THE RED WAGON

a feature documentary

LOGLINE

An immigrant’s dream, a childhood icon, and a family legacy spanning over a century—The Red Wagon traces the rise of Radio Flyer from its humble origins in a Chicago workshop to becoming one of America’s most beloved brands, exploring how a little red wagon shaped generations and continues to evolve in a changing world.

synopsis

For over 100 years, Radio Flyer has been more than a toy company—it’s been a symbol of imagination, resilience, and the American dream. Founded by Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin in 1917, what began as handcrafted wooden wagons in a South Side garage became an iconic red steel wagon seen in millions of homes and childhood memories.

The Red Wagon is a feature documentary that tells the story of a company that grew up with America—from the Chicago World’s Fair to backyard adventures, from postwar booms to 21st-century reinvention. At the center of the story is the Pasin family, whose third-generation CEO, Robert Pasin, is redefining what it means to lead a purpose-driven brand in a profit-driven world.

Through intimate interviews, archival footage, and a behind-the-scenes look at Radio Flyer’s design and sustainability efforts, the film explores themes of nostalgia, innovation, legacy, and the enduring power of play.

STYLE + TONE

The Red Wagon is a feature-length documentary chronicling the 100+ year journey of Radio Flyer, an iconic American company that has transcended the toy industry to become a symbol of imagination, craftsmanship, and legacy. Through a modern cinematic lens, the film explores the company’s deep Chicago roots, its family-run resilience, and its forward-looking innovations—revealing how one small red wagon came to define play for generations.

Visually rich and emotionally resonant, the film blends cinematic vérité, archival treasures, and custom-designed animation to create an experience that is both timeless and distinctly contemporary.

Live-Action Cinematography

  • Shot on-location in Chicago at Radio Flyer’s headquarters.

  • Beautiful, natural light; composed, purposeful camera movement.

  • Macro shots of wagon details, worn wheels, scratched paint—artifacts of memory.

  • Factory sequences filmed in slow motion with ambient sound and minimalist score, showcasing craftsmanship.

Custom Design & Animation

  • We will develop a bespoke visual design system that integrates:

    • Blueprint-style line drawings for product development sequences.

    • Playful, motion-graphic storytelling for historical context.

    • Minimalist hand-drawn animation for moments that invite imagination (e.g., a child’s memory of their first wagon ride).

  • Animation will be used to bring archival photos and old ads to life—not with gimmicks, but with warmth and intentionality.

Archival Integration

  • Historical photos and footage from Radio Flyer’s archives.

  • Ads from the 1930s to the 1980s.

  • Home videos, old catalog scans.

  • All of it contextualized through narration and interviews.

STORY

ACT I: THE AMERICAN DREAM IN RED

We open with the creak of old wheels, a Super 8-style home video of a child being pulled in a red wagon across a sunlit lawn. A voiceover begins: “Everyone remembers their first ride…”

Cut to archival photos from 1917 Chicago—factories, rail yards, immigrant neighborhoods. We meet Antonio Pasin, a young Italian craftsman building wooden wagons to support his family. He names his company Radio Flyer, a nod to the two great inventions of the time: radio and flight. His story unfolds alongside the evolution of American childhood and the emerging toy industry.

We explore how Radio Flyer exploded into national consciousness at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, showcasing a 45-foot statue and launching the first all-steel wagons.

ACT II: A WAGON THROUGH TIME

This section chronicles Radio Flyer’s journey through the decades. From the post-war baby boom and 1950s suburbia to the rise of plastic toys and global competition in the 1980s, we see the brand weather market shifts and cultural changes. We explore how Radio Flyer remained relevant—and in many ways sacred—through its simple, durable design and its emotional ties to childhood.

ACT III: LEGACY AND REINVENTION

Now under the leadership of Robert Pasin, Antonio’s grandson, Radio Flyer is more than a toy company. We go behind the scenes of their Chicago headquarters, a LEED-certified, eco-conscious building modeled after a child’s imagination. Engineers test new scooters, e-bikes, and go-karts in real-time. Designers sketch and prototype, always chasing that blend of safety, fun, and durability.

Pasin talks about staying family-owned, choosing values over volume, and becoming a B Corporation—a rare move for a toy company. His philosophy centers on creating meaningful play, even in the digital age.

We explore Radio Flyer’s future-facing ethos: electric ride-ons, green materials, and a workforce-first mentality, with scenes from their factory floor, their user-experience lab, and consumer research interviews with families.