eFX's Rizzo Thread

[Was Once Ernie]

What people are refering to as realistic plush is the same manufacturing process as the posers(ie made by the same studio pattern and same or simular materials) but instead of putting it over a wire armature, it will just be soft filled like plush.So it will be a visual replica, but cheaper because the armature process isnt involved.

The armature is very simple. You can see pictures of it on the eFX website. That's the easiest part of building these. It's all the details that are the sticking points. If you start eliminating the details, then you would no longer have a replica OR a realistic looking plush.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

Frogboy isnt saying get ris of the details, just to not use such high priced materials that require such attention to build...instead to look for materials that are cheaper sorta like the plushes...again as i said in the efx thread its like instead of making a 100* replica with the same materials make a 75% replica that looks awesome but is made of cheaper stuff

 

[frogboy4]

Exactly. The changes I was talking about have more to do with things like possibly using factory dyed fabric than individually hand dyed fabric for some items. Maybe having more uniformity in how the eyes are produced that might not only make it cheaper, but also could potentially insure that the eye focus is spot-on in every Rizzo. There are some things in the factory process that can actually work for these items instead of against them. I don't believe construction of these has to go against the grain in every step. Compromising the method doesn't have to mean compromising the quality.

I guess it's just a case of thinking differently to achieve a very similar outcome. Again, unless each poser is individually built by an expert they aren't going to be 100% accurate, authentic posers anyway. For some reason that keeps getting overlooked.

I'm just thinking out of the box because I do hope realistic-looking posable Muppets will come to the market.

 

[MuppetCaper]

I undertand from Bryans point that he wants us to finally have a "true replica". Something the MR did not deliver and the outcome about it. I am pretty sure he knows he has the ability to cut corners if disney was not in the way and what the contract says that eFX is agreed to make them the way Disney expects them to be. Also, when you put out there that they are truely authentic and later on to decide to cut corners, then your word ends up being like what MR went through. I give Bryan credit for doing his best whether we get these or not. At least he tried even with the outcome of all this mess of finding a factory to make them.

 

[frogboy4]

I undertand from Bryans point that he wants us to finally have a "true replica". Something the MR did not deliver and the outcome about it. I am pretty sure he knows he has the ability to cut corners if disney was not in the way and what the contract says that eFX is agreed to make them the way Disney expects them to be. Also, when you put out there that they are truely authentic and later on to decide to cut corners, then your word ends up being like what MR went through. I give Bryan credit for doing his best whether we get these or not. At least he tried even with the outcome of all this mess of finding a factory to make them.

I understand that too and respect that decision. I just hope they can actually bring these to market someday. However, I will once again reiterate that since each of these EFX posers won't be individually built by an expert like the real ones - they aren't going to be 100% authentic...just as close as can be done. A completely accurate one would cost thousands of dollars.

 

[Davina]

i personally am at the point were i really don't even care anymore about the posers. I'm not going to get my hopes up about them until we have stuff actually in the works and in place. I just want something, anything, out on the market. You can't expect people to be refamiliarized with the product if there is nothing at all on the market (or so little and spread so thin that there might as well be nothing..) i want stuff! I've got a nearly 3 year old grand baby to be spoiling, and it's hard when about all the options are a few sesame characters over and over again and the few other things are either not suitable or way too pricey to be spending on a toddler.
there are more fans out there who don't know about this high end items because there is nothing to snag their initial interest to get them looking for more stuff. with MR there was a sincere lack of advertising except at select and exclusive events and on here.. so no one knew about them, but if they'd have had other things out there (or tie ins or more promotion) things might have gone better for them.. best way to see which characters are going to sell well with the higher end items is to put some lower end items out and see where the market goes. (yes, I'm a piggy fan, but I know better then to hold my breath...)

 

[Was Once Ernie]

I understand that too and respect that decision. I just hope they can actually bring these to market someday. However, I will once again reiterate that since each of these EFX posers won't be individually built by an expert like the real ones - they aren't going to be 100% authentic...just as close as can be done. A completely accurate one would cost thousands of dollars.

Well, I think that kind of goes without saying...although it's been said a bunch of times already .

You're right that they will never match a completely handmade product with a factory made product. But I think they can get closer than MR did. Especially when MR pulled stuff like shrinking the patterns without telling anyone.

But I think to be called a replica, they have to come as close as is humanly possible. The problem with the Muppets that they don't have with other prop replicas is that the Muppet builders themselves can't seem to make any two the same. So, there's a wide range of options for any one character. Is it from 1975? Is it from '85? '95? 2005? They all have differences.

One other difference this go around is that you've got the woman who was in charge of Henson's workshop since the 80's overseeing the prototypes and critiquing them with a fine tooth comb. (Don't get me wrong... I love, love, love Terry's protos for the three characters he did... this is just one more quality control step.)

Anyway, I still have confidence that if these get made at all, they will be made right!

 

[frogboy4]

I can agree with all of that. I just would like to see these made!

One thing going for fans on the plush side of things is that Disney seems to be filling more Muppet items in their flagship stores that seem to be on the rise again. I have no doubt that once the film comes out there will be some new Muppet plush somewhere.

 

[Luke]

One other difference this go around is that you've got the woman who was in charge of Henson's workshop since the 80's overseeing the prototypes and critiquing them with a fine tooth comb. (Don't get me wrong... I love, love, love Terry's protos for the three characters he did... this is just one more quality control step.)

Thats great, but to be fair, its completely and utterly pointless if at the point you start production at the factory, you find they just can't replicate the process well enough and just can't (or won't) handle it properly. We've seen from Master Replicas that you can have the best prototype in the world, with people Henson stitching their little hearts out but get to the point of the factory and even though they may have talked themselves up as being able to do the job, the posers come back with various design flaws and its too late to do anything about it.

I agree with you though that i think eFX seem to have a much higher aim in terms of exacty how "replica" these need to end up as, and thats great, but as to whether thats actualy technically possible we shall see.

 

[beakerfan76]

I'll say this about the matter. If I wanted a replica, I'll make one myself. Heck, the only one I have now is a Kermit puppet, and that's good enough for me.

I know some guys who have made some amazing characters (Like the Beaker replica recently posted) and they have all the charm of something hand made rather than off the rack.