eFX petition.

[Chaosorb]

Count me in. I don't stand for a company that can't answer peoples emails when they place an order requiring a deposit.

 

[Mandible]

Correct me if I'm wrong or have missed someone.
Thanks.

Verbal21
JKNO
gagaliya
tylerdurden
Invictus Sol
Chaosorb

 

[kl241]

It was better when Master Replicas had the Star Wars license. eFX is like a garage kit operated business.

 

[Invictus Sol]

It's a shame as I think they're truly in over their heads with the franchise and I'd have preferred if they'd had great success, of course. It is interesting to me that Marvel went with them for their Avengers replicas. What does it say that eFX was the best they could find? Makes me think that if eFX goes down, it will be a long time coming before somebody else is able to step-up and do these licenses justice at these price points. That said, there's still no excuse for just how awful their customer service is or for the ridiculous delays, so if they lose the license and there's no-one waiting in the wings to take over, so be it.

 

[averone]

Hey,

Read any of the last 50 pages of this thread and you'll know exactly the anxiety people are feeling... in fact read the last post that has just gone up (#1986)...

https://forum.rebelscum.com/t1067374-199/

I can relate I don't like the non-communication either
However, I have meet these guys in person and and they are all there in SDCC, I have 4-5 of their products and no issues at all.
I think mistakes happen and people get pissed but that's every company and not eFX alone
Yes I agree they need to hire a few people to deal with issues and customer service
I can relate, since its a tough task to keep up with everyone and run a small company at the same time, but it's not that simple. Costs are higher than ever. I can't say what to do, but your right they need to know there are some issues, where shall I sign?

 

[jrice73]

I bought one thing from eFX and that will be it--their Red Five X-Wing with signed Mark Hamill plaque. I was going to get the Tie as a companion piece but we are now years, not months, removed from when that item was supposed to be released. That's just bad business. This is ICONS all over again. I'd love to have eFX's Nautilus but I don't have anywhere to put it plus I would hate to see what the QC is on it.

 

[gagaliya]

It's a shame as I think they're truly in over their heads with the franchise and I'd have preferred if they'd had great success, of course. It is interesting to me that Marvel went with them for their Avengers replicas. What does it say that eFX was the best they could find? Makes me think that if eFX goes down, it will be a long time coming before somebody else is able to step-up and do these licenses justice at these price points. That said, there's still no excuse for just how awful their customer service is or for the ridiculous delays, so if they lose the license and there's no-one waiting in the wings to take over, so be it.

It requires an entirely different mentality than making statues, to do those replicas. Sideshow is like a chop shop, just churning out statues that's barely passable. You cannot do that with prop replicas, the buyers will eat you alive, the irony of all this are the prices are not much higher than a statue yet the level of expectation of the product is much much higher. I guess that's one of the reason noone wants to touch it.

Look at qmx, they are the only other company that's doing it. But we are talking about $5000-$10000 for their enterprise replica, the same ship master replicas made for $1000....

 

[3phase]

It requires an entirely different mentality than making statues, to do those replicas. Sideshow is like a chop shop, just churning out statues that's barely passable. You cannot do that with prop replicas, the buyers will eat you alive, the irony of all this are the prices are not much higher than a statue yet the level of expectation of the product is much much higher. I guess that's one of the reason noone wants to touch it.

Look at qmx, they are the only other company that's doing it. But we are talking about $5000-$10000 for their enterprise replica, the same ship master replicas made for $1000....

Mate after reading this I might have to agree with you a bit. EFX could double or triple there prices and get everything done to our expectations but then there would be a petition about there prices being too high.

I haven’t had the best communication with them (actually no communication) but I have there clone & Vader helmets and Tie on the way and no problems with the product yet and if you compared the Vader helmet to the Don Post and what it was worth then it’s still a big win for us.

I do hope they clean up there act tho as I love the products they produce just not there QC.

 

[jkno]

It requires an entirely different mentality than making statues, to do those replicas. Sideshow is like a chop shop, just churning out statues that's barely passable. You cannot do that with prop replicas, the buyers will eat you alive, the irony of all this are the prices are not much higher than a statue yet the level of expectation of the product is much much higher. I guess that's one of the reason noone wants to touch it.

Look at qmx, they are the only other company that's doing it. But we are talking about $5000-$10000 for their enterprise replica, the same ship master replicas made for $1000....

Replicas are indeed a different animal. You cannot go and talk about "artistic interpretation" in this case, you need to make the exact replica, or at least as close as possible. Icons, MR, eFX, QMX do (did) their stuff as well as they can (could). But times have changed, people are aware of more things than they were a few years ago, they want the best bang for their buck. They are not satisfied with half quality, and including here there lays the communication too. $10000 for a replica is insane, you could get original screen used props for that price.

In the end for many props, helmets and studio scales you can go the fan made way too. Of course you might not have a shiny numbered plaque, or a nice COA or an elegant stand (though some offer those as well), but you can get them elsewhere. On the other hand you can get some fantastic and very accurate fan made replicas, sometimes even cheaper than licensed ones, and also made from screen used props or molds (RS Prop Masters, CfO, TE/TE2 etc.).

Since my eyes were opened to the larger world of uber accurate fan made props, where the artists creating them put a part of their soul in each item they make, I realized licensed props are many times too idealized despite the trinkets like plaque or COA they come with. The fan made items are made by the artist themselves, the licensed props are made by underpaid and unaware Chinese workers who don't even know, nor care, about the item they are assembling or painting (proven on so many cases alas).

Putting in the balance a licensed item painted and assembled by a Chinese worker, and then a fan made item (also from screen used molds), created with utmost love by the artist himself, for me the choice is clear. I collect for myself and not for resale, and I want the BEST items in my collection, and not some refurbished helmets with re-used/re-painted domes, just because they are licensed. I don't give a ... for a licensed product if it has the quality we unfortunately encountered, just because it comes with an edition number on a metal plaque. I don't collect plaques, neither COA's, I collect props, and I want they best renditions for my display and collection.

 

[Mandible]

Replicas are indeed a different animal. You cannot go and talk about "artistic interpretation" in this case, you need to make the exact replica, or at least as close as possible. Icons, MR, eFX, QMX do (did) their stuff as well as they can (could). But times have changed, people are aware of more things than they were a few years ago, they want the best bang for their buck. They are not satisfied with half quality, and including here there lays the communication too. $10000 for a replica is insane, you could get original screen used props for that price.

In the end for many props, helmets and studio scales you can go the fan made way too. Of course you might not have a shiny numbered plaque, or a nice COA or an elegant stand (though some offer those as well), but you can get them elsewhere. On the other hand you can get some fantastic and very accurate fan made replicas, sometimes even cheaper than licensed ones, and also made from screen used props or molds (RS Prop Masters, CfO, TE/TE2 etc.).

Since my eyes were opened to the larger world of uber accurate fan made props, where the artists creating them put a part of their soul in each item they make, I realized licensed props are many times too idealized despite the trinkets like plaque or COA they come with. The fan made items are made by the artist themselves, the licensed props are made by underpaid and unaware Chinese workers who don't even know, nor care, about the item they are assembling or painting (proven on so many cases alas).

Putting in the balance a licensed item painted and assembled by a Chinese worker, and then a fan made item (also from screen used molds), created with utmost love by the artist himself, for me the choice is clear. I collect for myself and not for resale, and I want the BEST items in my collection, and not some refurbished helmets with re-used/re-painted domes, just because they are licensed. I don't give a ... for a licensed product if it has the quality we unfortunately encountered, just because it comes with an edition number on a metal plaque. I don't collect plaques, neither COA's, I collect props, and I want they best renditions for my display and collection.

REALLY good point (as always), sir.

MR did the Fett blaster, which was nice, but I purchased one from The Dented Helmet for a third the price, and made with 7 weeks of love. The finish decimates the MR, but yes, it came without the nice display case/stand, etc.

Neither the Vader or Tie's come with those awesome acrylic cases (like some MR stuff used to) so getting a custom/fan made one of either of these two replicas will actually cost you less (visit The RPF) and be far more accurate.

Saying all that, Sideshow (as an example) are tackling the life-size Vader, Fett and Han Carbonite, and if they pull them off, who knows, maybe they could handle the gear eFX is doing.

Furthermore, if someone else was to pick it up, it'd be because Lucasfilm (and us collectors) have had enough of the sham eFX has become, and the new company would bend over backwards to make sure the same crap wasn't going to happen again.

 

[gagaliya]

Replicas are indeed a different animal. You cannot go and talk about "artistic interpretation" in this case, you need to make the exact replica, or at least as close as possible. Icons, MR, eFX, QMX do (did) their stuff as well as they can (could). But times have changed, people are aware of more things than they were a few years ago, they want the best bang for their buck. They are not satisfied with half quality, and including here there lays the communication too. $10000 for a replica is insane, you could get original screen used props for that price.

In the end for many props, helmets and studio scales you can go the fan made way too. Of course you might not have a shiny numbered plaque, or a nice COA or an elegant stand (though some offer those as well), but you can get them elsewhere. On the other hand you can get some fantastic and very accurate fan made replicas, sometimes even cheaper than licensed ones, and also made from screen used props or molds (RS Prop Masters, CfO, TE/TE2 etc.).

Since my eyes were opened to the larger world of uber accurate fan made props, where the artists creating them put a part of their soul in each item they make, I realized licensed props are many times too idealized despite the trinkets like plaque or COA they come with. The fan made items are made by the artist themselves, the licensed props are made by underpaid and unaware Chinese workers who don't even know, nor care, about the item they are assembling or painting (proven on so many cases alas).

Putting in the balance a licensed item painted and assembled by a Chinese worker, and then a fan made item (also from screen used molds), created with utmost love by the artist himself, for me the choice is clear. I collect for myself and not for resale, and I want the BEST items in my collection, and not some refurbished helmets with re-used/re-painted domes, just because they are licensed. I don't give a ... for a licensed product if it has the quality we unfortunately encountered, just because it comes with an edition number on a metal plaque. I don't collect plaques, neither COA's, I collect props, and I want they best renditions for my display and collection.

Fan made stuff are really tough, as you have no idea about the quality (unless the maker is known for a certain quality level). Anything on a photo looks good a feet away, but only when you have it in hand you can tell the true quality, especially for ships. I got burned quite a few times with statues, as they looked gorgeous in the photos only when you have it in hand you realize how bad the paints are and make you appreciate sideshow

 

[jkno]

Fan made stuff are really tough, as you have no idea about the quality (unless the maker is known for a certain quality level). Anything on a photo looks good a feet away, but only when you have it in hand you can tell the true quality, especially for ships. I got burned quite a few times with statues, as they looked gorgeous in the photos only when you have it in hand you realize how bad the paints are and make you appreciate sideshow

I could say almost the same about licensed props, especially recent eFX stuff: "they are really tough, as you have no idea about the quality. Anything on a photo looks good a feet away, but only when you have it in hand you can tell the true quality".

But I'm not talking about statues here, though I have a couple custom statues and I love them (just look in my collection thread for Elm-Studios Emperor 1:1 bust or the Aeon Flux statue) . Personally I had no bad experience with fan made stuff, everything I got was perfect or close to perfect. But I did my research and was not just sitting pretty waiting for others to tell me what is good or not. I did my own inquiries about prop makers and the quality of their items. And they proved more reliable in QC and even in communication than eFX.

 

[nash]

Replicas are indeed a different animal. You cannot go and talk about "artistic interpretation" in this case, you need to make the exact replica, or at least as close as possible. Icons, MR, eFX, QMX do (did) their stuff as well as they can (could). But times have changed, people are aware of more things than they were a few years ago, they want the best bang for their buck. They are not satisfied with half quality, and including here there lays the communication too. $10000 for a replica is insane, you could get original screen used props for that price.

In the end for many props, helmets and studio scales you can go the fan made way too. Of course you might not have a shiny numbered plaque, or a nice COA or an elegant stand (though some offer those as well), but you can get them elsewhere. On the other hand you can get some fantastic and very accurate fan made replicas, sometimes even cheaper than licensed ones, and also made from screen used props or molds (RS Prop Masters, CfO, TE/TE2 etc.).

Since my eyes were opened to the larger world of uber accurate fan made props, where the artists creating them put a part of their soul in each item they make, I realized licensed props are many times too idealized despite the trinkets like plaque or COA they come with. The fan made items are made by the artist themselves, the licensed props are made by underpaid and unaware Chinese workers who don't even know, nor care, about the item they are assembling or painting (proven on so many cases alas).

Putting in the balance a licensed item painted and assembled by a Chinese worker, and then a fan made item (also from screen used molds), created with utmost love by the artist himself, for me the choice is clear. I collect for myself and not for resale, and I want the BEST items in my collection, and not some refurbished helmets with re-used/re-painted domes, just because they are licensed. I don't give a ... for a licensed product if it has the quality we unfortunately encountered, just because it comes with an edition number on a metal plaque. I don't collect plaques, neither COA's, I collect props, and I want they best renditions for my display and collection.

you are IGNORANT. you say that unlicensed prop replicas are more accurate than licensed ones. Accurate in what terms? Based on blurry screen caps on the internet?

Most people who make custom props don't have direct access to studio files of the replicas that they are trying to produce. they can only do their "best" depending on what research material is out there for them to use.

You may THINK that your custom prop is 100% accurate but can you honestly say that you can prove it? Please show me exact measurements that were used by the studios producing these films and props. You can't. you are just going by the word of someone making a huge profit off of you.

As for licensed replicas. It is well known that in a movie there are often times countless representations of a single prop used for filming which are also very crude in nature. The prop makers make multiple renditions of a single piece to use for filming and often times even what is seen on screen is not consistent to a single piece. so how can a company pick ONE prop to make when there may be 20 or 30 of them and all of them have different nuances and features to them? They can't, that is why they take the liberty to add in some idealization so that they can "best" represent what the prop should look like.

IMO you are just trying to be a custom prop snob. Ive seen it before and ive even been down that route. I own a handful of stormpath props and those are the best in my collection. Better than any MR or eFX piece. however, i have absolutely no way to prove that they are more accurate or the end all be all of that item in terms of accuracy.

 

[nash]

I could say almost the same about licensed props, especially recent eFX stuff: "they are really tough, as you have no idea about the quality. Anything on a photo looks good a feet away, but only when you have it in hand you can tell the true quality".

But I'm not talking about statues here, though I have a couple custom statues and I love them (just look in my collection thread for Elm-Studios Emperor 1:1 bust or the Aeon Flux statue) . Personally I had no bad experience with fan made stuff, everything I got was perfect or close to perfect. But I did my research and was not just sitting pretty waiting for others to tell me what is good or not. I did my own inquiries about prop makers and the quality of their items. And they proved more reliable in QC and even in communication than eFX.

again more ignorance. how the hell can you compare the quality of a fan made product that may have less than 50 made, as compared to a large scale warehouse operation where underpaid factory workers are pumping out thousands of a single item?

That's like comparing custom 1/6 sculpts/paint to sideshow factory paint. give me break.

 

[jkno]

you are IGNORANT. you say that unlicensed prop replicas are more accurate than licensed ones. Accurate in what terms? Based on blurry screen caps on the internet?

Most people who make custom props don't have direct access to studio files of the replicas that they are trying to produce. they can only do their "best" depending on what research material is out there for them to use.

You may THINK that your custom prop is 100% accurate but can you honestly say that you can prove it? Please show me exact measurements that were used by the studios producing these films and props. You can't. you are just going by the word of someone making a huge profit off of you.

As for licensed replicas. It is well known that in a movie there are often times countless representations of a single prop used for filming which are also very crude in nature. The prop makers make multiple renditions of a single piece to use for filming and often times even what is seen on screen is not consistent to a single piece. so how can a company pick ONE prop to make when there may be 20 or 30 of them and all of them have different nuances and features to them? They can't, that is why they take the liberty to add in some idealization so that they can "best" represent what the prop should look like.

IMO you are just trying to be a custom prop snob. Ive seen it before and ive even been down that route. I own a handful of stormpath props and those are the best in my collection. Better than any MR or eFX piece. however, i have absolutely no way to prove that they are more accurate or the end all be all of that item in terms of accuracy.

Nash please click me

After clicking that ^ and listening to it for a while, please go and READ various threads on RPF, FISD, Prop Den or 501st forums about original props in private hands and so on (where Brian Muir, Gino, Joe R. and even Bryan Ono from eFX posted), and learn something useful in your pitiful "macho" life. Of course you can remain uninformed and ignorant as usual, and completely making fool of yourself in front of an entire board. Ciao.

 

[Drakul]

Oh look! It's man-child.

 

[user 6734]

Nash please click me
l

 

[Shropt]

Let's keep the personal attacks out of this conversation please.

 

[DarthChrisDK]

Anyways.....

I find it to be a worthy project, Mandible. What eFX is pulling isn't tolerable. It's not OK.

Holding the Star Wars license should be an honour and a prestige. A good customer relationship is part of a good deal.

 

[Rook]

I can relate I don't like the non-communication either
However, I have meet these guys in person and and they are all there in SDCC, I have 4-5 of their products and no issues at all.
I think mistakes happen and people get pissed but that's every company and not eFX alone
Yes I agree they need to hire a few people to deal with issues and customer service
I can relate, since its a tough task to keep up with everyone and run a small company at the same time, but it's not that simple. Costs are higher than ever. I can't say what to do, but your right they need to know there are some issues, where shall I sign?

Agreed. I've dealt with eFX multiple times, and had no issues. I've also been granted some first-rate, personal responses to any questions.

Maybe it has something to do with one's approach.