PETITION FOR FRODO RESCULPT!!!

[Battletroll]

We forget in our enthusiasm that we're not the only ones who collect these pieces. There's a big world out there and not all collectors are members of this board. And not all of the members of this board necessarily agree that Frodo -- or any other piece -- needs that kind of overhaul. I'd like to think that we represent a very small (albeit very vocal sometimes) portion of the collecting world.

In reading many of the posts, I sense a feeling from some that because we're customers, we have the right to abuse and demean. What happened to good manners? Why not try to remember that a talented human being with pride in his/her skills labored for hours/days/weeks/months on a piece...even if it may not be up to my personal expectations. If, after the piece comes out and I'm still dissatisfied, then I use my ultimate weapon....my pocketbook. I don't like -- I don't buy.

Goes back to lurking.

I completely agree with you, Rumi!

 

[JSA]

Yikes folks! We're at each others throats over Frodo! C'mon!

My thoughts on the Frodo PF are as follows:

1. This petetion idea was well intentioned I believe, but harshly stated.
It is all in the presentation, and this idea just was stated to boldly.

2. I too think the head sculpt is off quite a bit, and I'd actually like to
see it modified or re-sculpted to look more (exactly) like Elijah Wood.

The fact that I want this does NOT mean that I don't recognize the
talent, effort, skill, and time that went into the existing sculpt. Matt
is amazing, as are all Sideshow's craftsmen. Just in this case, to me,
the likeness is off enough to likely be a deal-breaker for this item.

3. I don't think I am a "stockholder", but I'd like to think that constructive
criticism delivered in a polite and reasonable way, would be a benefit to
both Sideshow and their customer base. If Frodo's likeness were dead-on
to Elijah Wood, people here would be falling all over themselvers for this
PF figure. If Sideshow makes some modifications or improvements, it'll
be a knockout item, instead of one that people are on the fence about,
or don't even want.

4. Everybody here WANTS Sideshow's items to be amazing and perfect!
If we can give good feedback on changes that would be an improvement
to an item we ALL win - Sideshow will sell more, and we as collectors will
have the item(s) we've always wanted or dreamed of for our collections.

Steps down off soapbox...........

JS

 

[Mookeylama]

since Mace and Frodo have went up, there's been one thing i read that made more sense to me than any other, and that was constructive criticism. rather than insult, advise. and the best example of constructive criticism i've seen was this..

not sure who did it (edit: found where i'd 1st scene the pic and it was posted by Grievous over at Statueforum. also saw it on a French board) or if it was Photoshop or some paint program but that confronted the issues, and in my mind, came up w/ a solution. maybe someone can do something like that w/ the Frodo pics (i've never used any program like but i tried PAINT today and messed it ALL up)? these artists are incredibly talented, and human. they don't deserve to be ridiculed. but critiqued? everyone's a critic.

also another aid for future pieces might be computer scanning the model for the likeness. i read that's what SS did w/ the new Buffy PF, so they must be looking into it.

 

[creecher]

.....and to the person with the finger sniffing comment why dont you shove them right up your ass!!!!

I don't think it's necessary to provoke Bodie. He is quite capable of being efficacious, or in this case perhaps, defecatious. I would hope he doesn't follow through on your request. LMAO That would be rather messy.

 

[tomandshell]

Bodie, if you are planning on attending SDCC this year, please forgive me if I don't shake your hand if I see you there...





I think I would always prefer a sculpted likeness, even if it's a little off, to a computer scan. I kind of enjoy a level of interpretation, and to see what a real human artist can do with a sculpt.

Mat has done some fantastic work--many of his Bond figures are awesome, and his Grandpa Munster Bobblehead is above reproach. He has done great things in the POTA line, and (as much as I love Andy's work) his 1/4 scale Obi-Wan might just be my choice for best human likeness in the SW PF line. That being said, I think that Frodo is not quite perfect. I think it's a fantastic representation of the essence of Frodo (I know that there is a LOT of disagreement with that philosophy), but the likeness to EW is not completely there. I do think that it surpasses the two SS/W versions--AND it looks better than any one of the Frodos from the Code 3 posters!

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

.....and to the person with the finger sniffing comment why dont you shove them right up your ass!!!!

Why want to sniff them again?..

*creepy giggle*

 

[Darklord Dave]

Wetanut said it best, but I would also add that these sculpts, like all art, is subjective.

Saying that Mace "without question" needs bigger eyes is a misnomer because I, and it seems many others would disagree with that. And for such a subtle change that has been suggested, it is unlikely that ANYONE could judge such a thing without seeing the sculpt in person.

The pictures that we see are the final sculpt after it has been submitted and approved by the Licensor. They may have submitted it many, many times to Lucasfilm or New Line before it was finally approved. Sam Jackson may even have approval over his likeness and he might have had a hand in refinements to Mace. We don't know, but after months of development and back and forth with the licensor it is unlikely that the sculpt will change because of fan feedback. Which would start the whole process over again and delay the release of a product by months.

 

[King Darkness]

Why want to sniff them again?..

*creepy giggle*

Snap..lol..

 

[The Josh]

Wetanut said it best, but I would also add that these sculpts, like all art, is subjective.

Saying that Mace "without question" needs bigger eyes is a misnomer because I, and it seems many others would disagree with that. And for such a subtle change that has been suggested, it is unlikely that ANYONE could judge such a thing without seeing the sculpt in person.

The pictures that we see are the final sculpt after it has been submitted and approved by the Licensor. They may have submitted it many, many times to Lucasfilm or New Line before it was finally approved. Sam Jackson may even have approval over his likeness and he might have had a hand in refinements to Mace. We don't know, but after months of development and back and forth with the licensor it is unlikely that the sculpt will change because of fan feedback. Which would start the whole process over again and delay the release of a product by months.

Yup

 

[Vizcad]

Good Point JS...i did not mean by any means to put down Matt Falls at all....I beieve he is truly gifted at what he does and his portfolio speaks for itself. I am passionate about what i do, and i am passionate about theses colletcibles as im sure are many of you. I just want sideshow to hear that we are asking for maybe a little more ummph to an already incredible start. frodo should set precedent for the rest of the fellowship, i believe that with a few minor cosmetic changes this could be even better and truer to to Elijahs portrayal of Frodo. Which i believe would be beneficial to the collector, to the artist and to the sales. I dont think anyone would object to a little more attention to the likenisses and i know that perception is in the eye of the beholder, but I really think its important to at least give more consideration to the fans who are buying and collecting these awesome pieces. If by nothing else i wanted to shake things up a bit because i believe that it coudl be improved. MY OWN OPINION!!! And i know wll as anyone that petitions are just list of names but they are also a way of communicating something real and tangible. I meant no disrespect to Sideshow, Mat Falls or anyother boardmember.

 

[DannieDarKo]

Let's shoot for this.

 

[The Josh]

Let's shoot for this.

LOL

 

[tomandshell]

i believe that with a few minor cosmetic changes this could be even better

I can agree with you there. However, I think that Sideshow has already made a few minor changes. The button on his cloak is now brown with no button holes, instead of white. The fur on his feet looks much better now.

I think that when these things finally get set before the public for purchase, they are for the most part already as adjusted as they are going to get. Adjustments to the head sculpt/likeness seem to be major, not minor, and I think it's too late for that. Sideshow is moving forward with this sculpt, and I have a feeling that lots of people saw this and gave feedback and criticism before it reached its final version. They would not be selling it now if they thought they could improve it, given more time and effort. This is the best version they feel they can sell to us, and I am happy enough with it that I have ordered one.

(And I'm glad it costs a tenth of a grand less than Lurtz.)

 

[DannieDarKo]

Originally posted by tomandshell
(And I'm glad it costs a tenth of a grand less than Lurtz.)

And I agree with you there.

 

[Fritz]

I petition Sideshow to cut the edition size to 300 pieces max then we'll see how popular this PF Figure is.

 

[The Josh]

I petition Sideshow to cut the edition size to 300 pieces max then we'll see how popular this PF Figure is.

That would be funny.

 

[CptCosmo]

I believe the sculpt may be off for a couple of reasons

First of all it's genuinely hard to sculpt the human face. Our brains can easily pick out subtle details that throw off the life-like appearance. The spacing of the eyes, nose proportions, symmetry in general. Some of the most beautiful faces in the world have strange proportions or unsymmetrical features. But another face that is perfect in proportion is deemed "fake" or "doll-like." This is one of the problems facing CG animators in film in that it can't be perfect but ALMOST perfect. An example of this would be that Final Fantasy flick where everyone looked like re-animated death.

Secondly and probably moreso is the licensing agreement. The actors might have contracts that forbid their likeness being used outside of compensation. Viggo has said this in many interviews. This doesn't come into play until these larger scale figures are produced where we could get exact likenesses. When producing a small 6" figure, no problem, the detail can't get their anyway, but at this scale I think it's technically feasilble to laser-scan faces. Then we'd end up with miniature Madam Tousseau's figures and all those celebrities get paid fat cash for that. If Sideshow gets too close they gotta pay. Especially after ending the Weta partnership. I think that's probably the main reason, not the skill of the sculptor.

that's my 2 cents

 

[daelith]

Got any of the interviews where any of the cast members from LOTR has said that?

 

[Darklord Dave]

Like Star Wars the actors in LotR signed all likeness rights away. I think this statement from Viggo is an urban legend.

 

[King Darkness]

Like Star Wars the actors in LotR signed all likeness rights away. I think this statement from Viggo is an urban legend.

True..once you sign your likeness away,wich they ALL did,you have no say in how or were it is used...the likeness is under the contol of whoever it was signed to..probably New Line..