JAMES BOND - Original creations

[Greggo]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

I'm going to be the guy who rains on the parade in my typical outspoken fashion even though I've practiced more diplomacy as of late

Not a fan of this announcement. One bit.

In my opinion you could not have chosen a worse company to produce these figures. I'd have even been optimistic over a sideshow or threezero announcement and I'm no fan of those companies in the slightest, but BIg Chief is the worst of the worst of you ask me.

Even if Inigou is sculpting the heads which obviously is a big big win (one of my faves) they will undoubtably be ruined by bad production. Bad plastic, bad paint, odd incisions in the neck joint, misshapen proportions and the like.

Their bodies are sub par and the tailoring about on par with sideshow 8 years ago. For guys in suits if the suits and heads don't work... Nothing works.

Would I rather have no company doing them? No that's not it, I anticipate we will get a few good items, acessories and maybe a passable head here or there to customize with but as long as this company is holding the spot it prevents good bond figures from being made on a mass level.

And when their run is up it may be the last time we get bond figures if they drop the ball, and I'm saying I could be proven wrong. I suppose.... And I'd love to be, but the company's track record is consistently bad. Even back when they did the odd DCD figure it was always the worst of the bunch.

Thanks Ray. We have been working very hard on the tailoring which has improved massively since the first few releases. Not to mention the new factory paint which is using the same paint processes as Hot Toys only less tanned. We were chosen for a reason out of all companies that have gone for it in the past and present and money as some people have said has nothing to do with it. They have seen what we can do, they have seen what the factory and what our sculpts and tailoring looks like and we are working very hard with EON to produce the very best Bond collectibles. I just hope we can prove you and a few of the doubters wrong, although I have feeling even if we produce some amazing pieces which I know we will, we will still be flagged down and have burning torches and pitch forks

 

[Wor-Gar]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

So when can WE see those lovely protos...?

Need ... Bond... now.

 

[gido]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Thanks Ray. We have been working very hard on the tailoring which has improved massively since the first few releases. Not to mention the new factory paint which is using the same paint processes as Hot Toys only less tanned. We were chosen for a reason out of all companies that have gone for it in the past and present and money as some people have said has nothing to do with it. They have seen what we can do, they have seen what the factory and what our sculpts and tailoring looks like and we are working very hard with EON to produce the very best Bond collectibles. I just hope we can prove you and a few of the doubters wrong, although I have feeling even if we produce some amazing pieces which I know we will, we will still be flagged down and have burning torches and pitch forks

I really wish you to make great figures!I want to have high level Bond stuff!I don't have any interess to flag down your production.Just first Sherlock figure I have was not high level product.Odd body, not the best tailoring.Please rise up your level with new Bond serie and make my day.


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[Greggo]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

I for one was not happy how the first Sherlock figure ended up, but there was a few problems and deadlines that made it impossible to release them without a huge delay the tailoring since then has gotten much better and the bodies have been re worked a lot of changes have taken place between each figure release. But I can tell you now the huge changes we have made with the current figures hence the delay on them coming out is there to make our products better and better, we won't to progress not fall behind. But sadly 1:6 scale community doesn't always allow that happen.

 

[Rogerbee]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Thanks for the input there Greggo, in the light of that things do make a good deal more sense. People might enjoy harking back to when an SSC figure cost £40, but, we're just not in that economic climate anymore. Times and costs have changed and from what you have said it just wouldn't be possible to sell figures for anywhere near that price now. I used to think the rationale for high prices was "Well Hot Toys are charging that, so we will!", obviously that is not the case.

It's good to know that you are working hard to redress what has turned others against BCS and that future products should be far better.

 

[gido]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Again-only thing still buzzard me mostly-I hate no neck sculpts except it's for open shirt or topless look figures.But I understand it's my own problemCan't wait to see new SC figure pics


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[**16k**]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Okay, I'm not at all saying you lie or anything, and I know that 2000 is already 15 years back, but still, I find it hard to believe Sideshow could sell figs for about $50 and not lose money. I know that raw material, gas, everything has increased since then, but not in those proportions. Sure, quality has improved since then, but even so, I find it hard to believe it has increased prices by that much.

... Unless!

... Unless some people, along the lway have become greedier and greedier! Licensors, sculptors, whatever, but I really can't believe that, as true as they may be, your numbers are really justified.

 

[matrix69]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

I'm not a fan of the no neck sculpt either and would prefer they went with a full head and neck for this bond line..would look much better

 

[Darklord Dave]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Thanks for your reply.

OK guys some facts for you...

The way licensing works is that you sign up for a minimum guarantee (MG). This is the amount that you guarantee to pay the licensor, irrespective of how many you make. For more prestigious licenses this amount can be very high indeed. The company then has to pay an advance amount of signing. Again this varies, but as you might imagine with a higher MG the advance is also higher. The licensee then pays a royalty fee per piece sold to effectively earn out the money to cover the MG and ideally more on top to pay the licensor.

Next up you have development costs, design, sculpting, tailoring prototyping etc. Depending upon who you use, this cost can be high. A certain sculptor who shall remain nameless, but who is very much in the limelight at the moment routinely quotes $10,000 for a head alone!

Next tooling, which depending upon what the figure comes with, and the number of separate tools required, can easily run to $20,000 for a single figure. I should add we are still talking a main a suit here, not an armour clad character, which would require a considerable amount of additional tools.

Now product cost, trust me $20 is way, way off. A standard 6 inch action figures will run to around $4-$6 per piece, so with all the bells and whistles of a 1:6 scale figure, all of which require individual hand operations to mass produce, the cost is $50+ at a minimum. I won't give specifics, but I will tell you that BIG Chief pay a good amount more than this per piece. Remember also that Chinese vendors require 100% payment before the goods can be shipped from their shores, there's no 30 days after invoice deal.

So simple math based on 1000 pieces would result in a cost price as...

Development $10.00
Tooling $20.00
Cost per Piece $55.00
Running total $85.00

Now this does not include additional costs including running costs, salaries, royalty fee, public and product insurance (required to sell into the US), freight insurance, returns etc etc.

Before you know it you're at $100 a piece for short runs.

What helps are larger volume runs, the kind of which Hot Toys see, but remember they will have HUGE MGs.

A little more math for you. A distributor looks for a preferable discount of 60% off selling price. The reality is that is simply not possible for high-end items, so let's base the math on 50% discount off selling price.

Selling Price $239.99
Discounted Distributor Cost $120.00 (50%)

Given the example cost per piece of $100 as a minimum and the selling price of $120 this leaves a $20 margin out of which all of the additional costs have to be deducted.

So prices are high and they have to be.

Excellent breakdown of the costs involved. Salaries in China are going up too - some companies are decamping to Vietnam and India - but that presents it's own problems.

 

[jazzman822]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Can we expect Red Grant? Emilio Largo?

 

[Pixelpiper]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Suggestion for those running figure companies.

1. Don't discuss your costs in a public forum. It's not going to shut the haters up and it might just rub some people the wrong way.*
2. Know the market. That means knowing who else is out there producing products you intend to compete with and how much distributors are paying for their products
3. Be competitive - within reason

If you're finding you can't do number 3, then look at number 2 more closely and figure out how your contemporaries and handling their overseas production. But most important of all, #1. Just don't talk production dollars like this to your customers.

* If customers/potential customers aren't rubbed the wrong way, you're sure to displease distributors as well as "certain sculptors" - it's all just really bad form/etiquette and makes the business owner look like a newb/shill.

 

[Greggo]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Suggestion for those running figure companies.

1. Don't discuss your costs in a public forum. It's not going to shut the haters up and it might just rub some people the wrong way.*
2. Know the market. That means knowing who else is out there producing products you intend to compete with and how much distributors are paying for their products
3. Be competitive - within reason

If you're finding you can't do number 3, then look at number 2 more closely and figure out how your contemporaries and handling their overseas production. But most important of all, #1. Just don't talk production dollars like this to your customers.

* If customers/potential customers aren't rubbed the wrong way, you're sure to displease distributors as well as "certain sculptors" - it's all just really bad form/etiquette and makes the business owner look like a newb/shill.

1. Costs were an example only, not specific, nor quoted. If this upsets people it says more about them than the company.
2. All too often people on any forum mention cost, high prices etc without knowing what the reality is. They also compare apples with oranges and all too often mistakenly confuse great product for a weak license with poor product for a strong license. Knowing your market is not as simple as say being able to buy HT Thor for $200, so a company sets their price below this. It depends on license, likely sales volumes, range take up etc.
3. Competitive is fine provided that there is profit after cost of goods has been deducted. Again this comes back to license and sales volumes. You cannot compare four Ghostbusters, stunning as they are, that have largely the same costume with four individually costumed figures.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

See #1. You will only alienate customers with these discussions. Because here's some insight: customers don't care about any of the explanations. I've worked for some big companies in a number of fields - 1/6 figure production being small potatoes by comparison (smaller still in fact) - but these outfits had customers certainly as vocal and critical.

Think of it this way. You're in a hole and this kind of discussion is a shovel - a shovel won't get you out of a hole.

Take the criticism you see around the net and try not to respond to it in a personal fashion - it will certainly almost never end well. You brought up Hot Toys... They didn't get to where they are by having it out with their customers in a public forum. Just saying.

Treat your customers well and they'll treat you well. Don't engage naysayers and random BS online - stay above it.

 

[HAL9000.]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Greggo, I admire some of your past custom work, I even respect that BCS are even tackling Bond and I hope the quality does increase, so please take this the right way - but you really need to stop rising to the bait in such a public way. Being a company, you'll only ever come off second best and will never win. You're just coming across as being even more unprofessional, no matter what you're saying or explaining. Just go and prove us doubters wrong. That's all you need to do. All this arguing is not proving anything. Make exceptional figures that are worth the money. Make figures everyone will cherish. Learn from the negativity and past mistakes - like you keep saying you have.

 

[HAL9000.]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

See #1. You will only alienate customers with these discussions. Because here's some insight: customers don't care about any of the explanations. I've worked for some big companies in a number of fields - 1/6 figure production being small potatoes by comparison (smaller still in fact) - but these outfits had customers certainly as vocal and critical.

Think of it this way. You're in a hole and this kind of discussion is a shovel - a shovel won't get you out of a hole.

Take the criticism you see around the net and try not to respond to it in a personal fashion - it will certainly almost never end well.

 

[Underworld54]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Greggo, I admire some of your past custom work, I even respect that BCS are even tackling Bond and I hope the quality does increase, so please take this the right way - but you really need to stop rising to the bait in such a public way. Being a company, you'll only ever come off second best and will never win. You're just coming across as being even more unprofessional, no matter what you're saying or explaining. Just go and prove us doubters wrong. That's all you need to do. All this arguing is not proving anything. Make exceptional figures that are worth the money. Make figures everyone will cherish. Learn from the negativity and past mistakes - like you keep saying you have.

Good figures is all people want. We don't want to be told the costs involved in making a figure, or that they're trying to get better, or anything else. We just want good figures, that's all we truly care about. I couldn't care less how a company goes about it, just give me a quality item for my money. Leave the other stuff in-house.

 

[lordregnis]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

I have faith and will buy bond figures. I really want Craig and Brosnan.

 

[pjam]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Who suddenly changed my thread title? No heads up, PM or reason given?

Was supposed to be (and for nearly 10 YEARS has been) for all things Bond; Sideshow, Customs, Other Companies, Craig, etc. Anyway, now it seems will be relegated to a custom section instead of it's stated purpose.

.

 

[Platty]

Re: Custom JAMES BOND THREAD

Who suddenly changed my thread title? No heads up, PM or reason given?

Was supposed to be (and for nearly 10 YEARS has been) for all things Bond; Sideshow, Customs, Other Companies, Craig, etc. Anyway, now it seems will be relegated to a custom section instead of it's stated purpose.

.

I created the big chief announcement thread and the title of that was changed too.

The mods must want it a certain way.

I suppose this makes sense as most things in here now will be custom.



Also, I can't believe this thread is 10 years old. ****.

 

[Platty]

Re: Official james bond thread

Finally finished my Goldeneye Brosnan. So I placed him next to my Skyfall Daniel Craig and snapped some photos. It's Quite a good feeling to finally see them both together after having the display of these two finished figures pictured in my mind for years. Hope you like!

P.S This is a great thread to take part in, some awesome custom figures, like Worgars blofeld few pages back for example, and it is nothing but friendly discussion!

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I'm going to Level with you, with all this Bond traffic at the minute I'm going to quote my finished custom Craig and brosnan figures shoot me!