Ask Ken at Palisades

[simon42]

I think I'd be willing to pay $50 for a nice stage.

 

[frogboy4]

I think that's why it has been repeatedly pushed back. It is important to strengthen the line first and then focus on the big budget items.

I hope the Fox series really creates momentum.

 

[ResidentLilly]

Originally posted by frogboy4
I hope the Fox series really creates momentum.

I hope the Fox series actually happens!

 

[Stryder Wolfe]

Originally posted by ResidentLilly
I hope the Fox series actually happens!

seriously...I'll beleive it when I see it...keeping fingers crossed...

hmm..about the stage...I'm down with it being cheaper. I also have to worry about the prohibitive inflation for shipping to canada and 15% tax on top of that...I'd LOVE to have a Super happy giant stage o' doom, but thinking realistically, it's probably better to go smaller.

Well, whatever....I haven't been disappointed by palisades yet, and I doubt I will in future....

 

[GWGumby]

I've been kind of skimming over the posts attempting to pull out the important ideas, but not reading everything word for word, so I apologize if this already came up.

On the issue of super-delux stage that can hold the prior environments vs. one that can stand on its own, I wonder if it can't be designed to work both ways?

If the stage were created as a sort of facade we could get plenty of detail with a possible orchestra pit, possibly a balcony seat for the two old men--what were there names again?--and a few inches of stage floor in front of the curtain which could either be raised, or replaced by different backdrops.

Then for those who don't want the backdrops, but want to use their actual playsets, the backdrops can be removed or pulled out completely allowing the playset to sit behind the stage facade.

Does that make sense? It seems like it could work for both camps if done this way.

 

[Luke]

Yeah it does seem a case of if a lot of things (including the Fox show and Muppetfest) will happen or not - so much of the Muppets agenda for next year hinges on the sale and who exactly gets them so it's pretty much sink or swim. It could go to someone who would just carry things on as normal or we could be talking about all the deals changing completely, new ideas coming in (which take time but could work out well) and some kind of transition period in the company where things will go quiet for a bit. If it all turns out ok and the Muppets fly then the weekly media visibility and the thousands of dollars Henson/Fox would spend on promoting them could give the Palisades line a huge boost.

Personally i'd really like to see the Muppets promoting this line though and creating some publicity in advance of everything happening. Gonzo went on the most obscure Net TV station in Canada to promote the book of Muppet Crafts - i don't see why they can't sort something out for Palisades. If the problem is that Palisades is fairly small to get this kind of attention then Henson should arrange to cross promote it with all the other Merchandise lines out at the moment. In the UK we have big POS displays of the figures, t-shirts, dvd's, mugs, posters and plushes - if the same kind of thing can be arranged for the states then there'd be an opportunity for the Muppets to do an in-store launch somewhere like TRU or FAO for the entire Muppet brand like a 'The Muppets Come To FAO Schwartz' type thing. I think Palisades should really get together with the other licensee's and push for something like this to happen because it's a wasted opportunity. If the stores in the states are so against doing it for the Muppets then Palisades should come over to the UK and i'm pretty sure Virgin would love to do it because launches are all the rage with them right now and they've really pushed the Muppets, i bet Henson UK would be up for it too. Maybe that'd help increase their European market share at least.

 

[tomahawk]

yes, i too hope the new series and muppetfest happen. i also agree with luke about the muppets helping promote the figures. hey ken, what about a street team to promote the figures. i mean if i had some promotional stuff(and no i'm not asking for free figures) like maybe some 8 by 10 glossys, and if some of us could go to certain stores and ask to post them. i don't know maybe a stupid idea but as a fan of both the muppets and palisades i want to do my part beyond buying the figures to help this line succeed.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

GW Gumby

It was my understanding that the stage set would be like that: A stage on which the playsets could fit with different backdrops and raising curtains, including the balcony seats for Statler and Waldorf. Maybe Ken can re-shed light on this all as I'm sure I, and many others, have already missed all this.

I am SO hoping for the new series.
FOZ

 

[GWGumby]

Re: GW Gumby

Originally posted by Fozzie Bear
It was my understanding that the stage set would be like that: A stage on which the playsets could fit with different backdrops and raising curtains, including the balcony seats for Statler and Waldorf. Maybe Ken can re-shed light on this all as I'm sure I, and many others, have already missed all this.

I am SO hoping for the new series.
FOZ

No, I'm not talking about a stage that other playsets would fit *on,* I'm talking about a facade that the other sets would fit *behind.* So there would only be a couple inches of actual stage in front of the curtain/backdrops, but the curtain could open or be removed to allow the playset to be displayed behind it.

 

[Squigiman]

The Great Stage Debate

Hey Gang,
It's me again, dropping in, amidst all of this discussion, just to add a little more to it. I'm glad to see that there is a discussion at all, rather than just a blunt desicion, and that's it. With other toy companies, that might be the case, but that's just the "Palisades Difference", shall we say? Anyways, some really good points, especially, from my point of view, from Jamie and Mr. The Frog. However, there's always Luke, the devil's advocate. Wait, would that make Ken the devil? Uh oh, what have I gotten myself into?!?!?? No, just the two of them are the more pessimistic dose of reality into our hopes, especially Mr. Lilly, who knows firsthand. However, I really think, as Jamie suggests, that this set would be the "crown jewel" of this toy line. Therefore, though it may seem near to impossible at the moment, I firmly believe, that even if the wait is incredibly long, possibly years to come, once all major characters, and most to all minor characters have been made, possibly at a true end of its run, then the ultimate (literally) set could be released as a final piece to top of all else that came before it. Perhaps by this time, whenever it might be, the line would have gathered enough steam, and it would be able to be the grand-daddy set, as originally envisioned. As far as I'm concerned, all that's come out so far seems great, and Ken seems to think it's the bottom of the pile. Anticipation has built incredibly just for the SECOND series, alone. Also, from what I understand, the line gets nothing but rave reviews, and is selling pretty well, too. I would imagine that TIME could very well be the deciding factor in all of this. Still, as most of us do, I still believe that whatever will be done will be good. It's just in good hands, that's it. The Muppets line is just what any toy line should be, a well-detailed, yet still well-articulated line of important and more obscure characters, in correct proportion and scale to each other, in their basic appearances, as well as relevant variants, with relevant accessories. Plus, it's the Muppets. You just can't get much better than that. Take care.


-Squigiman