The master toy diaries – A behind-the-scenes look at how Decode is taking Franny’s Feet from screen to shelf

When it comes to exploiting a property's ancillary potential, indie producers often find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Landing a spot on domestic nets dominated by in-house productions is tough, but getting a global toy deal without a U.S. broadcast berth may be even tougher - especially in a retail environment as risk-averse as it is right now. And that's exactly where Toronto, Canada's Decode Entertainment found itself with its digital 2-D animated preschool series Franny's Feet two years after its 2003 debut. The show had sold into 165 countries, but without a U.S. home, toycos weren't biting. What follows is an in-depth look at how Decode turned it around, and what went into finally inking a master toy license with heavyweight Hasbro's Playskool division last October.