day I grabbed a long lunch with Pauline Camberis who was Marvin Glass' secretary for many years. Although we've spoken a number of times on the phone, we had never met and I so enjoyed talking toys with her. One hour turned into two as she shared story after story about the man who invented the toy invention business. What a privilege. That evening, I got to hang out with Peggy Brown who was kind enough to accompany me to the closing night awards ceremony for the Naperville Independent Film Festival where Toyland took home the prize!

Overall it was one of the most memorable weeks I've ever had in this crazy business. Chicagoland is the toy invention capital of the world, where Marvin Glass and Eddy Goldfarb cut their teeth. 60 years later and it is an even bigger part of playthings central. The thing that Marvin and Eddy really knew, was that great games and toys need many hands to touch them along the path from prototype to realized product. That's the story we tried to tell in Toyland.

It is good to have competent, creative and inspiring people around you. Thanks everyone!