Fun-4-All may produce Sesame Street Action Figures

[grail]

I really should hang around here more...but for now, I just have a couple things to interject:

1) Dr. Tooth - Knock it off. Nobody's "attacking" them...they are simply stating concerns with the product and how it is being produced. You're the one doing all the attacking. With any luck, this is an opportunity for us as a group to help someone make figures that MANY of us have wanted for quite some time in the best way possible. To not fully speak your mind on the topic is ridiculous. If there is anything that most people around here have learned over the past couple years, it's HOW to give feedback. So far, yours is the feedback that's been the least "helpful"

2) Something that concerns me is that I just did the math. For them to be on store shelves even by the END of March, they're going to need to be on a boat by the very beginning of Febuary. To fill orders for retailers like Wal-Mart, which is my understanding that they will be available through (someone correct me if I'm wrong), they're going to need AT LEAST a month at the factory in China. That puts it at the Beginning of January to start production. Which means that they have from now until mid-december or so to get the sculpts finished and approved, have a paint master done and approved, get the tooling done, get a test shot done debugged and approved...and then a week or so to get the production bible done and sent. That's a tight schedule...tight enough that I don't see how they're going to have much of an opportunity to tweak the likenesses, etc. Especially since it looks like they may have all been sculpted by the same person.

I do find it interesting that he said they cast the prototypes and painted them for pre-Toy Fair. I find it more interesting that they're using regular clay instead of casteline or wax. I dunno...something just sounds "off" to me.

 

[Treelo]

They wanted us to use the 35th anniversary "retro" style guide art as a basis...if you guys saw this art, you'd know where these figures are coming from. Bert is way "uglier" in the style guide...trust me. I really believe that these figures will be very cool once they are completed.

I've seen the style guide, and I'm a bit confused by your comment. There are plenty of cartoon Muppet illustrations, but there are also photographs of the actual puppets complete with multiple views and size comparisons. I'd like to know why you'd use the drawings as a base for the product design when the actual puppets are also there for a reference?

And you mentioned that Bert in the guide is "uglier" than the figure. Do you then agree that the figure isn't as attractive as it should be? Will there be vast changes made to improve him?

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

At least they made it. We're going to have them, and that's that! I'd rather have a pretty good sculpt than none at all! To me collecting is not about how a figure looks, but what the figure is, who the character is, and why I like them.

This seems pretty reasonable to me, and I have to agree with you on it. I'm excited about this line, and I especially can't wait to see the Two-Headed Monster. It's okay to be concerned about the sculpts, I think, particularly if they're supposedly not in final form and people have suggestions or critiques, but overall it's just great to have a company producing a full line of Sesame Street action figures! I'm really looking forward to them, no matter what!

 

[floydnjanicefan]

Can somebody please post a picture of the Style Guide that is being used? I am curious to see what they look like.

 

[jediX]

I hope they're on the same scale as Palisades line.

 

[grail]

Can somebody please post a picture of the Style Guide that is being used? I am curious to see what they look like.

A style guide isn't just one picture. Basically, what happens is that a company like Sesame Workshop, who has had MANY different versions of many of their characters over the years, takes images of all those different versions, and uses them to decide how THEY want their characters to look in their any and all merchandise that is done with them. They put it all in a book, and give it to the licensee, and that's what they have to go by.

It's kinda like series 1 Piggy and the yellow hair. That was a Henson thing, which is why Palisades did it. Of course, after Derrick did his custom on the hair, Palisades was able to show it to Henson and get it changed for future releases...but that's another story.

 

[floydnjanicefan]

A style guide isn't just one picture. Basically, what happens is that a company like Sesame Workshop, who has had MANY different versions of many of their characters over the years, takes images of all those different versions, and uses them to decide how THEY want their characters to look in their any and all merchandise that is done with them. They put it all in a book, and give it to the licensee, and that's what they have to go by.

It's kinda like series 1 Piggy and the yellow hair. That was a Henson thing, which is why Palisades did it. Of course, after Derrick did his custom on the hair, Palisades was able to show it to Henson and get it changed for future releases...but that's another story.

Ooohhh.... I get it. Thanks!

 

[frogboy4]

These guides have been known to be notoriously bad. Sometimes they are cool though. When you see keychain images and the drawings that appear on mugs etc, these are usually style guide images. Sometimes they are quite cute, but should never replace a puppet likeness when presented with a choice.

 

[Gonzo]

I'm pretty much the ONLY person who actially wants this line (the Stuff on Palisades is really disparaging... ingrates)

That's wrong and you know it.

We would ALL love to see Sesame Street action figures done right. If they really are adding more texture, articulation, and detail to these figures, I'll be buying them. If the prototype = what we'll be seeing on shelves in March, I'll have a hard time getting them.

This has the potential of being the best Sesame Street toy line in years (ever, if done right) and the character lineup (including Guy Smiley and the Count in the second series) is wonderful (no Elmo in the first two series? ) ...I'd love to see this line go through ten series.

IF they're done right. I'm not asking for Palisades quality or style, but make the most of what they can do within their restrictions for safety and price point.

 

[Treelo]

These guides have been known to be notoriously bad. Sometimes they are cool though. When you see keychain images and the drawings that appear on mugs etc, these are usually style guide images. Sometimes they are quite cute, but should never replace a puppet likeness when presented with a choice.

The current Sesame guide is well put together, but isn't as large as someone would probably expect. It contains quite a few interesting details, and even has examples of well designed Sesame merchandise.

I also had a chance to look at the style guide for The Hoobs a while back. It had very specific instructions on fonts and colors for packaging, and came with a CD loaded with character images.