Hasbro schools Mattel on how to do a toy book

Remember how Mattel is teasing us all with the SDCC-only, limited-to-1,000 MOTU art book? Hasbro’s doing something similar, only they’re letting anyone who wants one get one. Oh, and the profits go to charity.

HASBRO ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF INSIGHT: A SPECIAL EDITION BOOK FEATURING THE IMAGES OF ARTIST AND ACTION FIGURE PHOTOGRAPHER GIANNI LOPERGOLO

Sales Of Book Featuring Images Of G.I. JOE, MARVEL and STAR WARS Action Figures To Benefit ALS Foundations And Family Of Innovative Artist And Hasbro Employee Battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Pawtucket, RI – July 15, 2009 – Hasbro, Inc. and friends of Gianni Lopergolo, a Hasbro employee living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, are introducing Insight:, a book of Mr. Lopergolo’s stunning and unique photography of Hasbro’s G.I. JOE, MARVEL and STAR WARS action figures.

Spanning Mr. Lopergolo’s eight year career at Hasbro, the book features over 90 images of action figures posed and photographed at Hasbro’s internal creative studios.  Using simple props and a creative use of lighting and imagination, Mr. Lopergolo revolutionized how the toy maker photographs its beloved action figures.  He captures in his photography a tangible world of fantasy and adventure, portraying scenes evocative of childhood imagination where action figures become real characters.  His images reach deep into the human psyche, extracting the wonderment and imagination inherent to children lost in a world of play.  His ability to portray the essence of this wonderment transcends simple product images and elevated the photography of action figures featured on packaging to a true art form.    This one of a kind collection includes such well known characters as DUKE, BARONESS and COBRA COMMANDER from Hasbro’s G.I. JOE brand as well as CAPTAIN AMERICA and SPIDER-MAN from its MARVEL line and LUKE SKYWALKER and DARTH VADER action figures from its STAR WARS line.

“Hasbro is extremely proud to offer this book of Gianni’s remarkable photography in support of his family and ALS charities,” said John Frascotti, Hasbro’s Chief Global Marketing Officer.  “Hasbro has a long history of giving back to the local communities in which it operates as well as to charities around the globe.  We’re honored to be able to bring this book to market via Hasbro Toy Shop so the world can see the unique art Gianni brought to our company and fans as well as to be able to support a member of the Hasbro family.”

The development of Insight: is led by Hayes McCarthy and Stephanie T. Baxendale. Mr. McCarthy, a fellow Hasbro employee and good friend of Mr. Lopergolo’s is a producer within Hasbro’s internal creative studios and has worked side by side with Gianni for several years.  With the support of Hasbro, Mr. McCarthy and Ms. Baxendale, a writer at Hasbro, began to compile the very best of his unique imagery and tell the tale of his work and challenges he now faces with ALS.

“This is an ideal opportunity for us to compile this collection of his work while raising funds for his family and to benefit others suffering from this horrible disease,” said Mr. McCarthy.  “Gianni has done so much for Hasbro creatively and it is an opportunity to give back.  We’re excited for fans of the G.I. JOE, MARVEL and STAR WARS line to be able to enjoy his amazing images in a new context.”

Insight: will be available for sale nationwide on www.HasbroToyShop.com for the approximate retail price of $29.95 beginning today. The high quality book features over 120 pages of images, some previously unreleased, for readers to explore and appreciate and will also be available for immediate purchase at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at San Diego Comic-Con July 23-26.  To learn more about Insight: visit www.hasbro.com/giannisbook.

About Gianni Lopergolo

Gianni has been an artist since a young age.  He grew up with an appreciation for architecture and followed his passion for special effects and an intense love of cinematography and photography to New York University’s film school.  He found his niche at Hasbro’s creative studios finding inspiration in iconic action figure characters and making an indelible mark as a devoted father, husband and friend as well as a trail-blazing photographer. At the young age of 39, Gianni has been living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, for three years.  No longer able to work, but still as passionate about photography as ever, he has compiled this collection of images, which he hopes will teach, entertain and inspire.  Gianni currently lives in Rhode Island with his wife, Alex, and their three sons.