How Much Does This Community Affect the Market?

[Luuke]

I've been a member of these prop boards for the better part of 10 years now. I have seen on a number of occations where a member will come up with an idea for a prop, it becomes insanely popular and then it's reflected in the actual market. And I'm talking about off the beat and path, non main-stream props.

For instance:
Battle Damaged Darth Maul Lightsaber:
First made by Jedi135 then prduced by MR
Emperor Cane & Clasp:
First made by Gunthela (sp?) then produced by MR
Mara Jade Lightsaber, an Expanded Universe character:
First made by Jeff Parks, then other members, then produced by MR
Training Remote:
First made by FC, then prduced by MR
Mquarrie Concept Lightsabers and Costumes made by various members, now being produced as statues and action figures.
Miniature lightsabers & blasters..etc, etc, etc....

...the list goes on and on. I don't think this is a matter of just the retail guys comming to an un-influenced conclusion. I mean, what are the chances? These are really off the wall, uber-collector ideas. Now they are hitting the mainstream market and I think most of thse ideas originated here.

Anyone else get that feeling?

 

[G17RDY]

You make an very good and interesting point.

My take on this (which may be completely wrong), but, i would like to think that the mainstream replica prop manufacturers are simply on the lookout to deliver what the fans actually want.
Which is very clever on thier part, as they know that the replicas they produce are needed in the market, which equals good business / sales sense, but also good for us collectors to actually get our hands on replicas that are wanted, and knowing that the manufacturers are actually listening to us.

 

[Funky]

I am SO with you on this. I've always suspected that companies like MR watch our forum for their next ideas on what to make. I think they take under consideration what the demand is of a product and what the income would be. Keep in mind, I'm only speculating (but it sure does some seem like that).

 

[Tan Djarka]

Hmmm... So, should they then PAY us for doing their market research for them?

 

[SD Studios]

I think I am somewhat qualified to chime in on this one...

While it might seem that way, we didn't really look to see what various artisans were making here. Obviously, we SAW what was being made, but it had much less influence on our product line than you might think. Honestly.

When I was working on each year's product plan for the aforementioned company with other staff members, we always went through and tried to create a diversity of items, rather than lightsabers ad nauseum. At the end of the day, it is a business, and you have to produce what you reasonably believe will sell well. The cane, training remote, Yavin medal, etc were created not because they were made here before, but because we needed non-lightsaber items and these were logical choices...AND had available reference.

Of course, I would poll all of my friends and run ideas past them. That helped a LOT.

However, the buying habits of prop forums do NOT really reflect the populace in-general. I had to learn that one. I took a quick poll at a Comicon where we were doing a presentation and in a room of 500 or so people, I asked them to raise their hands if they were a member of ANY internet collecting forum...I went on to list several examples.

Eleven people raised their hands. :unsure

A BIG factor in deciding what gets made is... what is available for reference. eg; Vaders TIE fighter was on our list, but it went on tour for several years and thus, it got pushed back (and then, Code 3 created their replica and then that REALLY killed it for us.)

Lucas had a lot of input as well. Fortunately, if I (or others) didn't agree, they would generally listen and let us make what we wanted.

Sometimes, we made products because someone at Lucasfilm said: "How about THIS?" The half-Maul came about because they brought images to a meeting one day and said "this is available...interested?"

I didn't even KNOW there was a surviving Emperor's cane until Lucas showed it to us and said we could mold it. So that is how THAT came about.

Once in a while, we had to give in and make something I lothed. Read: Vader Ep 3 lightsaber. Yick.

Someone caught me at a prop party once and said: "Hey! You swiped my idea!" Someone else immediately turned around and replied "OR, he might have just watched the movie". That pretty-much sums it up quite nicely. :lol

As for the OTHER companies...I have no idea.

Hope that answers your questions...

 

[Funky]

Wow. Thanks for posting, Steve. That's good to know.
I think that we just think "we are it" and that everybody gets their ideas from us.
I feel it's because we make so much crap that's it's hard (for the companies) to choose something we HAVEN'T made, so we say, "Hey! We thought of it first!" :lol

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Here I was thinking that we were just more hip and clever than the rest of the prop buying community. Thanks for killing that dream! :lol

 

[Fizbin]

Well thanks to Steve's definitive reply, you can all blame him for killing this thread. :lol

 

[rmschneider104]

Thanks to Steve for sharing his insights. Interesting.

 

[Kylash]

about a year after i made my replica sauron severed finger and rock base, MR came out with theirs that was almost identical

 

[vaderdarth]

Good Info Steve, I have always believed we do sway these companies, both with ideas and also via our small part of their marketing strategies. Obviously we get changes made on props when necessary........which lends us alot more credibility in these companies eyes than we realize. Our purchases don't actually affect their profits much, but we do help ensure that sought after props reach the market.

Dave

 

[Got Maul]

I never thought of it that way. As steve mentioned, the same amount of resources was available to us as it was to them which lead to the same goals that we did and they eventually came to.

I think it was nice mix of both that and some influence from here

 

[Luuke]

about a year after i made my replica sauron severed finger and rock base, MR came out with theirs that was almost identical

Oh, yeah. That was another one.

I still think the people on this board had more influence than MR are willing to admit. The severed finger is a prime example of that. It's not just the prop, but how it's represented.

I mean, they could have just come out with the Emperor cane by itself, but they did the cane and clasp. The same as Gunthella.

Not only that but the accuracy on certain parts were directly attributed to the hard work of board members here. The Solo blaster tip/muzzle and the Obi grenade are prime examples of that.

I think it would have been nice guesture to see this board recognized in the "prop-story" portion of the COA's where applicable.

 

[gnrlotto]

Oh, yeah. That was another one.

I still think the people on this board had more influence than MR are willing to admit. The severed finger is a prime example of that. It's not just the prop, but how it's represented.

Well, as to the whole Solo blaster tip, that's enough of a Razian fiasco, let's let that die.


But the ring and finger is not the first prop that would pop to mind watching LotR.

But it would pop to mind seeing a boardmember's version of it.

 

[PHArchivist]

Steve, though it is not directly germain to this thread, I'd be interested in heariong more about the impetus behind your signature quote. Though I assume there is not a singular, specific instance that generated it, I'd imagine there may still be a story there...

The concept of how something appears in person, versus the images and concepts created by the court of public opinion is intriguing...

 

[Kylash]

for reference: