Budget Stark - Why do Hot Toys figures cost more now, than 5 years ago.

[SAB]

Hi SAB, thanks for your post.

You are right, I may well be inaccurate about some points. I dont work in the toy sector, nor the movie business, nor in toy manufacturing. The information I discussed are my own thoughts and if they are inaccurate then so be it, as it is to the best of my knowledge at the time of making the video.

Some of those points were mentioned in jest. I have no interest in finding out about the exact movie rights and financial deals for Mark Hamill and the real costs of things that happened several years back. It does not interest me.

You could rectify the info regarding Arnie in due course and then you could post a video so you can share your views and findings for us to see.

For me and possibly most collectors, it is pretty simple, how much does a figure costs and if I want it and can afford it, I buy it. It doesn't really matter that much to me regarding all the background admin, legalities, if RDJ got paid $10 million and Hot Toys decide to make a huge loss as they have other means to recoup the money, or if RDJ got paid with a free MK43 one of a kind Uber special edition.

The behind the scenes activity doesn't really affect me, so I am not particularly that interested in it. But I can understand that some collectors are very interested in it.

If you don't care, fair enough.
But you posted a video for other collectors specifically 'to help them understand Hot Toys rising prices' , started this thread and spoke as if the information was factual and have highlighted that your location in Hong Kong and dual language gives you knowledge and access of Hot Toys that others don't or can't have.
That seems misleading.

 

[JacktheRipper]

So wait, this thread was started by someone talking out of their ass? Well then, I'm here to tell you why building a time machine today is more expensive than it was five years ago.

 

[Stryker2011]

SAB is correct. I had some experience with film contracts back in the late eighties, likeness rights are tied to film contracts. The supposed $2 mill RDJ payout was probably signed as a multi-picture deal starting with IM2, and includes the Avengers films. HT is NOT paying $2 mill for his likeness (that was payed out by the movie studio), they are paying a share of that, yes, but that money is spread out across all arenas of merchandising, from posters to t-shirts, etc. A niche company like HT, despite probably having that kind of money, couldn't possibly afford to get more than one likeness per year at that cost, let alone a couple dozen. The cost to the consumer would end up being 5 to 6 times the ridiculous amount of money we're already paying, if that was the case.
And labor costs in China...? Has anyone ever googled what conditions are like in a typical factory over there? The only people making money on these things, aside from the license holder, are Howard Chan, and a couple other key personnel, the factory workers themselves are little more than indentured slaves. Check it out, the first thing that popped up for me a couple of months ago was photos from a toy factory (how ironic). Some of them sleep under the work tables. Kinda makes you feel like an a-hole for buying anything from there.

 

[potato]

So wait, this thread was started by someone talking out of their ass? Well then, I'm here to tell you why building a time machine today is more expensive than it was five years ago.

i bet if you knew how to build one 100 years ago it'd probably just cost you a gold coin, instead of gazillions in say another 300 years.

 

[potato]

SAB is correct. I had some experience with film contracts back in the late eighties, likeness rights are tied to film contracts. The supposed $2 mill RDJ payout was probably signed as a multi-picture deal starting with IM2, and includes the Avengers films. HT is NOT paying $2 mill for his likeness (that was payed out by the movie studio), they are paying a share of that, yes, but that money is spread out across all arenas of merchandising, from posters to t-shirts, etc. A niche company like HT, despite probably having that kind of money, couldn't possibly afford to get more than one likeness per year at that cost, let alone a couple dozen. The cost to the consumer would end up being 5 to 6 times the ridiculous amount of money we're already paying, if that was the case.
And labor costs in China...? Has anyone ever googled what conditions are like in a typical factory over there? The only people making money on these things, aside from the license holder, are Howard Chan, and a couple other key personnel, the factory workers themselves are little more than indentured slaves. Check it out, the first thing that popped up for me a couple of months ago was photos from a toy factory (how ironic). Some of them sleep under the work tables. Kinda makes you feel like an a-hole for buying anything from there.

Do understand, every single contract are unique & different in their terms, sure there's always a generic contract but when it comes to big guns they can pretty much have anything they want, which includes the non-inclusive likeness rights for merchandises tied to the movie, or when it's not mentioned in the contract.

 

[potato]

SAB is correct. I had some experience with film contracts back in the late eighties, likeness rights are tied to film contracts. The supposed $2 mill RDJ payout was probably signed as a multi-picture deal starting with IM2, and includes the Avengers films. HT is NOT paying $2 mill for his likeness (that was payed out by the movie studio), they are paying a share of that, yes, but that money is spread out across all arenas of merchandising, from posters to t-shirts, etc. A niche company like HT, despite probably having that kind of money, couldn't possibly afford to get more than one likeness per year at that cost, let alone a couple dozen. The cost to the consumer would end up being 5 to 6 times the ridiculous amount of money we're already paying, if that was the case.
And labor costs in China...? Has anyone ever googled what conditions are like in a typical factory over there? The only people making money on these things, aside from the license holder, are Howard Chan, and a couple other key personnel, the factory workers themselves are little more than indentured slaves. Check it out, the first thing that popped up for me a couple of months ago was photos from a toy factory (how ironic). Some of them sleep under the work tables. Kinda makes you feel like an a-hole for buying anything from there.

Capitalism at it's best. As long as they have the strength to carry out their duties to fulfill our needs, all is good.

 

[Stryker2011]

Do understand, every single contract are unique & different in their terms, sure there's always a generic contract but when it comes to big guns they can pretty much have anything they want, which includes the non-inclusive likeness rights for merchandises tied to the movie, or when it's not mentioned in the contract.

Very few contracts in Hollywood are generic, especially for the "stars" of any film project. What is unique in likeness rights is what their likeness can even be used on. Big enough stars can say, for example, you can make an action figure, but not a bobble head. Or don't put my face on a lunch box, but T-shirts are fine. The standard likeness rights contracts ended with the success of Star Wars back in the 70s. But again, HT DIDN'T pay RDJ $2 mill for his likeness. All likeness rights are paid out initially by the movie studio to the actor, and that expense is spread out across all the merchandisers, and some is absorbed by the studio itself.