Beware the Recaster(s)

[Wulf]

My opinion on the subject is that it's wrong to make recasts of products that meets the requirements of being available and licensed.

For an example, I'd buy a good quality Hot Toys recast if the original product wasn't available anymore through official retailers (at decent prices) or if it was being sold for scalper prices on the secondary market.

I'd also buy a recast of an unlicensed product if the quality was right for my liking. I can't concern myself about the sculptors feelings when he had no license to recreate the figure in the first place.. and especially if he's not offering the unlicensed product anymore!

Don't get me wrong, I'd buy the original work if it was available any day over a recast to support the artist and have better quality.

But take Rainman's The Dude figure for an example.. it's one of my most wanted figures and I missed out on it.. This recaster everyone is talking about in this thread has a recast The Dude HS for sale.

This would be the only way for me to get it as of this moment since Rainman isn't offering the figure anymore, to my knowledge. And I'm not gonna pay scalper prices from other owners on the secondary market or even sit around and wait for them to offer their figures for sale..

If anyone thinks I'm wrong in my thinking here, please enlighten me why.

 

[TotalDominAsian]

Because instead of directly supporting a knockoff scalper, you can directly support the artist? Rainman sells previous heads about twice a year, both painted and unpainted.

 

[Wulf]

Because instead of directly supporting a knockoff scalper, you can directly support the artist?

I already mentioned I would because of that and the quality. But I still don't see anything wrong in buying a knockoff of an unlicensed product.

Rainman sells previous heads about twice a year, both painted and unpainted.

Thanks for letting me know! I wasn't aware of that.

 

[Hidden Jitsu]

Because instead of directly supporting a knockoff scalper, you can directly support the artist? Rainman sells previous heads about twice a year, both painted and unpainted.

does he do this on all of his heads?
As i want them all.

 

[drdandalek]

I have to agree that the recasters are making money off of an artists interpretation of a character. One thing that seems to go unsaid is that people are remaking tailor's outfits and making money as well. Nothing is ever said about that though. The tailors put their interpretation on the outfits. I was looking through threads just yesterday and saw an accessory by a well known customizer being held up beside of material to see if it's exactly the same. I don't see the difference. These recasters are basically stealing from the original artist so what about the ones copying the costumes? I am neither an artist or tailor so I am just observing. What does everyone think about that since we're talking about basically the same thing with recasters?

 

[Bullet]

I have to agree that the recasters are making money off of an artists interpretation of a character. One thing that seems to go unsaid is that people are remaking tailor's outfits and making money as well. Nothing is ever said about that though. The tailors put their interpretation on the outfits. I was looking through threads just yesterday and saw an accessory by a well known customizer being held up beside of material to see if it's exactly the same. I don't see the difference. These recasters are basically stealing from the original artist so what about the ones copying the costumes? I am neither an artist or tailor so I am just observing. What does everyone think about that since we're talking about basically the same thing with recasters?

Creating an outfit and simply casting an existing sculpt is completely different. Just cos RM's tailor did the Dude outfit doesnt mean she owns the rights to that particular outfit forever more. Moe or whoever else is perfecty entitled to make there own version. Just as Rocco is free to sculpt his own Dude sculpt. None of these are licensed products so its fair game. Whats not cool is taking a piece someone else has sculpted and make a straight copy

 

[drdandalek]

Creating an outfit and simply casting an existing sculpt is completely different. Just cos RM's tailor did the Dude outfit doesnt mean she owns the rights to that particular outfit forever more. Moe or whoever else is perfecty entitled to make there own version. Just as Rocco is free to sculpt his own Dude sculpt. None of these are licensed products so its fair game. Whats not cool is taking a piece someone else has sculpted and make a straight copy

I agree completely. Rocco did an awesome sculpt of the Dude that's his own, not a recast. Therefore it's good to go. But the tailors are artists as well and to literally hold up a Rainman outfit beside of it to see if it matches perfectly and there's no stealing the artists/tailor's interpretation? Same thing as ripping off by recast. If the new tailor makes his own outfit based off of the show or movie, that's cool. If he makes it directly from the Rainman outfit, not cool.

 

[Bullet]

Hmmmm tailoring even if your copying an existing outfit is far far harder (its skilled work) than simply casting copies of an existing sculpt not really the same for me.

 

[drdandalek]

Hmmmm tailoring even if your copying an existing outfit is far far harder (its skilled work) than simply casting copies of an existing sculpt not really the same for me.

That's true Gareth. I couldn't do either one as my artistic ability starts and ends with very crudely drawn stick men. Lol.

 

[Dr. Odd]

Recasting is like tracing someone's drawing and selling it as yours

 

[thenammagazine]

I'd also buy a recast of an unlicensed product if the quality was right for my liking. I can't concern myself about the sculptors feelings when he had no license to recreate the figure in the first place.. and especially if he's not offering the unlicensed product anymore!

Both Hot Toys and Sideshow have also produced unlicensed actor likenesses. We see them all the time on HT's TrueTypes, and Sideshow's done it with their Joe license. I've lost count how many times Dragon's done it. I've spent a lot more on garbage, and considerably more on custom projects where I was blatantly ripped off by artists who had zero intention of following through despite posting whiny rants about how hard their lives are every other day.

 

[Wulf]

So fair to say that everyone; sculptors (licensed or unlicensed), recasters and consumers are acting out of their own self interest. Heck, even my favorite custom figures company used hot toys body recasts...

 

[vareika]

I agree completely. Rocco did an awesome sculpt of the Dude that's his own, not a recast. Therefore it's good to go. But the tailors are artists as well and to literally hold up a Rainman outfit beside of it to see if it matches perfectly and there's no stealing the artists/tailor's interpretation? Same thing as ripping off by recast. If the new tailor makes his own outfit based off of the show or movie, that's cool. If he makes it directly from the Rainman outfit, not cool.

I think recasting a sculpt (making a straight copy) is not similar to emulating an existing outfit by looking closely at it or even following several aspects of it. Its like a painter / artist looking at a picture of something and drawing it. I assume everyone's done this before. That's just referencing. Even if you get the exact same materials, its far more involved then just doing a straight sculpt recast

 

[RIDDICK]

So fair to say that everyone; sculptors (licensed or unlicensed), recasters and consumers are acting out of their own self interest.

nothing's gonna change that.

 

[Ironman1188]

If this "q" is a recaster, he's not very good. It always seemed that the underlying appeal. for lack of a better word, was finding that hard to find sculpt at a cheaper price. This guy recasts and charges more than the originals!! As Bugs used to say : "What a maroon!"

 

[thenammagazine]

So fair to say that everyone; sculptors (licensed or unlicensed), recasters and consumers are acting out of their own self interest. Heck, even my favorite custom figures company used hot toys body recasts...

Recasters act out of their own self interest, absolutely. Quick and easy $$$ with minimal effort. The others, no. Especially putting themselves at the mercy of the douchy nitpickers here.

 

[ShadowX81]

If this "q" is a recaster, he's not very good. It always seemed that the underlying appeal. for lack of a better word, was finding that hard to find sculpt at a cheaper price. This guy recasts and charges more than the originals!! As Bugs used to say : "What a maroon!"

Well, ever since the originals have been discontinued he can charge whatever he wants. Its pretty much the only way to get the stuff anymore.

 

[Lejuan]

If anyone thinks I'm wrong in my thinking here, please enlighten me why.

If you were around when the mess with Trevor went down in the Breaking Bad thread you wouldn't be asking that question. I'm not being harsh, I'm just saying it was a crappy thing to witness and the board is still paying for it through Trevor's absence. I don't have the same opposition to recasting that many here do, but I would never buy anything from a known arsehole, no matter how desirable the piece was to me.

 

[Wulf]

If you were around when the mess with Trevor went down in the Breaking Bad thread you wouldn't be asking that question. I'm not being harsh, I'm just saying it was a crappy thing to witness and the board is still paying for it through Trevor's absence. I don't have the same opposition to recasting that many here do, but I would never buy anything from a known arsehole, no matter how desirable the piece was to me.

May I ask what happened?

 

[Punishment1218]

Another type of person you should be aware of.....is a certain buyer on here that likes to buy something from you, then want a refund, report you to Paypal to try and get a refund before they send it back to you, then only send half of the items back to you and the other half is damaged. Then after I send all kinds of documents to Paypal, they still pretty much get their way by scamming you....only sending back certain items and not the other. Well......I'm tired of getting scammed. I may get booted from this forum, but I'm tired of getting ripped off for hundreds of dollars. They know who they are, and a couple of mods do too. I won't mention any names, but beware of people like this. I contacted by bank to dispute the charge from Paypal, and they stopped it. This person is still on the forum btw. Just as bad as a chickens*** recaster.