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Live From Zapp Con 6 with Blaine and Chris from NECA
0 Playsin 6 hours
We're LIVE from Zapp Con 6 in Wayne, NJ with friends of the pod and returning guests, Blaine and Chris from NECA! Join us for a chat about the creative process, what it takes to bring toys and their packaging to life, and a run down of some highlights from this year's upcoming Haulathon at Target!
Follow NECA on Instagram @necaofficial, Blaine on Instagram @blainerthings, and Chris @plasticvampireart
Follow us @aic_podcast on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube
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Intro and other voices by Joe Azzari
https://www.instagram.com/voicesbyjoe/
Theme Music is "Game Boy Horror" by the Zombie Dandies
Proudly part of the Non-Productive Network
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Transcript
Introduction to Adventures in Collecting Podcast
00:00:03
Speaker
Are you ready, kids? Get your parents' permission, check your mailbox, and grab your shopping cart. It's time for the Adventures in Collecting podcast. I'm Eric.
00:00:15
Speaker
And I'm Dave. Welcome to Adventures in Collecting, where we talk toy news, culture, and hauls, along with our journeys as collectors.
00:00:30
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome back to Adventures in Collecting. We are live at Zapcon
Insights into the Toy-Making Process with NECA
00:00:36
Speaker
6. Yeah, give it for Zapcon 6. Let's give everyone big round of applause. Yeah, there we go. All right. That's as loud as I can go. It's perfect. It's perfect.
00:00:44
Speaker
So we are very fortunate to be joined today with two returning guests to the show for the first time ah live and in person here. Together we've got friend of the pod Chris and Blaine from NECA Toys.
00:01:00
Speaker
hey Hey, guys. So we are going to have a really fun conversation today about kind of the toy making process and a lot of things that I think, you know, in terms of like how the sausage gets made. But ah before we get into that. I am murdering my thirst today with cherry obituary liquid death.
00:01:19
Speaker
Oh, yes, that's right. Here's here's our our another attempt. I'm looking straight at camera. Liquid death. I would love... Right here, right here. Oh, you don't... No, no. There you go. Liquid Death. Yeah. Murder Your Thirst.
00:01:32
Speaker
In the attempt, ever long-lasting attempt to get sponsored. I'm just looking looking at hard cam. Thank you, Rusty. So, yes. Rusty on camera. In our, in our, in our, another attempt to get sponsored by Liquid Death. Yeah, I'm going to try every week until we do. Yeah. So, Chris, Blaine, tell us ah a little bit about what you do at NECA.
00:01:51
Speaker
Me first. I am the brand manager of action figures at NECA and also one of the toy designers. So I do everything from conceptualizing the action figure, working with the licensors, working with our design team, working with our packaging, working with our marketing, everything.
00:02:17
Speaker
And Chris, how about you? I am, whoa, I'm a lot louder. Hey. I'm a senior graphic designer and problem solver. Problem solver. That's good Just ask Blaine, right?
00:02:30
Speaker
Every company needs a good problem solver. I am the problem solver. there you go. Yeah. So as we mentioned kind of at the top, right, we we have the opportunity to we have the opportunity to talk about kind of the whole toy making process here because we have somebody who can speak to the design of the actual figures and then all the way through to a a finished product. So with with finished packaging. So tell us a little bit about that process. And we have we actually have an example here, the our Evil Dead 2-pack that ah both of you have worked on. So ah walk us through the process. I guess I'll start just because, yeah, so concept started with, and and I did the concept for this two-pack.
00:03:16
Speaker
And, yeah, I mean, it starts the way any action figure process would start. I do a 2D, basically drawing. We submit it to the licensor. We show, it's a layout, shows everything closer, sorry, like a lot.
00:03:33
Speaker
shows everything that the figure would come with, shows where the articulation would be,
00:03:40
Speaker
yeah Yeah. And then we submit that to the licensor. Once that's approved, it's assigned to sculptors, painters, etc. And then it moves over to packaging. It moves to me.
00:03:54
Speaker
And then I get to come up with the concept for packaging because Randy will tell me, hey, we're doing Evil Dead 2-Pack, and I squeal a
Inspiration and Design: Evil Dead 2-Pack
00:04:03
Speaker
little bit. And then...
00:04:05
Speaker
I come up with a concept, I pass it along to him, he okays it, and then it's sits up to the races. I think it's worth noting that um that's something I really enjoy, and i I'm going to assume Chris enjoys as well about working in NECA, is that we really, for the most part, there are times where we get handed something with very specific guidelines, but we really have the opportunity to as you said, like Randy says, just here you go. And we squeal because we're fans and we get to kind of do what we want. Yeah, he he kind of trusts us, especially when it's something we're really interested in, that it's going to be for the fans because we're fans ourselves.
00:04:49
Speaker
So we know in terms of the figure, like where you can draw from. Obviously you have all of the the moments from the films, you know, to to get those kind of details and everything. But in terms of the packaging, like where do you draw from to get the inspiration to do something like what you did for the two pack here? Did the cabin immediately, was that what came to mind or was there couple things that were kicked around?
00:05:11
Speaker
So I've wanted to do the cabin since I started working there. And we've gone through a lot of different ashes over the years, and it just never worked out. So once we were doing this one, i of course, freaked out because we got Cheryl. But that was, I was like oh, now's the time. I'm ready to do it.
00:05:28
Speaker
So it's a lot of research and a lot of pausing and starting and pausing and starting to make sure... Every single detail of the cabin is there. and like I said, once it gets okayed, it's a lot of fun trying to come up with ideas for everything.
00:05:46
Speaker
So for that, the back and forth with like the license store, and I think that's something that a lot of collectors maybe don't realize is like how long that runway is. you know From the idea to like the final product, like how long does that take? What's the back and forth like you know in terms of getting approvals and everything?
Building Trust with Licensors: IPs and Respect
00:06:05
Speaker
I would say on average for an ultimate action figure from concept to shelf is a little over a year. So maybe like 15 to 18 months. Okay. and And what are some of the things that like
00:06:22
Speaker
you hope to achieve in kind of establishing the relationships with the withth of this back and forth? Like to get kind of that trust to be able to do some of the things that you want to do.
00:06:33
Speaker
That's a really good question. um Mine usually starts because I'm talking to the licensors in a respectful way. it It usually starts with outsmarting them or out-nerding them.
00:06:46
Speaker
not Not in a mean way or anything, but kind of going in and showing that we know what we're talking about and we know the IP and we're going to take care of it and and that what the final product will be is a proper reflection of whatever the character IP is.
00:07:06
Speaker
And I am going to bring up Evil Dead again, but Sam Raimi himself approved this packaging, and that was like a huge moment for me as a fan. Yeah, and and I mean, you're, I think it would be fair to say you are a super fan of of this this property. You're wearing an Evil Dead shirt underneath your... Hoodie, I got um What was it like from that perspective to get to work on something that you are so, is such a big part of your personal fandom?
00:07:33
Speaker
the The crazy thing is every time I think like, oh, I've i've done everything I enjoy, something else comes up. I'm like, there's no way we're we're actually doing that. It's like, oh, yeah, we're doing that. It's like, please put me on that. Please, please, please put me on that.
00:07:46
Speaker
So it's, I mean, like I have like a wish list in my mind, but so so many things have been, know, ticked off that list. I mainly do every single horror figure that comes out, so I get to do every single horror movie that I've ever loved. I'm kind of the horror guy there, so I i luckily get to do all that stuff.
00:08:06
Speaker
And then even fun stuff on the side, like I get to do two new terrors, you know, it's a really crazy variety. And I know Blaine gets excited when we get to do Elvira and Pee Wee, like all the things he loves too.
Craftsmanship Behind NECA's Action Figures
00:08:17
Speaker
Like, that's what keeps us going. It's like, we're fans ourselves, so we really put everything we have into what we do.
00:08:26
Speaker
And you know I know, especially with NECA, especially with the Ultimates, but even going into Toonies and everything that's there, um a big thing with the IPs is that NECA works with is that attention to detail, and especially with you know like the accessories like the secret word cards or things of that nature. So what goes into kind of partner that partnership and figuring out, like all right, what are the big details that we want to make sure that we nail?
00:08:57
Speaker
Well, for the for the figural part, for the action figure itself, I'm a huge collector, and I've been a collector for ah lot of decades.
00:09:08
Speaker
It's what I would... want in my own action figure. It's what I would want to collect. And being inspired before starting at NECA, I've been collecting NECA since before it was NECA.
00:09:19
Speaker
Many of those artists were at companies prior, and I even collected those action figures. So being a fan of that type of action figure, of the ultimate action figure, of the nuanced accessories, and I love a detail, I love an Easter egg,
00:09:37
Speaker
So I just think about what's been done before me and what I would want to collect. I have to give you a compliment. Blaine is one of the most meticulous researchers I've ever met in my life.
00:09:52
Speaker
We're like, if we're doing a figure and something's red and it's magenta, Blaine's like, no no no, no, no, It's magenta. It's not red. And that's why a lot of our stuff has really improved, I think, because he does so much work and so much research.
00:10:08
Speaker
and And we were actually talking a little bit about this before we walked in here about the new Leatherface. So there are a couple of small details that are on ah the new Lady Leatherface. The Pretty Woman Leatherface.
00:10:23
Speaker
um That I think might have been missed and could have been just reused other parts. But you did you found some very distinct details that needed to be kind of checked off on. Yes, I did um call out in the concept sheet before we had the sculptor start that pretty woman Leatherface needed a different right thigh because there's a cut in the pants and needed a different diaper area because he has his fly down in the movie.
00:10:51
Speaker
And it was that little, yeah, I wanted to make sure the fly was down. Yay me, I guess. and And the color of the chainsaw? The color of the chainsaw got corrected for the the newer one, yeah.
00:11:03
Speaker
Yeah. So what are some of the favorite kind of details that you've, or any specific pieces that you're specifically proud of? Okay, so this one one. we'll go favorite Easter egg and then favorite just overall. Okay, so this one, totally not planned. I didn't even know this was being asked, but luckily Chris is here.
00:11:24
Speaker
Probably my favorite project as a whole to date is, was our 2022 New York Comic-Con exclusive. was our Ghostface Takes Manhattan. um I love Ghostface, I love the Scream movies, and I literally got like free reign on this figure, because we don't have the license to the Scream movies.
00:11:48
Speaker
We only have the license to the Ghostface costume. And coincidentally, Scream 6 had come out right before New York Comic Con, and it took place in New York City. We're local to New York City.
00:12:02
Speaker
And I had the opportunity to just completely conceptualize this action figure, what it would come with. My idea was that Ghostface was a tour tourist in New York City. What would he do?
00:12:15
Speaker
He went to Broadway and got a little Playbill. He went to the souvenir shop and got a little Statue of Liberty with the Ghostface on it. And then i then got to...
00:12:28
Speaker
bleed that fun concept into the packaging and work with one of my best friends in coming up with a packaging that i don't know if we've ever done packaging that has that many easter eggs there is so many easter eggs uh i mean obviously if it's a nod towards jason takes manhattan that ye poster uh but the inside is the subway because that whole scene and we hid so many references on every poster that's in the subway car and i don't know how we got away with it but
00:13:02
Speaker
We hid them very well. Because we didn't talk about it until just now. just now It's already released, it's gone, it's long and over. Statue of Limitations has expired. I mean, we're talking like in in the subway car and and it's just this big. It's just the insert to the figure so that when you know you have your figure displayed,
00:13:23
Speaker
And it's a subway car and like the the next stop is West 96th Street, West Craven, who originated Scream in 1996, 96th Street. You came up with so many Playbill, like Broadway parody posters. And we did Stu's TV repair service. see yeah So much fun. So that was that was my that was my favorite project.
Ghostface Takes Manhattan: Easter Eggs and Personal Touches
00:13:47
Speaker
That's awesome. Chris, what about you? Well, like he just said, that Ghostface was a lot of fun because we collaborated on everything with I just get to do a lot of, I mean, it's stupid little things, but i like again, I have to go back to Evil Dead, but like Cheryl's pad with the Necronomicon scratched on it, that doesn't exist.
00:14:09
Speaker
So I sat there and tried to scratch it exactly the same. it's It's little things like that that you don't really think about, but somebody sat there and did that, you know?
00:14:21
Speaker
Finish, please. And we had another Evil Dead 2 2-pack, and I got to redraw some of the pages from Necronomicon, and that's on the back. I'm just like, I did that. That's my artwork, and it's official. like that That kind of stuff is really cool.
00:14:36
Speaker
And I want to note, because he doesn't talk about it a lot, and Chris is obviously known for his package designs, which are fantastic. But a lot of action figures, when you do see those little accessories like the Necrocon, I can't, it's gonna go into Comic-Con again. I say Comic-Con every time. But those little details, he he draws a lot of that and and never really talks about And Ben Cooper, like you've drawn every single Halloween costume on that Ben, that's Chris Rameau. He has done every single Ben Cooper costume, so yeah.
00:15:13
Speaker
Yeah, those are wildly popular. Yeah. Like, wildly popular. Those are a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun. Because there's also not a lot of reference. Like, people weren't like, I'm going to scan in this costume for 2025 when they make action figures of it So a lot of times Randy will send me a JPEG that's like 72 resolution. It's two inch by two inch. It's like, hey, this is the only photo I can find of this costume. I'm like...
00:15:39
Speaker
I guess I gotta make up the rest of it and try to make it work. Yeah, and it's not like those things were like well put together that people hung on to them. Like vinyl, I had many of those and like they'd rip or they'd fall apart. Fall apart, yeah. Completely fall apart.
00:15:52
Speaker
what's What's crazy to me about those, and I wanted to ask you about this too, is like the ones that aren't like originally Ben Cooper but are in the style of Ben Cooper like talk about talk about that a little bit I mean that's such ah a crazy creation process to be able to take something that's modern and like boil it down to that kind of rudimentary style It it helped doing a lot of the replicating of the original costumes because you get used to a certain style. Like, it's supposed to look like it was inked and it's some of the registrations off and everything. So once Randy was like, hey, we're going to do ones that never existed but should stand next to them.
00:16:31
Speaker
So I just have to make stuff up. Like, it doesn't exist. None of this stuff exists. So a lot of the what-ifs are just my illustrations and concepts and Randy okays them and...
00:16:43
Speaker
Even the packaging doesn't exist. i have to do all that too. So it's it's a lot of work, but it's so rewarding. like And now a word from our sponsors.
00:16:58
Speaker
This segment is brought to you by our friends at Chubsy Wubsy Toys, a traditional mom and pop toy store in Little Falls, New Jersey. Chubsy Wubsy Toys brings you the best new toys from the brands you love without the hassle of pounding the pavement, searching for them at larger retail stores.
00:17:14
Speaker
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00:17:27
Speaker
That's
00:17:33
Speaker
And tell them Adventures in Collecting sent you.
00:17:39
Speaker
And now, back to the show. With everything that you know you guys have done, is it more difficult to kind of come into something that you're less familiar with and just kind of have a fresh take on it?
00:17:53
Speaker
Or is it just the stuff that's like really your bread and butter that's like more difficult because there's a lot to draw from and almost that super effort for perfection and that super want for perfection to like really kind of honor something that you loved?
00:18:13
Speaker
I think for me, like Chris said, I am pretty meticulous. It's nice to hear someone thinks it's a nice thing. I always think we're going to get in like a fight. I see i say different things when you're not around.
00:18:25
Speaker
I know it. I'm aware. oh So being that meticulous when I get an IP that I'm not as familiar with, it's not that it's more difficult because I do love a challenge and I love finding things out.
00:18:38
Speaker
um It just takes a lot longer because I don't know what film to go right to or what episode to go right to like... like There are moments where I've designed figures and I'm like, oh, I want this accessory. And I turn on the movie and I like skip ahead within like three clicks to the, because I know it so well.
00:19:00
Speaker
So obviously I love working on the ones that I love because I love them. um But no, i yeah I don't think it's more difficult. I think it just takes longer. what about it's Yeah, same. It's the challenge of it. And there's a lot of horror movies I've never seen. And now I get paid to watch them so i I can do action figures and packaging for it. So, I mean, like he said, I like the challenge of learning something I didn't know, basically.
00:19:29
Speaker
And the challenge of getting it done in three days. That too, yes. And who doesn't love getting paid to watch horror movies? Yeah, I mean, seriously. It's the dream. Has has there ever been an IP that you're unfamiliar with that like you fell in love with because of having to work on it? like Has there ever been something where you're like, oh, I've never heard of this before, and now all of a sudden... Kind of the opposite.
00:19:50
Speaker
There's things that like, oh, this horror movie's a classic. I'm like, all right, I got to watch it. And I watch it, I'm like... Sure, yeah, it's something. but i don't I don't know if anything's really turned me, because I usually work on stuff um I'm into. But yeah, like I would say there's definitely been some horror movies. I'm like, I don't get it, but sure.
00:20:11
Speaker
Yeah. I... Not that i um I love Ninja Turtles. 90s live action movies were like my Ninja Turtles. But I knew nothing about The Last Ronin before we started working on that. And now Re-Evolution is like my favorite current comic. So I got into The Last Ronin because of the figures.
00:20:32
Speaker
He found one. That was one that i didn't read the comic until we did. And I was like, oh, this is awesome. Very cool. You got one, Blaine. Very cool. So you guys are both you know prolific artists in your own right. you know the The stuff that you do outside of your work at NECA.
00:20:48
Speaker
And you have very distinct styles. Like when I see something that you know that you work on, Chris, or that you work on, Blaine, it's very very easily identifiable. Like your personal work, like oh, that's... That's a Chris Rameau piece, that's a Blaine piece.
00:21:01
Speaker
Is it difficult for you guys to separate your personal style from the work that you do at NECA, or do you try to find little ways to kind of get that in in certain places, or is it more so like this is the style guide and, you know, I have to stick to the style guide sort of thing?
00:21:19
Speaker
I hate style guides. um Luckily, I'd probably say 95% the things I do, there is no style guide, especially a lot of the old horror movies. It just doesn't exist.
00:21:32
Speaker
Same with, he mentioned nineteen ninety s Turtles. like I worked on those and nothing existed because were probably one of the first ones to do them. So we were kind of like making assets and the look and everything, even the cartoon line, that didn't exist either. I had to come up with how that would look too.
00:21:49
Speaker
um I think what I do personally compared to what I do for NECA is it's very different and a lot of people don't understand how I go from like this to like the goofy stuff I do on my own, but try to get a little bit of me in there once in a while. i think I think for me,
00:22:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's more straightforward, and I get to kind of turn into the more analytical blame and not the artist blame when I'm doing especially concepts for figures.
00:22:22
Speaker
It can be very matter-of-fact, very realistic. But then, like, with the toonies, I think I do try slip my own art in there. I have a very, like, Bruce Timm is, like, my favorite, you know, yep cartoon artist.
00:22:35
Speaker
Batman the Animated Series. So I have a bit of that style in my own style anyway, just from imitating it as as a kid. So with the Toonies, I do think that I try to add my style in there. But then conversely, I was a fan of Toonies before I started at NECA, so I also am inspired by like Jeff and Adrian's art and...
00:23:01
Speaker
Very cool. All right, so let's jump ahead a little bit, because Hall-a-thon hits Target on April 11th and in stores soon. Now-ish.
Target's Hall-a-thon and Peewee Herman Creation
00:23:12
Speaker
we've got We've got a bunch of stuff here that is part of Hall-a-thon. Do we want to hear about some some new stuff? Yeah. All right. So let's talk about what we've got here at the table.
00:23:24
Speaker
Sure. I guess we'll go way. Why don't we start with ah with Leonardo? So we're going to start with Dark Leo. This one's a really fun one that neither of us worked on.
00:23:37
Speaker
But we started in the cartoon, the 80s cartoon Ninja Turtle figures, we started doing what Trevor calls the Pizzaverse, our brand manager, Trevor Zamek.
00:23:48
Speaker
He calls it like the Pizzaverse. What would happen if The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoon from the 80s continued on with additional seasons, and his team has been able to come up with different concepts and invent looks from characters.
00:24:04
Speaker
And Dark Leo is really special because one of our freelance artists, Jason Young, who's a friend of both of ours as well, designed this as a what-if character for our action figure line, and then IDW, one of the comic book companies that still does Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, they do the Saturday morning adventures, which is styled after the old cartoon. Sorry, it's a long answer.
00:24:32
Speaker
And they loved it so much that they actually created an entire dark team and a comic book issue around our action figure. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IDW Saturday Morning Adventures issue number 20 on stands now is my plug.
00:24:48
Speaker
oh But that was really cool. Just that this is the first time NECA that and an original action figure has now become a real comic book character.
00:24:59
Speaker
i don't know how many times that has happened. Ever. i mean, I can't think. Yeah, usually it's like the other way around. The other way around, yeah. I also love the copy on the back. It's like, quit hitting yourself. Quit hitting yourself, like Nelson Muntz. Like, it's super cool.
00:25:16
Speaker
And then the Pandacon, kind of in the same vein, Pandacon was an action figure before and is has since become a character in the TMNT lore. uh but was never featured in the 80s cartoon so having that opportunity to go back and same thing just do kind of this expanded universe of the 80s cartoon and this next one here is really special the next one here is very special for most people if you don't know who peewee herman is shame on your parents um go watch peewee's big adventure go watch peewee's playhouse i grew up watching peewee's playhouse and This was such a special project for so many different reasons, but very happy that we got to do a Pee-wee action figure, the first ultimate action figure of Pee-wee that's ever been done.
00:26:05
Speaker
We had done a Toonie prior. We got to work with Paul, who was an absolutely amazing person. Talk about meticulous. Never had I been more assured that I was exactly who I thought I was as a kid. like I just thought I was like an amalgamation of...
00:26:23
Speaker
Kiwi Herman, Elvira, and Dolly Parton, and I'm two for three right now, so great. Okay. um But, yeah, very meticulous, very hands-on. He was extremely particular about what accessories, what looks, what everything, which I loved. But, yeah, so this is a very special one, and even more special because I stole a little bit of of Chris's talent, and I actually hand-drew entire packaging. And the insert, the door's the only thing I didn't draw, so...
00:27:00
Speaker
All of that is like a Blaine Rogenbaugh original. Awesome. Inside and out, it's really... Nice. Really crazy. And then the last piece we have for Hall-a-thon here, ah there will be more than this at Hall-a-thon. We just have some highlights here.
00:27:15
Speaker
But we have The Curse of Michael Myers, my first Halloween movie. I'm so sorry. Are you serious? Yep, and i and I came back for more. Thank goodness. Yeah, it is the sixth installment in the multiverse of Michael Myers.
00:27:31
Speaker
This one was actually fun to design because... the movie is so critically bad and it was like what can we include and i um every halloween i now have to spread it over two days but every halloween i watch every halloween movie consecutively in order all 11 now um So this one was fun because I went into the producer's cut, which has a couple of extra scenes, and that's how I got my Easter egg pieces included in there. So you've got like the the green are the mask with the green ooze coming down, which was never explained even in the producer's cut. Nope. Nope, not at all. Blame it on the thorn. I blame that entire movie on the thorn. But really fun, and and I got to collaborate with one of our fabricators, Anthony... For the Strode, which is over at our table, the Strode Realty sign that it comes with on the back, um it gets vandalized in the movie, and we couldn't decide whether we wanted it not vandalized or vandalized, and the way that Anthony sculpted it to actually... disconnect so you have both and sculpted the there's it gets vandalized with like a cardboard michael um which i don't think you can see no it's in the back it's a cardboard michael so we sculpted it out of plastic but it looks like cardboard and he even sculpted like the scotch tape on the back so i just love that little detail and then uh you got to talk about style guide and i'll let you talk about this
00:29:06
Speaker
But when we got our marketing agency, They asked if we had a style guide, and I was tasked with coming up with the NECA style guide. As a brand manager, I have to know what the look and feel of NECA is.
00:29:20
Speaker
And I literally just went to Remo, and I was like, so basically everything you do with your packaging, can you just put in a spreadsheet and call it the style guide? And one of those things is the collages. I think that this is so synonymous with a NECA ultimate action figure now.
00:29:34
Speaker
And that's all you, so you you talk about... that because it's on the back of evil dead too it's just i love it uh we were doing the thing figures which i was dying for us to do those since i started working there uh and i got tired of doing frames on the back of boxes and i was like i'm gonna make it look like a movie poster because you know you look like drew shruzan and all these other posters like it's a nice collage of characters and different sizes, poses, profiles.
00:30:05
Speaker
Poses, feathered edges and stuff. So I was like, um I'm going to try it. It's a risk. I'll see what Randy thinks, essentially. And like I remember sending it to him and kind of like doing one of these. And he emailed me back. He's like, send me a JPEG of that now. I'm posting it. I love it. This this is crazy. I've never seen this. I'm like,
00:30:23
Speaker
Okay, sure, yeah. I'm glad you like it, boss. you know like And ever since then, like every time I do something, he just wants that collage on the back. And it's different, and it's a lot of fun for me to try to make it work. Sometimes it's easier than other times, but ah it's kind of cool, I guess.
00:30:44
Speaker
There's that problem solver. Yeah.
The Colin Robinson Figure: A Boring Concept
00:30:47
Speaker
go And the last thing we have on the table here is something that you guys just announced, a new IP in that Tune E-Terrors format. What we do in the shadows, what what was it like to kind of venture out on this this new IP and and to do it first in this format?
00:31:04
Speaker
Well, this was so easy. It was like, So Jeff Trapp is our senior painter and he kind of invented the Tuny Terrors with our sculptor Adrian.
00:31:16
Speaker
So he would normally come up with all the concepts. Once I started, just with his workload, I started taking over some of the Tuny Terrors because I could kind of emulate that that look. and when Randy came out, was like, we have a new list of projects, what we do in the shadows, and I was like, what are they? He said, Toonies.
00:31:34
Speaker
And I like kind of looked over at Jeff. was like, you can have it. are you And i had to like do one of those, are you sure? like i i was already jumping. And he's like, yeah.
00:31:46
Speaker
Easiest entire wave of concepts I've ever done. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. i knew exactly the looks I wanted to do. They're kind of, none of them are the exact outfits that they had because I feel like in a show, I love this show and me and my attention to detail, I notice, I have a background in in style, design as well. So, um noticing that all of their clothes were very similar silhouettes all five seasons, very similar color schemes.
00:32:17
Speaker
They all kind of stuck to their looks. So not only did I kind of know, like, what poses, what accessories, whatever, but I kind of got to make up their own outfits, which took me back to my, like, fashion design days. Yeah. And the fact that they look very much like they were outfits that lived within the show, I was really proud of. Yeah.
00:32:40
Speaker
Yeah, I just got to put a lot of fun into this. Little things. Colin Robinson, if you're not a fan of the show, he's an energy vampire. He's like the most boring person. He doesn't suck blood as a vampire. Energy vampires bore you and suck your energy out. We we work with a couple of them.
00:32:57
Speaker
So I made him completely unarticulated because he's a boring character. And this is like the most, I was like, Colin Robinson has to be the most boring action figure you can ever own. So there's no articulation e he's just various Shades of khaki.
00:33:14
Speaker
hands and pocket Hands in That's amazing. Yeah, I said, literally, our our art director was like, well, if the hands are in the pockets, how the arms going to be articulated? said, no, no, no.
00:33:24
Speaker
I don't want the arms to be articulated. I want this to be the most boring action figure, purposely purposely so. And though we can't talk about the packaging yet, I'm also looking forward to what you're going to do, because I think...
00:33:40
Speaker
Well, there is a style guide. There is a style guide. But I ignored their style guide. And I kind of did something that felt in-world with what we do in the shadows. And they approved it, so. Awesome. Can't wait to see it. And just as a reminder, so the Holathon products, along with a bunch of other great Holathon stuff from NECA, you can find it in Targets kind of now. They'll have like a standee for Holathon.
00:34:07
Speaker
But it's supposed to technically hit April 4th and then online in the U.S. on April 11th. Every Friday starting April 11th. Yeah, every Friday starting April 11th. And outside of the U.S. at Hallathon.com. So i think I got all those things right. So before we let you guys go, we have two orders of business. So one, um if you notice, there are Dave and i are wearing birthday hats. Yeah, party hats. That's because it's Dave's birthday.
00:34:34
Speaker
Yesterday was my birthday. Thank um and your Come get a hat. Yeah, you get a party hat. Grab a hat. It's his birthday this week. awesome. So hilarious if if if you could humor me, we're all going to sing happy birthday to Dave.
00:34:50
Speaker
All right? All right, ready? On three. One, two three. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you.
00:35:04
Speaker
Happy birthday, dear Dave. Happy birthday to you.
00:35:15
Speaker
are All right, so second order of business. the I have a bag of toys. So if you have a question that you would like to ask our our esteemed members of the of the NECA crew here, um you can come
Audience Q&A: Project Challenges and Timelines
00:35:33
Speaker
up. Well, actually, I'll come to you with this microphone. You can ask a question, and then you can pick a toy out of the bag. How does that sound?
00:35:39
Speaker
Who's got a question? Who's got a question? Oh, we got two little guys up there. Hang on. I'm coming. they're coming. I have never seen them before. It's not going reach. You're going to have to come down here. I don't know who they are.
00:35:53
Speaker
They are not marks. How? woing on now here How many projects do you have to do at once?
00:36:05
Speaker
Thousands. Pick some. Yeah, they don't they don't stop. They do not stop. but you what do you got What was your least favorite packaging and figure?
00:36:17
Speaker
Least favorite? means He's trying to get us in trouble. What
00:36:25
Speaker
wait i'm gonna help know parts what was the hardest one to on? All right.
00:36:37
Speaker
any of them that don't have
00:36:41
Speaker
this is a very difficult question right When you don't know the property, that's probably the hardest stuff to work on. Especially if you have to watch the movie and you hate every second of the movie, but you have no choice, you have to watch it anyway.
00:36:55
Speaker
Yeah, I'll go with i'll go with that. All right, anyone else have question? Thank you, strange children I've never seen before. Come on down.
00:37:06
Speaker
Strange children. Strange children. Which project of yours took like the longest...
00:37:16
Speaker
Which one took the longest?
00:37:20
Speaker
Usually none of them, actually. They're all very quick turnarounds because there's so much to do every single day. i mean, i had turtle packaging last week that had to be done in three days, so... Three days. Usually everything's very fast.
00:37:36
Speaker
so Sometimes we'll get something... Randy will tell me something and I'll be like, okay, great. And I'll start it. And then I forget about it for a year. And then he's like, oh, hey, we're going to do this now. and I'm like, oh, that's from like two years ago. Sure, let's do it. Yeah.
00:37:50
Speaker
But usually by the time you get it, it is like, it's a rush job. couple of days I think the longest project, we are working on a project now where it's going to come out this this year, I think. um But I have been working on it for three years.
00:38:12
Speaker
Wow. Yeah, so that's that's been the longest and counting. Anyone else with any questions? They're just getting ignored.
00:38:24
Speaker
got we got
00:38:28
Speaker
ah With the different IPs, who, like, Are there any IPs that you get that they're very strict about what either the box art can look like or the design
Navigating Strict IP Guidelines
00:38:38
Speaker
of the figure? Or is it kind of universally, everybody has like a standard, hey, these are the guidelines.
00:38:45
Speaker
That's great. That's a very good question. Yeah. uh we haven't really i mean on my end packaging wise haven't really run into much trouble other than nitpicky little changes like we don't want the logo to be this color we want to be that color it's like yeah sure takes few seconds to change but usually they're they're like yeah it looks great let's let's print it so i'm sure you deal with a lot more i think i think part of doing a great job on the product development side is making sure that people um pair the right artist with the right project.
00:39:23
Speaker
And i I'm going to assume that you don't run into that so often because we tend to give you more of the be creative, there's no style guide. And then we have another package designer who is great at following style guides. So when we do get those IPs, because they exist, you look at recently Alien Romulus, a lot of people, don't think this is hidden information, a lot of people were like, oh, why why weren't those ultimates like we've done every other ultimate where you've got the fifth window panel?
00:39:57
Speaker
We got a style guide from Disney Fox, and it was, this is what we'd like any action figures that are produced of Alien Romulus to look like. So we replicated it. So it depends. Sometimes they are more particular. Sometimes... See, I enjoy it because I am so particular. Unless I have... That's when I try to out-nerd them, like I said earlier.
00:40:21
Speaker
you know Sometimes on the figural side with Paul, he was very particular about what expressions he wanted and what expressions he didn't want. Cassandra, who plays Elvira, she's very hands-on, and I love getting to work with her.
00:40:39
Speaker
because she'll be the same way. She'll say, oh, no, my outfit, my belt was going the other way, or that dagger had, you know, two red gems, not three red gems. So I love that, because I'm like, yeah yes. um So I'm okay with either, but I think in packaging, I don't see you as a follow-the-style guide kind of person, so we just don't give you those projects. I never have been, so...
00:41:07
Speaker
Rule Breaker. Yes. Problem Solver Rule Breaker. Yeah, added an extra title. There we go. Did you have one question? Yeah. Go ahead. So I know you guys have doing on the Friday the 13th, right, in the window boxes, but you have two to seven.
00:41:24
Speaker
Is the rest coming out? I know that, you know, how dare you, first of all. Well, I mean, obviously the first one would be, you know, I know you have her in the clamshell of the of ah Pamela Voorhees.
00:41:38
Speaker
um You know, would that be coming out in the window box? Or is that not even a thought? But then, you know, takes Manhattan. Then, you know, part nine there. You know, and then part ten when he's in space.
00:41:52
Speaker
Dying for any information on those things. I am a completist as an action figure collector, so I would love to have all of them as well. i don't think there's any secret that there hasn't been a lot of new Friday the 13th stuff popping up in in recent years.
00:42:12
Speaker
We would love to do them. It just depends licensor agreements and...
00:42:19
Speaker
it's been the film There was like some turmoil over the rights and it kind of halted us, paused us, I guess. i Just like we do every single Myers figure, i i would love to have every single Freddy and every single Jason. I don't care how bad the movie is, the figure would yeah be awesome. Yeah. Yeah.
00:42:39
Speaker
yeah yeah You've got a Zap shirt on. You can ask whatever you want. That's true. When you have, doing the friday the Nightmare on Elm Street, who decided to put the the human-faced dogs that gave me nightmares as a child for years into the packaging? Because as soon as I opened that, I flashed back.
00:42:59
Speaker
i think I cried. But it was such a perfect thing as an accessory. Who thought to put those into that packaging? i don't know. Well, you did the packaging.
00:43:09
Speaker
I couldn't even remember a name that was on it. Yeah, I got another, but you, I mean, it was your choice to have them in the flap.
00:43:21
Speaker
I don't know. They they are terrifying. yeah they are Very unsaddling.
NECA's Online Presence and Closing Remarks
00:43:26
Speaker
Well, Blaine, Chris, before we let you guys go, just remind everyone that is with us today and everyone that is listening at home, where can they find you on ah on the internet?
00:43:39
Speaker
Well, us as NECA can be found at NECA Official or NECA Toys, depending on the social. The NECA Store.com is our official store. We're usually at every major comic-con and target walmart online retailers anywhere where action figures are sold and then you can find me at blainer things blame our things uh on every social media and mine is at plastic vampire art on instagram and my only fans i'm kidding uh and my website is just plastic vampire art dot com and that's about it he's got his art right over there yeah yeah we're right over there
00:44:19
Speaker
Everybody, give it up for Blaine and Chris, and thank you for for joining us today. Thank you for having us Thanks for hanging out with us. Thank you for coming. Bye, everybody. Bye, everyone.
00:44:32
Speaker
Thank you, dear listener, for hanging out with us today. Subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you listen, and then tell your friends to do it. Thanks also to Joe Azari, the golden voice behind our intro. Our music is Game Boy Horror by the Zombie Dandies. Find more about them both in our show notes.
00:44:48
Speaker
Follow us on social media at AIC underscore podcast on Instagram and Twitter. Stop by and say hi. Show us your toy hauls and share your toy stories. Maybe we'll talk about it in a future episode.
00:45:04
Speaker
Don't try this at home. Voidware prohibited and some assembly required. Each sold separately. Not a flying toy. Consult a physician if your toy run exceeds more than four hours.
00:45:12
Speaker
This has been a non-productive media presentation. Executive producer, Frank Hablaoui. This program and many others like it on the Non-Productive Network is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License.
00:45:25
Speaker
Please share it, but ask before trying to change it or sell it. For more information, visit non-productive.com.
00:45:34
Speaker
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