I really doubt Disney or Lucasfilm is leaving decisions like which companies get a license up to people just out of college. A major part of their business is the merchandise related to their properties. Both currently have plenty of products being produced. Recently there seems to be an issue with getting relatively small runs of high end replica helmets, costumes, and props produced reliably in China. Getting more mass produced products still seems to be fine. Even efx has had pretty good success recently with getting the PCR helmets produced. Not so much with the higher end helmets.
Maybe Anovos moving production of some of the helmets to the US will work out better. At least they are trying something different to resolve the issue.
Right. And thank you for stating that. I should clarify: Of course Disney and LFL are not delegating such decisions to new employees. I think what I was trying (Doh!!!) to address is the increasing proliferation of an overly simplistic mindset and approach to these endeavors. Part of what leads to bureaucracy is when folks are less intelligent than the structure they inhabit. HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THESE TWO ANOVOS JOKERS AND SIGN OFF?!!! Disney/ LFL of course have tons and tons of tie-in products which are massed produced, mass molded, mass painted, etc. and they are products that fit right in to how these people think: Shape plastic one way it is Darth Vader; shape it another way and it is Mickey Mouse. They brought this way of "thinking" to their assessment of the Anovos venture.
So I am sure the PCR helmets show more promise.
Anovos themselves said, and I quote, "we thought the heavy lifting was done" upon completion of the Kylo Ren prototype. This is stupid on the face of it. Truly truly truly truly. How they go on and on and on about how complex it is and at the same time flaunt their lack of oversight - about discovering problems at the frikkin end of failed attempts. Twice. This is the extreme naivete I am talking about.
Just because a factory says they can do something doesn't mean they are not a collection of vicious liars trying to climb out from under the idiotic rock of Communism.
Here is an experience I had with Dreamworks. Goes to my point and I am, herein, not speaking directly to you, Ggriffaw, but just to everyone. The only thing I have enjoyed at all is talking with folks out here. And I love that you responded.
But here' goes...
A guy who was pretty high up on Shrek saw my work and said I should submit my portfolio to Dreamworks (for conceptual design, character design, whatever).
Arrangements were made for me to meet with someone, fill out a form, and drop off my materials for review. At the conclusion of the meeting the woman I met said, "now, if you do not hear from us in two weeks, call us to come pick up your work. Please understand that we cannot contact everyone who needs to retrieve their submission."
I said okay. What she had to say made perfect sense.
So in exactly two weeks I call back, ask for this woman (I get her assistant) and she tells me that my materials are still in review and to please call back in one week to pick them up if I haven't heard anything.
I hear nothing for a week and call back - the assistant says, truly now, that I have to be patient and that there is no way to speed this along. I explain to her that I am only phoning at the request of Dreamworks and that I am more than happy for them to take as much time as they need. She said that she understands but that I need to be patient. I said, "Okay, I'll hang back until I hear from you." She says, "no, don't do that. How about you call in one more week."
I said okay.
I hear nothing and call back in a week to arrange for pickup - per their request, mind you: The assistant again starts getting on my case for pestering them. I again say that I am calling at her personal request and ask her if she remembers the conversation. She claims to but still turns it on me. I literally at that point said, "**** this - I'm coming in today to get my work. Make sure my name is at the kiosk." And she says, "no no no, wait a minute. Can you hold?" I said yes and was transferred up the chain to someone who at first seemed more thoughtful but tried to explain that I cannot keep pestering them. Seriously. And I said, "*****, look - have my work up front. I'm coming in." Woman replied, "No, they really like what you do. Truly. And I wouldn't just say that." And I said, "I have my keys in my hand so have my work ready."
I drove there, got through the gate, listened to the stupid apologies from their version of Jessica Santin, asked her how long it would be before she would pursue a real estate license at this rate, and left with my portfolio.
THERE IS NO "UNDERSTANDING" THAT QUALIFIES HERE. NONE. NO "WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS" CRAP. AT ALL. DON'T EVEN TRY IT. THERE IS NO "BE FAIR BECAUSE EVERYONE IS OVERWORKED" CRAP!!!
Try this: Have a wedding where the cake is delayed, they never tell you, and it is not ready the day of the wedding. But it does show up 5 weeks later. Tell me you're all going to roll with that just fine because they tried their hardest.
Anyway, gonna try to stay away still. I just don't like it when this thread falls too far down the list.
