How Pony is Formed: Production and Business Thread

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Re: How Pony is Formed: Production and Business Thread

Postby Grue (?) » Sat May 17, 2014 8:26 pm

SoundMonkey44 wrote:Nice! And guessing the difference between parts is people forgetting it started half an hour earlier.


This is really a blunder. They would literally have 100k more viewers if they lined up the two parter correctly. Good job, Hub. :-/
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Postby Wayoshi (?) » Sat May 17, 2014 8:41 pm

10:30-11:30 is an awkward time. A 2-parter has never started on a :30. Come on now
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Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Sat May 17, 2014 10:06 pm

I didn't hear the episode was on half an hour early until I woke up and people were getting ready to start watching. :-/
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Sat May 17, 2014 10:46 pm

Grue wrote:
This is really a blunder. They would literally have 100k more viewers if they lined up the two parter correctly. Good job, Hub. :-/



Not really a blunder cause the HUB advertised the hell out of it and put the start time in at least one version of the commercial. People just to lazy to remember stuff. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Thu May 22, 2014 12:38 am

Tomorrow is Hasbro's Shareholders meeting, which I'm confirmed to be attending, so if there is anything revealed about MLP plans, I'll post it here as soon as I can with pics!
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Thu May 22, 2014 9:12 am

^ Nice!
I can't remember if they revealed anything last year... in fact, I can't remember it at all. :awkward:

I hope it's more like the Toy Fair presentations and less like the earnings conferences.
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Postby Sobana (?) » Thu May 22, 2014 9:33 am

Frith wrote:The second part is the most watched MLP episode ever.

B-but-but my queen's~ *faints* x.x
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Thu May 22, 2014 7:27 pm

I just got back! They gave a crap ton of free stuff, including free ponies. :-I

The biggest things that would be to note here in this forum was that girls toys have had a humongous jump in sales from 2012, with a grand total of $1 billion dollars for girls toys as of today. I wonder how much MLP had to do with it. (They said girls toys made $300 million in 2012.)

The biggest MLP thing they were trying to promote is that new Pop line of mix and match toys. They showed us a video going over the product, but we already know the whole Mane 6 will be released in this line. Each figure is going to include the base pony and manes (horn or wings if its a unicorn or pegasus too), extra manes will be included, and stickers. It should come out in September.

That's all they said that would be of interest here.

Edit: I mean free My Little Pony dolls, including EQG. Not really free living ponies. :v:
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Postby Wayoshi (?) » Thu May 22, 2014 7:29 pm

... Really? Nothing at all on EqG?
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Thu May 22, 2014 7:34 pm

ShieldedDiamond wrote:The biggest MLP thing they were trying to promote is that new Pop line of mix and match toys. They showed us a video going over the product, but we already know the whole Mane 6 will be released in this line. Each figure is going to include the base pony and manes (horn or wings if its a unicorn or pegasus too), extra manes will be included, and stickers. It should come out in September.

Well, I guess the show can't exactly have the six of them trading body parts with one another, can it? I suppose S5 is largely safe in that regard then.
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Thu May 22, 2014 7:48 pm

Wayoshi wrote:... Really? Nothing at all on EqG?


Well, there is nothing really to say, as the line is out already. They were really only trying to show what's new, and so they were trying to show off those Pop ponies, being a new line.

Fizzbuzz wrote:Well, I guess the show can't exactly have the six of them trading body parts with one another, can it? I suppose S5 is largely safe in that regard then.


I hope Pop isn't related to S5. :-I

Regardless, from everything the showed for the Pop ponies, they kind of looked fun, as seen in the video. Despite how bizarre some of them look.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Fri May 23, 2014 12:41 am

Season 5: my little fusion! XD

If anything the pop thing would probably be a single ep. Probsbly another Twy messing up a spell or Discord getting another funky sickness. XD
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri May 23, 2014 1:00 am

To be honest, I believe this is their My Little Pony "gimmick" until 2015's main one, like Crystal Empire, or Rainbow Power. Because if they had something in the main line, it would be expected to be in the show, which won't be until 2015.

Considering how they discussed it and presented it, Pop seems to be the "new pony toys filler" until the show comes back, so to say. As they didn't mention anything else of importance for the line in the fall.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Fri May 23, 2014 1:28 am

Odds are Rainbow Power will be around at least a year.
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Fri May 23, 2014 1:55 am

ShieldedDiamond wrote:To be honest, I believe this is their My Little Pony "gimmick" until 2015's main one, like Crystal Empire, or Rainbow Power. Because if they had something in the main line, it would be expected to be in the show, which won't be until 2015.

Considering how they discussed it and presented it, Pop seems to be the "new pony toys filler" until the show comes back, so to say. As they didn't mention anything else of importance for the line in the fall.

I wonder if that means S5 really won't begin until the end of 2015 or so. Compared to the other such gimmicks this seems like a relatively subdued one, so either it's filler like you mention or the show is doing something in S5 that can't really be toy-ified (assuming Hasbro's toymakers took the Rainbow Power idea from the show, not vice versa).
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri May 23, 2014 2:14 am

Well, it still isn't part of the main line, so I don't think this pushes the show to fall 2015. I think this is just so there's a new pony something (besides EqG) in the fall.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Fri May 23, 2014 2:19 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:I wonder if that means S5 really won't begin until the end of 2015 or so. Compared to the other such gimmicks this seems like a relatively subdued one, so either it's filler like you mention or the show is doing something in S5 that can't really be toy-ified (assuming Hasbro's toymakers took the Rainbow Power idea from the show, not vice versa).



I doubt it, they still have 8 months to finish voice work & animate, they wouldn't go over a year without new pony. Here's how I see it

September 2014: Rainbow Rocks (theatre)
October 2014: Rainbow Rocks on HUB
November 2014: Equestria Academy
Jan/Feb 2015: Friendship Is Magic season 5
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Postby Sobana (?) » Thu Jun 19, 2014 2:56 am

MY LITTLE PONY has grown to represent approximately $650 million dollars at retail across all consumer products in 2013.


$650 million in one year... Guys, $650 million a year... In 2009, Hasbro was only making $1.2 billion a year... This show is now immortal~

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/hasbro-revolutionizing-branded-play-and-lifestyle-experiences-through-rich-storytelling-across-all-entertainment-platforms-2014-06-17
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:20 pm

The brand is highly secure, but the show might not be. Hasbro may eventually get to the point where they're fine with the number of episodes that exist and then either decide to end the show or scale it down to one or two direct-to-DVD specials each year.
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:25 pm

I doubt the show itself is immortal, eventually they'll want to start G5.

Sobana wrote:In 2009, Hasbro was only making $1.2 billion a year...


Where are you getting this number from? According to their reports on their website, in 2009 they made a total of $4 Billion+ in profits.

Source

Net revenues of $4.07 billion, an increase of $46.4 million or 1% from a year ago; net revenues increased 3% excluding the negative $65.2 million impact of foreign exchange;
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Thu Jun 19, 2014 1:23 pm

Sobana wrote:This show is now immortal~


Be realistic, the brand has existed since the 80s and has had numerous shows of varying quality since then. Friendship is Magic is good, but it sure isn't "immortal".
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Postby Homeswirl (?) » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:41 pm

Fizzbuzz wrote:Hasbro may eventually get to the point where they're fine with the number of episodes that exist and then either decide to end the show or scale it down to one or two direct-to-DVD specials each year.

This is an interesting concept. They could do some amazing actual pony-movie things with this, if the same team as the FiM show is used.
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Postby The Outlander (?) » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:46 pm

Remember that FiM was part of the spearhead for a brand new initiative. Hasbro is purposely changing up their formula because they were somehow dissatisfied with how things were going before. I don't think we can look towards things they've done before 2010 as predictions of what they'll try in the future. It very well may be that they believe constantly offering new content is the best way to keep the brand alive. This fits in perfectly with the rumored EqG show, which would bring more My Little Pony-related content around the year if they chose to air the two shows during different seasons.
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Postby Sobana (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:03 pm

I guess it could end. But this the most popular show they had so far with a few more seasons planned beyond season five it doesn't show signs of stopping any time soon...
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Postby Perrydotto (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:07 pm

We don't actually know how much is planned past season 5. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:08 pm

All we know is there is a season 5. Anything beyond that has not been even hinted at.
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Postby Grue (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 4:57 pm

I haven't seen this discussed, but apparently CEO (and founder) of Hub, Margaret Loesch is stepping down at the end of the year. I find the timing rather suspicious, seeing as season 5 is slated for 2015 and definitely not fall 2014. What if the Hub is shut down and they air it on another channel, if at all?
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Postby Bumble-B (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 4:59 pm

Grue wrote:I haven't seen this discussed, but apparently CEO (and founder) of Hub, Margaret Loesch is stepping down at the end of the year. I find the timing rather suspicious, seeing as season 5 is slated for 2015 and definitely not fall 2014. What if the Hub is shut down and they air it on another channel, if at all?


Oh, we discussed this in the Month thread last week/days ago already :-P
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:04 pm

Grue wrote:What if the Hub is shut down and they air it on another channel, if at all?


Well, if they can't air it on another channel, they have online distributions and DVDs. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby Bremen (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:21 pm

Tailspin wrote:
Well, if they can't air it on another channel, they have online distributions and DVDs. :pinkieshrug:


Or they could probably do a record shattering kickstarter :gotcha:
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Postby Grue (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:28 pm

AppleCobbler44 wrote:
Oh, we discussed this in the Month thread last week/days ago already :-P


Figures. I thought these were supposed to be discontinued :-/
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Postby doodlesplat (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:18 pm

Bremen wrote:
Or they could probably do a record shattering kickstarter :gotcha:
And if Hasbro is willing to sell the appropriate license, crowdfunding might also be able to produce the FiM movie that the creative staff have expressed interest in making but which Hasbro has not yet greenlit.
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:12 pm

Tailspin wrote:All we know is there is a season 5. Anything beyond that has not been even hinted at.


I feel like they're doing this one season at a time anyway. Like, I highly doubt they had "Twilight becomes a Princess" in mind back in S1 production. Hasbro might have, depending on how they plan futures of their toy brands, but I don't think they would have mentioned it at the start of production of S1. Going off of that, if it's true, to this day I feel like they wouldn't change that formula just because it got popular.
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Postby Sobana (?) » Sat Jun 21, 2014 12:06 am

Well, Hasbro is a company that likes to make money, it makes money by selling toys, it uses cartoons to sell toys. As long as the show is the one pushing out the toys there is no reason to stop making the show unless they suddenly don't like money any more. There is no reason to reinvent it and risk losing money for something that is doing well so far. They might make spin offs to help rake in money which is why they bumped off Jem reboot for EqG.

They might be playing it cautious. They never had a series last this long before so they might want to take it one season at a time. But they did hint to things in the pipe line for 2016 and 2017.

Even if the Hub shuts down, there is no reason to think another channel won't be willing to pick up the show with the ratings it had so far...
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sat Jun 21, 2014 12:31 am

That's just it, though. The continued survival of the show hinges on whether Hasbro thinks new episodes are necessary to keep toys flowing or if they'll decide that five seasons is enough. I don't think any one of us can tell exactly what (or if) the suits are thinking, so we just have to watch and wait.
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:03 am

They could just end it at five seasons and keep occasionally releasing direct to dvd movie if they decided that's the best business solution. They could also focus more on EQG, which I think SD mentioned as selling well.

As Fizzbuzz said, we don't know what the guys in suits are thinking and giving any predictions on how the show will last long or what they planned is pretty hard.
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Sat Jun 21, 2014 2:33 am

Sobana wrote:Well, Hasbro is a company that likes to make money, it makes money by selling toys, it uses cartoons to sell toys. As long as the show is the one pushing out the toys there is no reason to stop making the show unless they suddenly don't like money any more. There is no reason to reinvent it and risk losing money for something that is doing well so far. They might make spin offs to help rake in money which is why they bumped off Jem reboot for EqG.

They might be playing it cautious. They never had a series last this long before so they might want to take it one season at a time. But they did hint to things in the pipe line for 2016 and 2017.

Even if the Hub shuts down, there is no reason to think another channel won't be willing to pick up the show with the ratings it had so far...


Yeah, but Hasbro also likes to start stuff over with a new gen, to open up a wider audience. I mean, if MLP goes on for 6, 7, 8 years, they're risking loosing their audience, and would be better off getting a fresh audience with the next generation, with a new show. They're in the business industry, they know that. If people are loyal to the brand, then they'll watch the next show. Just look at Transformers.

Tailspin wrote:They could just end it at five seasons and keep occasionally releasing direct to dvd movie if they decided that's the best business solution. They could also focus more on EQG, which I think SD mentioned as selling well. .


Yes, and my source for that is their Shareholders Meeting from last month. They said that the Equestria Girl doll line was highly successful, selling more than other leading brands when it started. (Referring to Monster High, Bratz, etc.) Equestria Girls also contributed to growth of sales in girls toys. If anything, what I see them doing at this point is ending FiM to focus on an EQG show, to help promote them more.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Sat Jun 21, 2014 2:47 am

#SixSeasonsAndAMovie! Let's succed where community failed! :gotcha: :fluttersmith:
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Postby Sobana (?) » Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:43 am

ShieldedDiamond wrote:
Yeah, but Hasbro also likes to start stuff over with a new gen, to open up a wider audience. I mean, if MLP goes on for 6, 7, 8 years, they're risking loosing their audience, and would be better off getting a fresh audience with the next generation, with a new show. They're in the business industry, they know that. If people are loyal to the brand, then they'll watch the next show. Just look at Transformers.

The thing is it is not the audience they are after, it's the sales. While they might have something planned for G5, but it would be foolish to give up on something doing so well. Hasbro only rethinks new gens after the sales from their last one drop down. Hasbro only planned for FiM to last 65 episodes before they started working on G5, but the popularity kept it going for another two seasons.

The series is four years old now, it already outgrew the audience it was after. The 8 year old girls who this was meant for are now 12 and are interested in teen things. That is why they made the spin off EqG to keep the same audience still interested. And the only reason that EqG is so popular is because it was connected to these ponies. Pony sells and any thing you put on them does extremely well.

The only way I see them moving on to G5 is if the popularity drops and then the sales drop. But then even EqG will drop in sales...
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:59 am

ShieldedDiamond wrote: I mean, if MLP goes on for 6, 7, 8 years, they're risking loosing their audience, and would be better off getting a fresh audience with the next generation, with a new show.
Sobana wrote:The series is four years old now, it already outgrew the audience it was after.

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves with this premise?

There may be increasing continuity, but this is still an episodic cartoon, it isn't outgrowing anyone; 6-11 years old girls can get into Season 4 as much as they could get into Season 1.
If anything, the original audience who started following FiM from the beginning may be outgrowing it, and that's what Equestria Girls is for, to give them a reason to stay with the franchise.
The concept of rebooting the series because it went on for too long doesn't make much sense in this case, as long as it is succesful with its target audience, there is no reason to do such a thing.

The only real danger to G4, besides a huge drop in sales of course, is that Hasbro decides they've produced enough episodes; but after listening to several investor conferences and presentations, where they put emphasis on how creating new content for their core brands drives sales, I doubt that's gonna happen any time soon.
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