Chat questions & answers: Brant's answers in BOLD.
Someone asked when you'll get a peek at the first figure...
And the answer to that, is not TOO long. We're guessing that we'll be ready to reveal the first pick just after the new year.
The first two characters really demonstrate the range of this line...
VERY diverse characters.
Very opposite costuming.
Very opposite... species...
This is not an extension of the previous range, but an entirely new presentation of your favorite characters.
The pace will not be as fast as you were used to in the past - your wallet will not suffer the same abuse...
How many will there be, will we see Eomer and Farmir this time and which one(s) are first up?
Great question - I hope I answered some of it earlier! I can't confirm anyone just yet, but I can safely say that the sky is the limit, at the moment.
How many pieces do you expect to make and how many of those will be 1st time pieces for characters?
In the first year - we'll go slowly - not more than 2 or 3...
After that...
who knows...
There may be some 1st time appearances for certain characters, or first time in a different costume.
Brant, will you be using the great inhouse talent you have here like Andy, Martin, Pablo and Ray to work on the new license or is this going to be a WETA only deal like the first license?
Good question. The first range was a huge success, in great part due to the amazing talent at WETA. It's an incredibly talented group of artists - very good at sculpture work.
Sideshow's team - Andy, Martin, Oluf, Pablo, and so many more, have really perfected the craft of sculpting in coordination with our fabrication team, to allow the mixed media quality that is the trademark of the Premium Format series.
Then the artists like Heath, Greg Mowry, Gidget, and Kent (who dressed up as Aragorn & Theoden at the last few SDCC's), step in and work on details like all the tailoring, and armor, and more...
It's a huge team that will be tackling each PF LOTR figure - all Sideshow artists this time.
How accurate will the figures be,will you be having contact with Weta about Props and Costumes?
We're not working with WETA on this series, but it's impossible to work on LOTR without admiring their original creations/costumes/props.
Will there be an unlimited line here? Or will this end eventually? And please have a Faramir ;-)
We'll cross our fingers that it can go on forever...
Duly noted on Faramir...
Will this eventually lead to a 12" LOTR line, like what happend with Star Wars?
Hmmmm....
That's an interesting question, and glad to see that there's some interest...
Ready...
Will this new line go into the detail as the statues did such as having riders on steed? Or will it be stationary statues only?
Great question, and one that I can't answer yet. Some of the designs that we're considering are VERY elaborate, and BIG, but we won't start with anything that... collosal. We hope that the line develops, and finds it's own loyal following, so that we can experiment with some of the more ambitious ideas, like Horse and Rider pieces.
2nd quarter 2006 - does that mean that we have to wait for a preview to the second quarter also?
Nope- just after the new year...
Is there a good chance that we'll see characters (Faramir and Eomer) that weren't sculpted in 1/6 scale represented in the premium format?
We're looking for opportunities to do characters that have been previously under-represented.
Who will be the first character?
The first character...
Will be announced in January...
Will the new 1/4 LOTR line have exclusive versions like the Star Wars line?
There may indeed be exclusive versions, but only where appropriate...
Brant, "The first 1:4 scale LOTR figures are anticipated to come to market the second quarter of 2006." Does this mean, we get the first look a prototype pics, preorder goes up, or actual shipping of first one planned?
That's when we hope to ship the first character.
But to be honest, these are some of the most detailed and elaborate figures we've ever attempted.
We'll have a much better sense of timing come January...
How many will there be, will we see Eomer and Farmir this time and which one(s) are first up?
Hmmm...
I'll take that as another vote for F & E...
Does Weta anything to do with this line, or is it just SideShow? And will there be a consitant about the hair, either sculpted or "real" hair?
GOOD question, and one that our team is divided on.
We've chosen to go mostly with sculpted hair - as many of the LOTR hairstyles are VERY difficult to reproduce properly with real hair. Silly wizards, rangers, and orcs.
No proper hair care products in Middle Earth - too much stringy and wet look. Better looking when sculpted.
Brant, awesome announcement, I love it. Now, since larger "creatures" will be too big in 1/4 scale, can we expect something like a 1/4 Balrog bust for example...kind of like the Aliens Queen bust? (or something similar with the big guys) Just wondering how those could be made....thanks
Great question, and it's along the lines of the earlier 'Horse and Rider' question. It's not impossible, not necessarily in 1:4 scale, but not planned in the first year...
Are the figures limited to just the movies or can you produce book characters such as Tom Bombadil!
Our license is with New Line for the movies, which doesn't include every literary character. But the movies offer SO many characters, that it would be far down the line that we would tackle someone like Tom Bombadil...
The cinemaquette Aragorn appears to use real miniature chainmail. Will we see something like that with these?
Entirely possible. We can produce the real miniature chainmail, but it is incredibly expensive. It's something we want to add if it doesn't add too much to the retail cost (it can be so expensive, for a shirt for example, that the retail price would nearly double). But for smaller purposes, like on Gimli or Boromir, say, it might be possible.
Will Sideshow offer "Behind the Shot" photos/virtual tours of the LOTR items PRIOR to their release?
Good question. There's an upcoming announcement that you should keep your eyes open for, but not just for LOTR.
Will you be letting us know about what is coming out by newsletter or posting on the website first
Sign up for the newsletter! It's almost ALWAYS the first source for news (aside from event chats, of course!).
Will you explore the possibility of Radically Different Exclusives. For Example a Regular Edition Faramir in Ranger outfit with an Armoured Version as an Exclusive. Or will you stick to accessories, etc. for the Exclusives?
Unlikely. Aside from the face, those are two entirely different figures, and would likely be treated as such. It takes a LOT of time and effort to get the complex LOTR costumes correct...
Now that you have your hands full with LOTR and Star Wars,is the future bleak for your other 1/6 licences and fans thereof?
fair question...
With a quick survey of 2006 - I can tell you that Star Wars and LOTR combined make up about 1/4 of the product... there's still a LOT of diversity from Sideshow. We are making product from more than 30 different properties!
How long does it take from initial design to the final product for the LOTR Premium Format Figurs?
Great question. For any figure, we start development about 6 - 12 months before the public gets to see it, before we get to share (and discuss! - it's hard!), and then it takes another 6 - 9 months before the product ships.
One more question...
Brant, what particular character are YOU most excited about (potentially) covering?
Oooh, that's a trick question!
I am most excited, hypothetically, about some of the Uruk-Hai. They will make for fantastic figures. And hypothetically, Gandalf the Grey - terrific details in the costume that should translate well in 1:4 scale.
Oh, and Elves. Can't forget the elves.