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Professional animation and commercial voice-over actor

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Head of Product Development and Creative Services - Contract

Engineering & Production

William Hirsch is a licensed entertainment creative executive with over 25 years in toy design/development, licensed merchandise creative, video game and automotive design experience.
Throughout his career, William has worked on some of the largest toy, entertainment and trademark licensed brands in the business. Working for such industry heavyweights as: Mattel, Hasbro/Galoob Toys, 20th Century Fox, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, JAKKS Pacific, Spin Master, Playmates Toys, DHX Brands, Alliance Atlantis and Capcom USA.
William has also designed and overseen development on a plethora of successful product lines – including some award-winners - for the following brands:
Star Wars, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Ice Age, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Planet of the Apes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Pokémon, WWE, CSI, CSI Miami, CSI NY, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Disney Princesses, Harry Potter, Rugrats, SpongeBob Squarepants, Max Steel, NBA, He-Man, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Marvel vs. Capcom, Mega Man, Mega Man Fully Charged, Massive Monster Mayhem, Slugterra, Arrested Development, Firefly, Glee, Independence Day, Maze Runner, Sleepy Hollow, Rocky Horror Picture Show and General Motors.

Product development and creative services lead, styleguide creation and execution, packaging design and development, and marketing visuals for: Bear Grylls; Young Adventurer, Pokoyo, Slugterra, Chaotic, Fire Engine Ray, Haley and the Hero Heart, Bubble’s Resort, Smash Down and Zombie Pets.
• Input and recommendation for corporate systems and structure implementation, strategic and tactical oversight of design, development and approval of all merchandise for all of Epic Story Media’s intellectual properties including: initial show style and character development, script review, story arc input, logo and styleguide creation, implementation of systems for approvals both internally and with foreign agents, management of approvals for all submissions, completing thorough follow-through and maintaining strong relationships with all licensees.

Lead all product development, styleguide creation and execution, packaging design and development, and marketing visuals for Mega Man Fully; Charged, Massive Monster Mayhem and Rev & Roll.
• Strategic and tactical oversight of creative, product development and approval of all merchandise for DHX Media’s intellectual properties. These include; show style, character design and character development, script review, story arc input, logo and styleguide creation, implementation of systems for approvals internally, management of approvals for all submissions, completing follow-through and maintaining strong relationships with all partners for multiple season product rollouts.
• Launched toys lines for Mega Man; Fully Charged with Jakks Pacific, Massive Monster Mayhem and Rev & Roll with The Alpha Group, and spearheaded all creative for global marketing initiatives.

Responsible for driving the Design and future product Vision for the Meccano Brand, CES Last Gadget Standing Winner, oldest Toy brand and 2015 Innovative TOTY award. Responsible for overseeing all aspects of design and development for new and carry forward products. Reporting into the Global Business Unit Leader.
•Successfully lead all levels of toy creation and development to include low, medium and high complexity product types, leading a team of four multi-disciplined designers and two design managers in the creation and execution of Meccano toys
•Development of future product vision and creator of 5-year new product and brand strategy
•Work hand-in-glove with Director of Marketing to sell product concepts both internally at executive internal line reviews and external customer previews
•Communicate strong vision for each product assigned in visual, verbal and prototype forms
•Monitor all new product developments to ensure key New Product Development launch dates are achieved.

Director of Design – MECCANO

Responsible for leading and managing a six person team that reviews all licensed product submissions to ensure they optimize their brands’ equity through design, quality, safety and functionality. Worked with licensees to resolve product development issues and with clients to gain approval of licensed products. Major clients included: General Motors, Nissan, Infiniti, Kawasaki, General Electric, Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, American Airlines, Hefty, Good Year, La-Z-boy, Dr Pepper, 7up, Torani, Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin and Cessna.
•Reported directly to EMI’s President and CEO and functioned as the primary internal resource in the creative, product development and administration area.
•Enhanced licenses’ products by providing input regarding design, equity interpretation and product positioning that ensured excellent quality and delivered product functionality.
•Led review and approval of all licensed products, packaging, product catalogs, advertising and collateral material

Vice President Creative and Product Development

Responsible for the creative oversight of product development including initial concept generation, packaging, and prototype
evaluation. Worked to support corporate strategy as prescribed by brand. Ensured integration of approved visual identity
across all deliverables. Brands included, The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, Ice Age, Alvin
and the Chipmunks, Planet of the Apes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Homeland, Arrested Development, Firefly, Cosmos, Glee,
Independence Day, Ridley Scott's Exodus, Maze Runner, Sleepy Hollow, Rocky Horror Picture Show, 24, New Girl, and The
Americans.
• Reported to the Vice President, Global Creative. Worked closely with cross-functional internal departments to
manage key aspects of the business, including trend forecasting, product development, retail, marketing and public
relations.
• Translated marketing and sales objectives into viable creative programs and strategies and directed the creative
team in the production of brand identity programs, promotional programs and marketing collateral.
• Managed multiple creative projects from initial concept to completion. Ensured strict quality control over concepts,
styleguide development and production projects. Managed in-house designers and external vendors along with
workflow of projects including creation of production schedules and status reports to clients, while maintaining
detailed specifications and budget requirements.
• Developed visual designs. Recruited and managed internal and third party design, graphic artists, illustrators, and
other creative professionals.

Director Global Creative

Provided creative direction, oversaw all stages of production. Implemented stringent quality control for the complete range of
product concepts and designs submitted by licensees. Franchises included: Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Marvel vs.
Capcom, Mega Man, Devil May Cry, Lost Planet and Dead Rising.
• Reported directly to CEO. Integral member of creative planning, strategy, promotions and growth of Capcom's
merchandising business. Major responsibilities included: overseeing approvals for the $1B box office and
videogame franchise: Resident Evil and the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 licensing programs.
• Created all content, initiated and managed Capcom's avatar, gamer pic and digital downloadable content business,
including wallpapers and themes for PSN and XBLA. Earnings for FY 2011 were $750,000.
• Launched Street Fighter 25th Anniversary arts and custom tuner vehicle programs, including cross-promotions with
top artist Ron English and creation of Street Fighter’s first-ever custom-themed vehicle, based on Toyota’s new
Scion FR-S. This halo program celebrated the history of Street Fighter and elevated the brand beyond its current
position in the marketplace.
• Oversaw and launched Capcom's Zazzle on-demand eCommerce stores, starting with eight unique stores in FY ‘11
and growing to ten in FY ‘12. This included account management, contract negotiation, asset allocation, content
creation and creative direction.

Creative Manager, Media and Consumer Products

Directed, managed and guided a team of ten direct reports in the entire toy design and production process. Responsible for
all design and product development for Pokémon, WWE, UFC, American Gladiators and Jakks Pets.
• Consistently delivered successful, compelling product that met or exceeded marketing’s and sales’ objectives.
Shipped on-schedule and came in within strict cost constraints.
• Took over direction of the $70M Pokémon brand. Initiated new processes that expedited licensor approvals,
reduced development costs and helped obtain outstanding approvals. Strengthened and improved working
relationship with Pokémon USA.
• Oversaw and ran all Toy Fair design, preparation, construction and execution for all the Boys Action brands.
Spearheaded new development of all high-complexity toys and initiated the development of all new items for Boys
Action brands.

Senior Director of Design, Boys Action

Responsible for creative, art direction, development and approval of all merchandising and licensing programs for the
following properties: CSI, CSI Miami, CSI NY, Dragon Booster, and Lunar Jim.
• Oversaw design, development and approval of all merchandise for a wide variety of Alliance’s intellectual
properties. Including: initial show style and character development, logo and styleguide creation, implementation of
systems for approvals both internally and with foreign agents, management of approvals for all submissions,
completing thorough follow-through and maintaining strong relationships with all partners up to, through and beyond
production.
• Collaborated closely with Vice President of Merchandising and Licensing, Senior Vice President of Marketing and
Producers, to strengthen and establish show styles, character creation and refinement to better meet the needs of
our departmental goals and our partner’s goals, thus resulting in increased revenues. Streamlined approval
processes allowing for improved turnaround times and accelerated production schedules.

Director of Product Development

Directed and managed product development and design for the following lines of toys: The Simpsons “World of Simpsons
toys”, the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles re-launch, The “Amazing” Brand, Water Babies, Disney Princesses, Totally
Trolls, Speedeez micro vehicle line, P.O.D.Z. and Little Cousins.
• Successfully and consistently delivered product ahead of or on schedule and within strict budgetary constraints.
Re-launched a veteran pinnacle brand (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and substantially extended existing lines that
increased the companies Boy’s Toys division sales by over 150% in one year. Types of products include: Collector,
Electronics, Plush, Action Figures, Vehicles, Play Sets, Voice Recognition Toys, Large and Small Dolls and Infant
and Preschool.

Senior Product Designer/Product Manager

Directed two teams of Hong Kong based R&D staff in the creation and development of five brands of direct import toys.
Managed design and development of the following lines/brands of toys: Harry Potter, Rugrats, SpongeBob Squarepants,
CatDog, Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, Jimmy Neutron, Max Steel, Rock’em Sock’em Robots, NBA, He-Man and Games
and Puzzles.
• Developed seamless product lines that complemented and strengthened core brands, amplified retail presence and
increased incremental sales of the Mattel main line. Types of products included: fashion dolls, action figures, play
sets, outfits, gear & accessories, plush, die cast, vehicles, R/C vehicles, novelties, candy dispensers, compounds,
water toys, electronics, room guards, banks, role play items, play cases and games.

Product Design Manager, Boys Toys; Mattel Asia Pacific Sourcing, Ltd.

Directed and managed a team of three Designers plus a Hong Kong based R&D staff in the development of Star Wars
Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace Micro Machines toys.
• Successfully managed four complete seasons of toys simultaneously with limited resources, all within a six-month
product development span. Types of products included; Vehicles & Figures, Play Sets, and Die-Cast Vehicles.

Preliminary Design Project Manager, Star Wars Episode 1

Developed high-concept 2D and 3D design proposals for production passenger vehicle exteriors. Directed various
multinational teams of modelers and fabricators in the development of production prototypes and concept vehicles.
• Designed the exterior of the multiple award winning Mégane Scénic, Renault’s #1 selling car in its class each year
since its introduction in 1997. This visually exciting and exceptionally practical "baby" minivan became a
groundbreaking, pinnacle product for Renault, spawning a host of imitators throughout the European automotive
industry.
• Delivered Mégane Scénic prototypes 6 months ahead of schedule and well under budget.

Designer – Production Exterior

William Hirsch works in Irvine, CA. View their experience, skills and work history on Malakye — the professional network for creative, lifestyle-driven…

William Hirsch — Epic Story Media, Inc. — Irvine, CA

William Hirsch

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Education history

Art Center College of Design

College for Creative Studies