lcummins
Universal MODster
Here is an edited transcript of the chat with Greg Anzalone, CEO of Sideshow Collectibles... enjoy!
SideshowChris - coming up next....
SideshowChris - The President and CEO of Sideshow Collectibles
SideshowChris - for a first time ever LIVE Chat!
SideshowChris - Greg Anzalone!
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Kenobiv - Think of obtaining you from licenses of video games precisely Team Forteress and Gears of War?
SideshowGreg - Kenobiv - we are thinking about Gears of War and hope to announce something shortly!
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lcummins - Greg, has the current economy slowed the development of pieces at Sideshow or will the current rate continue?
SideshowGreg - lcummins - the current rate of production of Sideshow pieces will continue as we fight against the economic downturn
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Kuzeh - Maybe he can answer thith the overwhelming response to the most recent PF Poll, will SS indeed pursue the Michael jackson license?
SideshowGreg - Michael is a huge Sideshow fan (for real)...
SideshowGreg - and we sometimes blast his music throughout the building to either re-invigorate the staff, or piss them off
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pitu - Greg What made you start Sideshow collectibles?
SideshowGreg - pitu - Sideshow was born from the belief that we could create more interesting, more detailed, more highly collectible limited edition figures, for a global audience. Our belief has been proven true, but we continue to be surprised by the global appeal of our products.
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SSCFan - any plans on doing any DC figures?
SideshowGreg - SSCFan - DC is at the top of our list, but it may be some time before we're permitted to explore the universe
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ktjn - Greg- I was asking Brant, any plans for Dead Pool anytime soon. He's extremely popular and just had a movie announced based on his character.
SideshowGreg - Brant is going to be your go-to person for the Deadpool character
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Kenobiv - other question, what is the scale of iron man mark III maquette?
SideshowGreg - Kenobiv - the Iron Man Mark III will be 1:2 scale - it's the one that John Favreau posted about on Twitter a while back!
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SSC060 - hey greg any idea of future darth vader 1:1 scale bust
SideshowGreg - SSC060 - your lack of faith disturbs me (re: Vader 1:1 scale)
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justinluck - When do you thinkVader will be shipping?
SideshowGreg - 1/6th scale Vader will be moved up to ship July
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IrishJedi - Hi Greg! How long does your CURRENT license for Star Wars 12" figures last?
SideshowGreg - IrishJedi - star wars license - 2029 maybe? but could get extended
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lcummins - Greg, Scott mentioned that replacement pieces are based on a percentage of the edition size, and with lower edition sizes, that means fewer replacements for damaged pieces. Some people (like FlexPay, or EU) haven't even received their item when replacements run out... could this policy be reviewed to set back some replacements for Flex or EU, etc.
SideshowGreg - lonnie - we love you and you know it. Look forward to seeing you in San Diego and we'll hopefully have an update to our replacement policy by then. But in short, it's a tricky situation that we're wrestling with
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Rick - Hi Greg! I primarily collect the Star WarsScale figures. With the announcement of the new Comic Con Exclusive Luke and Han, is Chewbacca in the works? Also, the Slave Leia PF figure looks amazing, any chance she will make it toscale to add to the Jabba environment?
SideshowGreg - Rick - Chewbacca is not currently in the works... but keep the faith!
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wetanut - Greg...you know this already, but your CS folks are outstanding. After all these years with purchasing from you all, they haven't slacked one bit.
SideshowGreg - wetanut, thanks for the kind words about our CS department. We pride ourselves on doing the best possible job for all of you, and we believe that we have the best CS people in the industry.
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SSC060 - greg is the force strong with a darth vaders 1:1 cale bust ?
SideshowGreg - SSC060 - Please come to Comic-Con and be pleasantly surprised
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Sir_Jango - Hey Greg, I asked Chris and Dennis this morning if there is any chance for a PF Jango?
SideshowGreg - Sir_Jango - yes, absolutely always a chance!
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Karma - Greg..many hold the blade runner licence as a grail licence...what are the difficulties in obtaining it?
SideshowGreg - Karma - the Blade Runner property has been in legal dispute, as the rights are shared among several parties. Those parties have not previously agreed upon a licensing strategy and therefore, have been stopping the production of collectibles.
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ktjn - Greg- what determines the ES on a Pre-Order with a TBD? the specifics? recently some people have been ordering multiples and not keeping their orders for some reason or another. do those cancelations taken into account when deciding the ES?
SideshowGreg - ktjn - the edition size is determined by various factors that include previous releases, the state of the economy, the character in question, recent past releases, price point, and whether or not the item will ship internationally
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Johnny - Anyone from Sideshow - when can we hear more about the Crystal Skull Indy and other releases from the franchise in 1/6th scale?
SideshowGreg - Johnny - stay tuned for a new 1/6th Indy announcement in May!
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justinluck - Will there be a biker scout announced soon to complement the Endor Rebels?
SideshowGreg - justinluck - anything from the Star Wars universe is fair game!
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MadCow - Greg, any chance to revisit The Dark Crystal?
SideshowGreg - MadCow - Dark Crystal - not likely to return to the Dark Crystal universe, but we remain fans of Jim and all of his work
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Dally - Any chance of acquiring the license to the new Star Trek movie and is there any chance of re-acquiring the license for 12" LOTR?
SideshowGreg - Dally - JJ is a Sideshow fan and would like to see us get involved with his Star Trek film, so we are exploring our options. As for the LOTR universe, we're taking a break fromh scale, but hope to return to it again in a year or two
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Medievaldragon - How was that first approach between Sideshow and Blizzard Entertainment? The first product was the exclusive Tychus Findlay Marine, a diorama based on a game that had not yet been officially announced.
SideshowGreg - Medievaldragon - lizzard - Our guys are Blizzard fans and play WOW more than they should because they're draggin their sorry asses to work in the morning with a videogame hangover. So it was only natural that we explore other potential products.
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Snoopy - Will we be seeing anymore PF's from SW The Empire Strikes back? I'd like to see a Hoth Leia or Han
SideshowGreg - Snoopy - yeah, more PF's from the Empire Strikes back are on the list and we're always anxious to satisfy the Star Wars fans with PF releases!
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danny - will the g.i joe line get the same attention the star wars figures got?love all the 12 inch figures.
SideshowGreg - danny - yes, we are dedicated to producing the best possible GI Joe line.
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JosephCPR - Greg, with the current economy, in which many collectors can't afford anymore what they could in the past...wouldn't it be better if prices were not increased so that more people could buy your statues?
SideshowGreg - JosephCPR - I agree rices. We're always evaluating our pricing models in an effort to hold costs down. I'm personally sensitive to the pricing issue and am often in debate with our factories to control costs so that the SRPs remain attainable for the vast majority of our collectors.
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pitu - Greg you have the Best Collectibles Company in the world. How does that make you feel!
SideshowGreg - pitu - I feel best about our company when I'm watching one of your videos
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Karma - Greg, as an EU collector I know there is sometimes a growing frustation between billing time and receiving product has any steps been taken or planned to reduce the waiting time
SideshowGreg - Karma - I love your handle... (nick).... I met yesterday with our EU manager and we specifically spoke about this issue. We are adamant about correcting the delays between processing and receipt of products for our EU collectors. I personally apologize to our EU fans who have experienced frustration in receiving their products and I pledge to continue to work on this issue.
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ktjn - Greg-question about points. Why is the option open on items that don't qualify for them, such as the SDCC exclusives? SHould you guys implement a systm that prevents the points from being entered? (hope this is the right person to ask)
SideshowGreg - ktjn - I'm not really the right person to answer questions about Reward Points, but since you posed it here, I will check after our discussion to examine the issue.
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lcummins - Greg, have you ever thought of taking the company public?
SideshowGreg - lcummins - we've been solicited over the years to purchase our competitors, sell to our competitors, take the company public, shut the company down, and several other crazy options that aren't printable here But in brief, we like the private advantages of running the business as it's currently structured.
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Shawn - Will there be enviroments for the star wars line?
SideshowGreg - Shawn - absolutely tar wars environments - we have multiple projects in development and we're anxious to bring these to market sooner rather than later!
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SSC593 - Greg, can you slip and tell us of any upcoming 12" Star Wars products?
SideshowGreg - SSC593... I'm 'accidentally' telling you that something from the Expanded Universe is coming... Clone Wars cartoon... and Star Wars novels....
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ktjn - Greg- just a while back I asked the question of Masters of the Universe ever being a possibility? But Brant was already gone. (The) Josh said he would support it. Would you ever consider making MOTU a part of sideshow reality?
SideshowGreg - ktjn - Masters of the Universe is not currently in planning
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pixletwin - Greg do agree with the addage that - PF? Hmmmmmmm?
SideshowGreg - pixletwin - I agree that your passion - your friends
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Johnny_Utah - I really hope SS would get the licence to Star Trek...A Trevor Grove Kirk would own
Johnny_Utah - Hey SS - have you had contact with JJ Abrams about possible merchandise? Also - if you guys were to pursue it, would you guys make 1/6th figures,not just busts or replicas?
Johnny_Utah - Hey guys - have you had contact with JJ Abrams? How possible are 1/6th Star Trek figures from you guys?
SideshowGreg - Johnny_Utah - BadRobot has been in touch with us, and we've directed them to friends in the industry for ship replicas... we're open to exploring other product possibilities as the relationship evolves, but nothing specific is in the plans as of today.
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Biojex - you did Lara Croft from Tomb Raider but are there any plans for other video game licenses to be made in 1/6 figures? thankyou for your time
SideshowGreg - Biojex - actually I appreciate you and your time! and your enthusiasm for collecting in general, and our company in particular. Yes, we are evaluating other videogame licenses for 1/6th scale, but can't announce anything new at this moment
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ktjn - Greg- I noticed Man-Thing didn't have a Exclusive, neither did The Butcher. Will you guys be cutting back on "Exclusives"?
SideshowGreg - ktjn - Nope, we are not cutting back on Exclusives, but some releases do not warrant a separate release
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Biojex - have you guys ever thought about being on that show "how its made" i would love to see how some of your products are made
SideshowGreg - Biojex - we're rather secretive about the process that we use to design and develop the products that we make. Not because that process is or hasn't been previously revealed to some degree, but because some of the techniques that we employ are proprietary. And we feel that some of the mystery in the production is part of the allure of the products.
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ozzfan84 - Greg, there were hints about more Predator maquettes before. Any Elder Predator from P2 love likely any time soon?
SideshowGreg - ozzfan84 - Rock on brother! .. We are big Alien and Predator fans around here and are expanding our A & P offerings so stay in touch for future announcements!
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SSCFan - Greg, what new advancements in toy design do you foresee in the future? about 5 years from now? Talking figures? Opening mouths,moveable eyes? etc.???
SideshowGreg - SSCFan - we continue to push the limits of what is mass replicatable. New materials, new manufacturing techniques, new approaches are part of our R&D ambitions. As this industry evolves, we'd like to be on the forefront but recognize that some smaller and possibly more nimble designers can also lead the way to product advances.
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SSC192 - malice- Hi there is a ringwraith,witchking,saruman PF's in the works?
SideshowGreg - SSC192 - We have a long term appreciation for all things LOTR, and definitely want to continue our PF offerings, and plan to do so well into the future.
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The_Josh - Greg in general how long do talks go for getting a license?
SideshowGreg - The_Josh - Our quickest licensing deal was the length of time it took for me to utter the word "yes" and the longest deal we've ever secured was our Disney license, which took approximately 4 years to secure!
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PaulHarrison - Greg - Can you persuade the production team to create a Premium Format Emperor Palpatine on throne from Episode eturn Of The Jedi and can you please confirm if figures from the 12" Scum & Villainy collection will be coming out in the near future? Can you hint at any specifics?
SideshowGreg - PaulHarrison - my persuasion over the design and development team fluctuates between "I know they're not listening to me" .. to... "Is he really serious?" I'll do my best on your behalf.
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roguebaron - any plans on battlestar galactica, the new series, now that's it's ended
SideshowGreg - roguebaron - BSG - Sorry brother, but at this time, there are no Battlestar plans
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Hobbes - Greg- Ghostbusters?
SideshowGreg - Hobbes - We've worked on a DVD gift set for Ghostbusters that will release later this year, and have always expressed some interest with the studio on doing GB product, but have never been able to finalize our agreement.
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Johnny_Utah - Will the other Indy franchise figures coming soon be from Crystal Skull too,i.e. Mutt,or will we be seeing Henry Sr maybe?
SideshowGreg - Johnny_Utah - look for Henry, Sr
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Avfin - I want a Mort toothbrush
SideshowGreg - Avfin - I'm completely serious when I tell you that I've explored the manufacturing of toothbrushes in China, because I was excited by the idea of a line of collectible brushes for adults.
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Karma - Greg do you have a favourite licence you alreadu have & what would be your idel licence to obtain
SideshowGreg - Karma - my favorite license is LOTR... and the license that I would like to obtain is access to the DC universe!
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lcummins - Greg, Sideshow has become a "distribution powerhouse" lately for many, many other companies... do you feel this has hurt your own products in any way or has it helped the company?
SideshowGreg - lcummins - our specialty distribution activities are the avenue to the marketplace that we always wanted when we were a much younger and smaller company. Our efforts on behalf of the companies for whom we distribute some of their products is the recognition that Sideshow does not and cannot be alone in this hobby or industry.
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Avfin - do you go back and re-read these chats for ideas
SideshowGreg - Avfin - absolutely! We learn most from those that take the time to express their perspective.
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Kenobiv - please greg, what is the price for the iron man mark III 1/2 scale?
SideshowGreg - Kenobiv - I'm not really sure about the price for 1/2 scale Iron Man Mark III because we're still in the development stage. Two people from our team just returned from our factories yesterday, where they were reviewing the pre-production samples and we're excited to report that we LOVE this piece! WE'll do our best to manage the SRP.
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SSC983 - is it possiable to see any more predator masks ?
SideshowGreg - SSC983 - yes, our ADI relationship is strong and we hope to have more to offer in the future
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Blind_Nic_Cage - Greg will Sideshow be exploring classic or cult films in the future like Taxi Driver, Ghostbusters, Goonies, Life Aquatic, Back to the future, The Shining, etc.
SideshowGreg - Blind_Nic_Cage - I really really really want to do a Travis Bickel (sp?) from Taxi Driver and have tried to convince the producers but without any luck. yes, we continue to explore the classic and cult films and hope to have more exciting announcements for all of you.
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JosephCPR - Greg, some time ago it was commented in the forum the idea of a coffee table book about Adam Hughes and his line of comiquettes (Work in progress pics, interviews to the sculptors maybe, Adam's comments,etc). Is there any chance that this project could ever be released? Thank you
SideshowGreg - JosephCPR - Our love for Adam and his work is strong, and it would be a dream project to put this type of publication together. Yes, my belief is that we will one day release specialty, low-run limited edition publications that are tied to the artists, their art, and the products we make.
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lcummins - Greg, has Sideshow ever considered doing a bust of Tolkien himself? Life-size? Bronze? Or any combination therein...
SideshowGreg - lcummins - I believe that out of respect to our partners in NZ that Weta should be the first in line to have the opportunity to create the penultimate Tolkien bust or bronze.
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michael - greg has sideshow considered doig star wars prop clone trooper helmets
SideshowGreg - Michael - we don't have the license for Star Wars props.
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roguebaron - any hints to who we'll see first?
SideshowGreg - roguebaron - Disney... I'm not permitted to say, although I will admit that Rocketeer is one of my favorite films.
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HAPPYBOY - and just so it doesn't go unsaid Greg.......SERENITY, make it so
SideshowGreg - HAPPYBOY - there are no plans at this time for Serenity.... JW is a Sideshow fan and we are fans of his work, but there is a limit to what we are capable of producing.
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michael - any mor jurassic park in the future please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SideshowGreg - Michael - I'm not ignoring you! And we appreciate your patienc But I remain a 2-fingered typer... we'll likely continue with our Dinosauria line, rather than the JP line.
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Johnny_Utah - Great stuff! Any sign of a Last Crusade or Temple of Doom Indy as well?
SideshowGreg - Johnny_Utah - we recently heard from Harrison's people, who were complimentary about our releases and were also eager for us to continue, so I'd say the potential for more Indy's is good!
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slug - greg are there any more terminator PF's coming
SideshowGreg - slug - Yes more Terminator premium formats are a possibility
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ktjn - greg-back when you guys were working with weta. you don't think you can restart lotr medallion program do yonk
SideshowGreg - ktjn - The LOTR medallion program is permanently retired...
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SSC683 - Hi Greg, Any chance of us getting a Crow Eric Draven PF?
SideshowGreg - SSC683 - I believe it's a licensing issue (he Crow) but we've discussed it in the past, and are open to doing this piece
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SSC683 - Greg, Are you a collector? If yes, approx. how many pieces do you have?
SideshowGreg - SSC683 - I have the priviledge of owning one piece of every item we've ever created, so I consider myself a serious completist... I'm not really sure what I will do with this collection many years from now, but my son has numerous plans for each of the pieces.
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ozzfan84 - Greg, who do you think would win in a SS photogenic product promotion viditu or Klauder?
SideshowGreg - ozzfan84 - I think Klauder is a worthy opponent for pitu but I believe we can all agree that he ultimately goes dow
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michael - my little brother wants to know about a pokemon licence?
SideshowGreg - michael - Pokemon - my son is an encyclopedia of Pokemon and threatens me at least once a week with physical harm if we don't explore the license. I've been keeping him at bay, by reminding him of my collection that will go eventually to him.
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Biojex - has sideshow ever been approached about designing things for movies. like i dunno Zombies for zombie movies. or creatures for a Sci Fi movie? i know alot of your pieces are from established licenses but still you guys design new aspects to look at these established items. I mean your work is the bomb diggity
SideshowGreg - Biojex - our products have appeared in quite a few films and our contribution to those set designs/decorations are our way of contributing to the filmmaking process.
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SideshowGreg - Thanks everyone for taking time with myself and our team... I've enjoyed the chance to communicate with you in this way and look forward to reconnecting with you again in the future. I hope to see you in San Diego, don't hesitate to introduce yourself when you swing by our booth. Peace, I'm out.
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SideshowChris - Thank you Greg!
SideshowChris - lets all give Greg a round of applause
SideshowChris - an hour and a half chat!
SideshowChris - awesome
SideshowChris - coming up next....
SideshowChris - The President and CEO of Sideshow Collectibles
SideshowChris - for a first time ever LIVE Chat!
SideshowChris - Greg Anzalone!
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Kenobiv - Think of obtaining you from licenses of video games precisely Team Forteress and Gears of War?
SideshowGreg - Kenobiv - we are thinking about Gears of War and hope to announce something shortly!
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lcummins - Greg, has the current economy slowed the development of pieces at Sideshow or will the current rate continue?
SideshowGreg - lcummins - the current rate of production of Sideshow pieces will continue as we fight against the economic downturn
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Kuzeh - Maybe he can answer thith the overwhelming response to the most recent PF Poll, will SS indeed pursue the Michael jackson license?
SideshowGreg - Michael is a huge Sideshow fan (for real)...
SideshowGreg - and we sometimes blast his music throughout the building to either re-invigorate the staff, or piss them off
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pitu - Greg What made you start Sideshow collectibles?
SideshowGreg - pitu - Sideshow was born from the belief that we could create more interesting, more detailed, more highly collectible limited edition figures, for a global audience. Our belief has been proven true, but we continue to be surprised by the global appeal of our products.
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SSCFan - any plans on doing any DC figures?
SideshowGreg - SSCFan - DC is at the top of our list, but it may be some time before we're permitted to explore the universe
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ktjn - Greg- I was asking Brant, any plans for Dead Pool anytime soon. He's extremely popular and just had a movie announced based on his character.
SideshowGreg - Brant is going to be your go-to person for the Deadpool character
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Kenobiv - other question, what is the scale of iron man mark III maquette?
SideshowGreg - Kenobiv - the Iron Man Mark III will be 1:2 scale - it's the one that John Favreau posted about on Twitter a while back!
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SSC060 - hey greg any idea of future darth vader 1:1 scale bust
SideshowGreg - SSC060 - your lack of faith disturbs me (re: Vader 1:1 scale)
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justinluck - When do you thinkVader will be shipping?
SideshowGreg - 1/6th scale Vader will be moved up to ship July
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IrishJedi - Hi Greg! How long does your CURRENT license for Star Wars 12" figures last?
SideshowGreg - IrishJedi - star wars license - 2029 maybe? but could get extended
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lcummins - Greg, Scott mentioned that replacement pieces are based on a percentage of the edition size, and with lower edition sizes, that means fewer replacements for damaged pieces. Some people (like FlexPay, or EU) haven't even received their item when replacements run out... could this policy be reviewed to set back some replacements for Flex or EU, etc.
SideshowGreg - lonnie - we love you and you know it. Look forward to seeing you in San Diego and we'll hopefully have an update to our replacement policy by then. But in short, it's a tricky situation that we're wrestling with
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Rick - Hi Greg! I primarily collect the Star WarsScale figures. With the announcement of the new Comic Con Exclusive Luke and Han, is Chewbacca in the works? Also, the Slave Leia PF figure looks amazing, any chance she will make it toscale to add to the Jabba environment?
SideshowGreg - Rick - Chewbacca is not currently in the works... but keep the faith!
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wetanut - Greg...you know this already, but your CS folks are outstanding. After all these years with purchasing from you all, they haven't slacked one bit.
SideshowGreg - wetanut, thanks for the kind words about our CS department. We pride ourselves on doing the best possible job for all of you, and we believe that we have the best CS people in the industry.
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SSC060 - greg is the force strong with a darth vaders 1:1 cale bust ?
SideshowGreg - SSC060 - Please come to Comic-Con and be pleasantly surprised
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Sir_Jango - Hey Greg, I asked Chris and Dennis this morning if there is any chance for a PF Jango?
SideshowGreg - Sir_Jango - yes, absolutely always a chance!
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Karma - Greg..many hold the blade runner licence as a grail licence...what are the difficulties in obtaining it?
SideshowGreg - Karma - the Blade Runner property has been in legal dispute, as the rights are shared among several parties. Those parties have not previously agreed upon a licensing strategy and therefore, have been stopping the production of collectibles.
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ktjn - Greg- what determines the ES on a Pre-Order with a TBD? the specifics? recently some people have been ordering multiples and not keeping their orders for some reason or another. do those cancelations taken into account when deciding the ES?
SideshowGreg - ktjn - the edition size is determined by various factors that include previous releases, the state of the economy, the character in question, recent past releases, price point, and whether or not the item will ship internationally
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Johnny - Anyone from Sideshow - when can we hear more about the Crystal Skull Indy and other releases from the franchise in 1/6th scale?
SideshowGreg - Johnny - stay tuned for a new 1/6th Indy announcement in May!
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justinluck - Will there be a biker scout announced soon to complement the Endor Rebels?
SideshowGreg - justinluck - anything from the Star Wars universe is fair game!
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MadCow - Greg, any chance to revisit The Dark Crystal?
SideshowGreg - MadCow - Dark Crystal - not likely to return to the Dark Crystal universe, but we remain fans of Jim and all of his work
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Dally - Any chance of acquiring the license to the new Star Trek movie and is there any chance of re-acquiring the license for 12" LOTR?
SideshowGreg - Dally - JJ is a Sideshow fan and would like to see us get involved with his Star Trek film, so we are exploring our options. As for the LOTR universe, we're taking a break fromh scale, but hope to return to it again in a year or two
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Medievaldragon - How was that first approach between Sideshow and Blizzard Entertainment? The first product was the exclusive Tychus Findlay Marine, a diorama based on a game that had not yet been officially announced.
SideshowGreg - Medievaldragon - lizzard - Our guys are Blizzard fans and play WOW more than they should because they're draggin their sorry asses to work in the morning with a videogame hangover. So it was only natural that we explore other potential products.
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Snoopy - Will we be seeing anymore PF's from SW The Empire Strikes back? I'd like to see a Hoth Leia or Han
SideshowGreg - Snoopy - yeah, more PF's from the Empire Strikes back are on the list and we're always anxious to satisfy the Star Wars fans with PF releases!
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danny - will the g.i joe line get the same attention the star wars figures got?love all the 12 inch figures.
SideshowGreg - danny - yes, we are dedicated to producing the best possible GI Joe line.
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JosephCPR - Greg, with the current economy, in which many collectors can't afford anymore what they could in the past...wouldn't it be better if prices were not increased so that more people could buy your statues?
SideshowGreg - JosephCPR - I agree rices. We're always evaluating our pricing models in an effort to hold costs down. I'm personally sensitive to the pricing issue and am often in debate with our factories to control costs so that the SRPs remain attainable for the vast majority of our collectors.
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pitu - Greg you have the Best Collectibles Company in the world. How does that make you feel!
SideshowGreg - pitu - I feel best about our company when I'm watching one of your videos
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Karma - Greg, as an EU collector I know there is sometimes a growing frustation between billing time and receiving product has any steps been taken or planned to reduce the waiting time
SideshowGreg - Karma - I love your handle... (nick).... I met yesterday with our EU manager and we specifically spoke about this issue. We are adamant about correcting the delays between processing and receipt of products for our EU collectors. I personally apologize to our EU fans who have experienced frustration in receiving their products and I pledge to continue to work on this issue.
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ktjn - Greg-question about points. Why is the option open on items that don't qualify for them, such as the SDCC exclusives? SHould you guys implement a systm that prevents the points from being entered? (hope this is the right person to ask)
SideshowGreg - ktjn - I'm not really the right person to answer questions about Reward Points, but since you posed it here, I will check after our discussion to examine the issue.
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lcummins - Greg, have you ever thought of taking the company public?
SideshowGreg - lcummins - we've been solicited over the years to purchase our competitors, sell to our competitors, take the company public, shut the company down, and several other crazy options that aren't printable here
But in brief, we like the private advantages of running the business as it's currently structured.-------------------------------------------------------------------
Shawn - Will there be enviroments for the star wars line?
SideshowGreg - Shawn - absolutely tar wars environments - we have multiple projects in development and we're anxious to bring these to market sooner rather than later!
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SSC593 - Greg, can you slip and tell us of any upcoming 12" Star Wars products?
SideshowGreg - SSC593... I'm 'accidentally' telling you that something from the Expanded Universe is coming... Clone Wars cartoon... and Star Wars novels....
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ktjn - Greg- just a while back I asked the question of Masters of the Universe ever being a possibility? But Brant was already gone. (The) Josh said he would support it. Would you ever consider making MOTU a part of sideshow reality?
SideshowGreg - ktjn - Masters of the Universe is not currently in planning
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pixletwin - Greg do agree with the addage that - PF? Hmmmmmmm?
SideshowGreg - pixletwin - I agree that your passion - your friends
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Johnny_Utah - I really hope SS would get the licence to Star Trek...A Trevor Grove Kirk would own
Johnny_Utah - Hey SS - have you had contact with JJ Abrams about possible merchandise? Also - if you guys were to pursue it, would you guys make 1/6th figures,not just busts or replicas?
Johnny_Utah - Hey guys - have you had contact with JJ Abrams? How possible are 1/6th Star Trek figures from you guys?
SideshowGreg - Johnny_Utah - BadRobot has been in touch with us, and we've directed them to friends in the industry for ship replicas... we're open to exploring other product possibilities as the relationship evolves, but nothing specific is in the plans as of today.
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Biojex - you did Lara Croft from Tomb Raider but are there any plans for other video game licenses to be made in 1/6 figures? thankyou for your time
SideshowGreg - Biojex - actually I appreciate you and your time! and your enthusiasm for collecting in general, and our company in particular. Yes, we are evaluating other videogame licenses for 1/6th scale, but can't announce anything new at this moment
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ktjn - Greg- I noticed Man-Thing didn't have a Exclusive, neither did The Butcher. Will you guys be cutting back on "Exclusives"?
SideshowGreg - ktjn - Nope, we are not cutting back on Exclusives, but some releases do not warrant a separate release
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Biojex - have you guys ever thought about being on that show "how its made" i would love to see how some of your products are made
SideshowGreg - Biojex - we're rather secretive about the process that we use to design and develop the products that we make. Not because that process is or hasn't been previously revealed to some degree, but because some of the techniques that we employ are proprietary. And we feel that some of the mystery in the production is part of the allure of the products.
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ozzfan84 - Greg, there were hints about more Predator maquettes before. Any Elder Predator from P2 love likely any time soon?
SideshowGreg - ozzfan84 - Rock on brother! .. We are big Alien and Predator fans around here and are expanding our A & P offerings so stay in touch for future announcements!
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SSCFan - Greg, what new advancements in toy design do you foresee in the future? about 5 years from now? Talking figures? Opening mouths,moveable eyes? etc.???
SideshowGreg - SSCFan - we continue to push the limits of what is mass replicatable. New materials, new manufacturing techniques, new approaches are part of our R&D ambitions. As this industry evolves, we'd like to be on the forefront but recognize that some smaller and possibly more nimble designers can also lead the way to product advances.
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SSC192 - malice- Hi there is a ringwraith,witchking,saruman PF's in the works?
SideshowGreg - SSC192 - We have a long term appreciation for all things LOTR, and definitely want to continue our PF offerings, and plan to do so well into the future.
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The_Josh - Greg in general how long do talks go for getting a license?
SideshowGreg - The_Josh - Our quickest licensing deal was the length of time it took for me to utter the word "yes" and the longest deal we've ever secured was our Disney license, which took approximately 4 years to secure!
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PaulHarrison - Greg - Can you persuade the production team to create a Premium Format Emperor Palpatine on throne from Episode eturn Of The Jedi and can you please confirm if figures from the 12" Scum & Villainy collection will be coming out in the near future? Can you hint at any specifics?
SideshowGreg - PaulHarrison - my persuasion over the design and development team fluctuates between "I know they're not listening to me" .. to... "Is he really serious?" I'll do my best on your behalf.
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roguebaron - any plans on battlestar galactica, the new series, now that's it's ended
SideshowGreg - roguebaron - BSG - Sorry brother, but at this time, there are no Battlestar plans
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Hobbes - Greg- Ghostbusters?
SideshowGreg - Hobbes - We've worked on a DVD gift set for Ghostbusters that will release later this year, and have always expressed some interest with the studio on doing GB product, but have never been able to finalize our agreement.
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Johnny_Utah - Will the other Indy franchise figures coming soon be from Crystal Skull too,i.e. Mutt,or will we be seeing Henry Sr maybe?
SideshowGreg - Johnny_Utah - look for Henry, Sr
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Avfin - I want a Mort toothbrush
SideshowGreg - Avfin - I'm completely serious when I tell you that I've explored the manufacturing of toothbrushes in China, because I was excited by the idea of a line of collectible brushes for adults.
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Karma - Greg do you have a favourite licence you alreadu have & what would be your idel licence to obtain
SideshowGreg - Karma - my favorite license is LOTR... and the license that I would like to obtain is access to the DC universe!
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lcummins - Greg, Sideshow has become a "distribution powerhouse" lately for many, many other companies... do you feel this has hurt your own products in any way or has it helped the company?
SideshowGreg - lcummins - our specialty distribution activities are the avenue to the marketplace that we always wanted when we were a much younger and smaller company. Our efforts on behalf of the companies for whom we distribute some of their products is the recognition that Sideshow does not and cannot be alone in this hobby or industry.
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Avfin - do you go back and re-read these chats for ideas
SideshowGreg - Avfin - absolutely! We learn most from those that take the time to express their perspective.
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Kenobiv - please greg, what is the price for the iron man mark III 1/2 scale?
SideshowGreg - Kenobiv - I'm not really sure about the price for 1/2 scale Iron Man Mark III because we're still in the development stage. Two people from our team just returned from our factories yesterday, where they were reviewing the pre-production samples and we're excited to report that we LOVE this piece! WE'll do our best to manage the SRP.
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SSC983 - is it possiable to see any more predator masks ?
SideshowGreg - SSC983 - yes, our ADI relationship is strong and we hope to have more to offer in the future
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Blind_Nic_Cage - Greg will Sideshow be exploring classic or cult films in the future like Taxi Driver, Ghostbusters, Goonies, Life Aquatic, Back to the future, The Shining, etc.
SideshowGreg - Blind_Nic_Cage - I really really really want to do a Travis Bickel (sp?) from Taxi Driver and have tried to convince the producers but without any luck. yes, we continue to explore the classic and cult films and hope to have more exciting announcements for all of you.
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JosephCPR - Greg, some time ago it was commented in the forum the idea of a coffee table book about Adam Hughes and his line of comiquettes (Work in progress pics, interviews to the sculptors maybe, Adam's comments,etc). Is there any chance that this project could ever be released? Thank you
SideshowGreg - JosephCPR - Our love for Adam and his work is strong, and it would be a dream project to put this type of publication together. Yes, my belief is that we will one day release specialty, low-run limited edition publications that are tied to the artists, their art, and the products we make.
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lcummins - Greg, has Sideshow ever considered doing a bust of Tolkien himself? Life-size? Bronze? Or any combination therein...
SideshowGreg - lcummins - I believe that out of respect to our partners in NZ that Weta should be the first in line to have the opportunity to create the penultimate Tolkien bust or bronze.
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michael - greg has sideshow considered doig star wars prop clone trooper helmets
SideshowGreg - Michael - we don't have the license for Star Wars props.
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roguebaron - any hints to who we'll see first?
SideshowGreg - roguebaron - Disney... I'm not permitted to say, although I will admit that Rocketeer is one of my favorite films.
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HAPPYBOY - and just so it doesn't go unsaid Greg.......SERENITY, make it so
SideshowGreg - HAPPYBOY - there are no plans at this time for Serenity.... JW is a Sideshow fan and we are fans of his work, but there is a limit to what we are capable of producing.
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michael - any mor jurassic park in the future please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SideshowGreg - Michael - I'm not ignoring you! And we appreciate your patienc But I remain a 2-fingered typer... we'll likely continue with our Dinosauria line, rather than the JP line.
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Johnny_Utah - Great stuff! Any sign of a Last Crusade or Temple of Doom Indy as well?
SideshowGreg - Johnny_Utah - we recently heard from Harrison's people, who were complimentary about our releases and were also eager for us to continue, so I'd say the potential for more Indy's is good!
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slug - greg are there any more terminator PF's coming
SideshowGreg - slug - Yes more Terminator premium formats are a possibility
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ktjn - greg-back when you guys were working with weta. you don't think you can restart lotr medallion program do yonk
SideshowGreg - ktjn - The LOTR medallion program is permanently retired...
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SSC683 - Hi Greg, Any chance of us getting a Crow Eric Draven PF?
SideshowGreg - SSC683 - I believe it's a licensing issue (he Crow) but we've discussed it in the past, and are open to doing this piece
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SSC683 - Greg, Are you a collector? If yes, approx. how many pieces do you have?
SideshowGreg - SSC683 - I have the priviledge of owning one piece of every item we've ever created, so I consider myself a serious completist... I'm not really sure what I will do with this collection many years from now, but my son has numerous plans for each of the pieces.
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ozzfan84 - Greg, who do you think would win in a SS photogenic product promotion viditu or Klauder?
SideshowGreg - ozzfan84 - I think Klauder is a worthy opponent for pitu but I believe we can all agree that he ultimately goes dow
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michael - my little brother wants to know about a pokemon licence?
SideshowGreg - michael - Pokemon - my son is an encyclopedia of Pokemon and threatens me at least once a week with physical harm if we don't explore the license. I've been keeping him at bay, by reminding him of my collection that will go eventually to him.
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Biojex - has sideshow ever been approached about designing things for movies. like i dunno Zombies for zombie movies. or creatures for a Sci Fi movie? i know alot of your pieces are from established licenses but still you guys design new aspects to look at these established items. I mean your work is the bomb diggity
SideshowGreg - Biojex - our products have appeared in quite a few films and our contribution to those set designs/decorations are our way of contributing to the filmmaking process.
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SideshowGreg - Thanks everyone for taking time with myself and our team... I've enjoyed the chance to communicate with you in this way and look forward to reconnecting with you again in the future. I hope to see you in San Diego, don't hesitate to introduce yourself when you swing by our booth. Peace, I'm out.
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SideshowChris - Thank you Greg!
SideshowChris - lets all give Greg a round of applause
SideshowChris - an hour and a half chat!
SideshowChris - awesome
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