New Documentary Explores Lisa Frank Company's Dark Behind-the-Scenes Drama: 'Wasn't All Rainbows and Unicorns' (Exclusive)

Insiders discuss a different side to Lisa Frank in the first look for "Glitter and Greed," shared exclusively with PEOPLE

Children who grew up in the '90s fondly remember Lisa Frank for delivering rainbow-clad products with cute characters and tons of personality.

While the businesswoman and designer worked hard to make that world a reality, the truth was much darker. In Prime Video's Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story, both employees and those closest to Frank — including ex-husband and former business partner James Green, and son Hunter Green — detail a world that's much different than its sparkly exterior.

The first look for the documentary, shared exclusively with PEOPLE, shows a number of people discussing their experiences behind the scenes.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Related: Brandy's Cinderella: See the Most Royally Nostalgia-Inducing Photos From the 1997 Classic

Despite the brand being portrayed as the "perfect company" and "cutest thing you'd ever seen," one collaborator notes, "Not everything was rainbows and unicorns."

"The story of Lisa Frank the company is so different from the products they created. There's scandal, greed, legal battles ..." says journalist Tracie Egan Morrissey.

The woman behind the technicolor, animal-print and neon designs that were beloved throughout the ’80s and ’90s was also much different than many fans imagined. Frank, who turns 70 next year, is quoted in the series but declined to participate further.

One creator is seen saying in the first look, "I feel like Lisa Frank ruined my life."

In conversation with PEOPLE about the documentary, executive producers Mary Robertson and Arianna LaPenne expand on that take.

"There was some initial idea of what people might have experienced. But it went so much deeper and it felt like we were going down this rabbit hole of this fascinating world," LaPenne shares.

"I'd say every one of those people remembers their experience very vividly. Life is complicated and their experiences were complicated, but they were definitely meaningful and important to them."

"I think there's a rich human drama at the center of this, one that so many folks can identify with," Robertson adds.

"This project is very much about being an artist — the rewards it provides and what it takes away from you as a human being. It's very much about authorship and who gets to claim what and what we feel entitled to," she continues.

"It's about Americans' relationship with their jobs. So many people who appeared in the film felt what they did and accomplished while working at Lisa Frank constitutes their life's greatest accomplishments and also feel a sense of regret that they gave as much as they did to that company at that particular time. So they lived both truths, and those can be seen."

The four-part docuseries "penetrates the neon-hued world of Lisa Frank Inc., a brand that defined girlhood for a generation of Americans only to seemingly disappear overnight," per Amazon MGM studios. The deep dive features more than 20 interviews with insiders, and tons of never-before-seen footage surrounding the brand.

Learn more about what went on behind the scenes at Lisa Frank, Inc., and what the mogul herself has to say in response, in Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story, premiering Thursday, Dec. 5, on Amazon Prime Video.