Imperialshipyards.net SDCC 2015 Questions
A huge thanks to Jeff and the Design Team as well as Todd for giving us a bit of their time during a very busy SDCC!
Seeing how popular your latest Fans Choice Poll was do you see yourself doing this once or even more per year?Yes, absolutely. Like we said in our panel this is definitely going to at least be annual if not more frequently than that. We wanted to get it back for awhile and we got back such a great response that we definitely want to do it again soon. How long is the star wars 6" black series going to run for? There is no end in sight. Its going well for us. Its our very one item across the world. Were expanding it, its not gonna end anytime soon. A while back Hasbro stated that we'd be getting "The Ghost" as the large vehicle release in 2015. Is that still happening?I think we said we wanted to get to it. We still do want to get to it. It isn't going to happen in 2015, but it is definitely something that is on our list to get done. Any chance we'll ever see Sabine's painted up Tie Fighter from "Fire Across the Galaxy" available for purchase in the 3 3/4" scale?I would love that. Its phenomenal. At Celebration we partnered with Diorama Workshop and one of the guys there made one up . It was beautiful. I don't know. We are definitely going to continue to support REBELS. Whether or not were gonna get to that. TBD. Its an awesome idea. We will definitely get to it if we can.You have created a fantastic figure in the form of the new 6" SDCC First Order Stormtrooper. I am wondering one thing though, why the single jointed elbows instead of the standard double jointed elbows you had on troopers before this?I don't know, we'll have to ask the design team. We were then refered to the sculpting director (design director/lead design) as a follow up:
Honestly no. It was something that sculpting and I sat down and talked about and having single articulation there was something that would reduce piece count and would also reduce deco count and a figure like that doesn't look like there is a lot of paint applied to it, but there is a lot. When paint is applied every surface actually counts. To get a stripe around the figure might take three to four paint applications and each one of those adds cost money to the figure and each one is allowed to only have so much paint on it. Were completely aware of some of the fan's reactions to the elbows and we are constantly working toward tweaking the elbow articulation and making sure that the gun can be held at a correct angle. We weren't that excited by that particular elbow articulation now and moving forward we will be looking into fixing these issues. Its all going so quickly (concept to phsycial figure) that we are trying to get the reference as quickly as we can, to get the prototype as quickly as we can, and make comments to the factories over in China as quickly as we can and some things end up slipping and that is why we aren't getting the nice 90 degree or more angle in the elbow articulation and had we done the double aticulation (double joint) we would have gotten that, but it again it would have cost excuses, paint and all that.
What would you say is your most popular line right now in regards to order requests? How does your collector oriented 3 and 3/4 inch line fall into that mix? Do you still see that as a feature focus going forward or will lines like the 6" or Saga Legends (less articulation) see a greater emphasis?The Black Series Six Inch Line. Absolutely. Black Series 3 and 3/4 is doing very well for us too. Black Series 6" is definitely the strongest of the two for sure, but 3 and 3/4 inch is still pretty strong. We really don't typically talk about our ratio of sales as they compare, what performs better versus others, but 3 and 3/4 inch is pretty strong. We'll see what we show in the fall in terms of some new offerings, but black series 6" is doing so well we are continueing to cultivate that. We want to make sure we have offerings for everyone, six inch is doing great for us in terms of collectors and kids of all ages looking for that real movie authenticity , but but our saga legends (3 and 3/4 inch) are doing really, really well. We are able to do figures for a lower price, there a little bit more kid friendly. We have had had some distribution problems, but as we have gotten figures out they have sold really well for us.
Your six inch Marvel Legends Build a Figure program is very popular, is there any chance for a similar build a figure program in the SW 6" or 3 and 3/4" line up?
Yeah, we loved droid factory that we have done in the past for 3 and 3/4". For 6" the focus right now is for the tooling to go into the figure itself to make sure that value is there and make it as best as possible for $19.99, but would there be a possiblity for a Build A Figure, absolutely. Right now we are just focused on nailing the figure itself and not diverting any of that cost to another appendage. What is the articulation plan (movement point in figures) going forward for the newer 3 and 3/4" action figure line? We know we can't talk about new movie releases, etc. but can we get some clarification that we can count on some super-articulated figures?We are not able to talk about any figure lines going forward. We want to be able to talk. We're trying to be very stragtegic with Lucasfilm. We are trying to make Force Friday very special. Thats the reason were being very coy like this.I have been saving my proof of purchases on the packaging for awhile now. Am I gonna get a chance to redeem them with a cool mail in offer anytime soon? Is there any reason you have not considered one in awhile?That comes up every once in awhile. Theres nothing in the plans right now, but keep saving them you never know.Would Hasbro consider producing accessory packs for their 3.75 figures including scale versions of movie props, a hoth or hanger set perhaps?Its a really cool idea. Thats the second time someone brought that up today. Nothing in the short term, but something we have kicked around and are considering for the near future.Any chance you are going to re-release the 6” Darth Maul that is so hard or expensive to find now?Probably not anytime soon as there are so many figures we are trying to get too. I would say there is a good possibility in the future we might release him, but right now he is not on our short list.Will future releases continue a sporadic focus across multiple films or will we begin seeing more episode-specific releases?Well this fall you will see a specific emphasis on The Force Awakens for sure, but not fully. We are going to continue to support all the classics and REBELS too. We have some (REBELS) here now and it is so great to do these characters in realistic form. We will mainly be focused on episode 7, but not purely.Any plans for 2 packs for small figures? .ie: ewoks or jawas for 6" line?Its a good idea. I can't say for sure, but lets say thats a good idea. There is a good chance of it. Is there any chance that some of the past cancelled figures (such as the 2nd Utai and the build-a-droids from the cancelled line) could see the light of day soon in any upcoming collector-focused 3 3/4" line?Nah, probably not anytime soon. You never say never, buts its not certainly on our focus right now.There are still many characters from the original trilogy not yet immortalized as 1:18 figures (ie Cantina patrons, Jabba's Palace denizens, etc.) that we collectors still badly want to add to our collections. With this in mind has the Hasbro team given any more thought to creating a collectors' club, a la the incredibly successful G.I. Joe Collectors' Club, in order to get quality 3.75" figures not yet made or much needed updates into the hands of collectors on a subscription basis?We have talked about it. It is something that we have looked into. With the launch of Hasbro Pulse it is something that we may end up looking into in the future. Nothing short term.who/in what way/how is Hasbro planning to distribute "Target exclusive" items in Canada now that it is closing its doors there?We haven't announced any of our exclusive programs yet for this fall, but rest assured if there is something exclusive we are doing we will make sure it gets distribution in Canada. We can't say exactly how or where.Are we going to get the 6" Han in Carbonite that was offered as an exclusive re-released?Yes, at some point we would like to do that. Absolutely. Its a great piece, essentially as were trying to finish the job with the Palace Scene with all those charactors. Not anytime soon, but it is something we would like to do in the future.Bravo, bravo, bravo on the six inch scale TIE! How long till that one will have an X-Wing to chase it?Thats an interesting idea. Would you have room in your house for it? Never say never. Who would have thought we would have done a six inch TIE in this scale!There are quite a few nice nuggets in there to peruse. Once again thanks to the Star Wars Brand Team for the interview.
