The "Sideshow, Complete the Fellowship in PF! Petition

[woodsy]

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE POLL TOO!!
https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72037

Extract of Sideshow's answer taken from Dave Mac's posting of their Q & A 10th Jan 2011:

Since we posed our challenge to the fan base to express real demand for the Hobbit’s in PF form, we’ve received very little physical feedback directly to us. We want a mail-in campaign, direct to Sideshow HQ, gosh darn it! Frodo lives, right?

Let's show them the halflings will not be beaten

The intent of this thread is to organize in an attempt to let Sideshow know we want a complete Fellowship in PF, and it is merely an extension of the one originally started by DaveMac https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88280. At this point in time a complete Fellowship is by no means a certainty, as Sideshow has serious reservations as to the popularity of the remaining Hobbits, namely Sam, Merry, and Pippin. It is up to us, as collectors, to convince Sidshow they are wrong. It is up to us to show them we want all members of the Fellowship in PF. The only way this is going to happen is to email them directly....and often. It's time to get involved, ask your friends and family members to also get involved as well....the more individuals Sideshow hears from, the better! Even if you are not a PF collector, please take the time to copy and paste one of the 'form letters' and email it to SS....every little bit will help.

Here are the links to contacting Sideshow, and please remember, when emailing Sideshow directly title your email 'Product Suggestions' :

Email link : [email protected]

Website link : https://www.sideshowtoy.com/helpdesk/?p=297

Below is a list of all those SSF's who are willingly participating in our "Complete the Fellowship in PF" campaign. Please let me know you have contacted Sideshow and I will add your name to the list.

"COMPLETE THE FELLOWSHIP IN PF!"

Adoptedscot
Anubis
Batmyte
Bill59
BRFC
carbo-fation
darthjuan007
data___ga
DaveMac
efatz
FrodoEyes
gfdill
Jhobbit
LV702Eldar
Magik
MarcofromItaly
marker2037
Moriaman
mr. thrifty
NAZGUL-KING
Seaward
superdoug
The Josh
The Ween
Valarauko
Vikingmagyar
woodsy








In an attempt to save some time, I have also produced a number of "form letters" which SS Freak's can use when contacting Sideshow directly. Please feel free to use these "form letters" as is, tweak them to your liking, or produce your own. And if you would like to have your letter added to the list then please post them and I will make sure they are added.

Form Letter #1

Concerning Hobbits [and Hobbit PF's].

"Hobbits have been living and farming in the four farthings of the Shire for many hundreds of years Quite content to ignore and be ignored by the world of the Big Folk, Middle Earth being, after all, full of strange creatures beyond count, Hobbits must seem of little importance, being neither renowned as great warriors, nor counted among the very wise."

In fact, it has been remarked by some, that Hobbits’ only real passion is for food. A rather unfair observation as we have also developed a keen interest in the brewing of ales and the smoking of pipeweed. But where our hearts truly lie is in peace, and quiet, and good tilled earth. For all Hobbits share a love for things that grow. And yes, no doubt to others our ways seem quaint, but today of all days it is brought home to me, it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life."
Bilbo Baggins

We are all familiar with Bilbo's wonderful description "concerning Hobbits", and yes, while they do seem of "little importance" to the outside world, nothing could be further from the truth to those of us who love Tolkien's world of Middle Earth. And nothing could be further from the truth to those of us who love and collect Sideshow's LOTR collectibles....in particular, Premium Format statues. We, as fans and collectors, recognize the importance of Hobbits, both as members of the 'Fellowship', and for the roles they played in restoring peace to Middle Earth . We, as fans and collectors, also recognize the importance of a complete 'Fellowship in PF'. We all wait anxiously for word of Gimli and Boromir PF's, but that is not enough! No 'Fellowship' collection will be complete without Sam, Merry, and Pippin. All three played vital roles in the restoration of Middle Earth, and all three deserve to be represented in Premium Format. Please make this happen Sideshow!

Form Letter #2

Sideshow, I would like to repectfully request you consider producing Premium Format statues of Sam, Merry, and Pippin. In other words, a complete Fellowship in PF. These brave, young Hobbits were every bit as important as other members of the Fellowship, and they should receive the same kind of respect you have shown other Fellowship members. Please consider our request in this matter.

Form Letter #3

I believe all LOTR collectors fully expect to see PF's of Gimli and Boromir sometime in the future. But many of us are disheartened by the notion that Sam, Merry, and Pippin may not share that same 'honour'. All were intregal members of the 'Fellowship', and all played vital roles in the eventual destruction of Sauron and the one ring. Sideshow, please consider producing PF's of these valiant Hobbits, no LOTR PF collection will be complete without them!

Form Letter #4

In all fairness Sideshow, I think most LOTR PF collectors had an expectation that we would eventually see a complete 'Fellowship' in Premium Format, though disturbingly, we now realize that may not necessarily be the case. I think most LOTR collectors realize the remaining Hobbits, in particular Merry and Pippin, are not as popular as other members of the Fellowship, but that does not mean they are any less important, and it does not mean they will not sell should SS produce them. Sideshow, please consider producing all members of the Fellowship, please consider those of us who have supported the PF line since the very beginning....we will not disappoint you!

Form Letter #5

Sideshow, I think most LOTR PF collectors would agree, as time has gone by the PF line has gotten better and better. The likenesses of the most recent members of the Fellowship have simply been fantastic, culminating in the masterpiece that is Gandalf the Grey. LOTR collectors are thrilled at the prospects of Boromir and Gimli PF's, but what a shame it would be if we don't get PF's of the remaining three Fellowship members, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Capture the likenesses of the Hobbits, and they will sell....and we all know Sideshow has more than enough talented sculptors to make that a reality.

Form letter #6

If one could go back in time to the fantasy world of Middle Earth....how do you think Sam, Merry, and Pippin would react to the idea they may be the only three members of the Fellowship not represented by Sideshow in the form of Premium Format statues? I think it safe to say Samwise the Brave would be very angry. Meriadoc the Magnificent would be quite indignant. And Peregrin Took, if he was bright enough to figure out what was happening.....would probably take Gandalf's advice and throw himself down the well. Sideshow, why not avoid upsetting these brave, young Hobbits? Why not give them the PF statues they deserve?

Form Letter #7

Sideshow, over the years there have been countless scores of LOTR fans/collectors who have supported your PF line, and many have done so from the very beginning. In all this time, one fact cannot be denied....when you have produced PFs of outstanding quality, we have purchased them. And it has made no difference to us whether that character is an extremely popular 'Fellowship' member, or a lesser known generic bad guy. Now no one in their right mind is going to place Sam, Merry, and Pippin on the same popularity level as Gandalf, Aragorn, or Legolas, but just because the Hobbits are not as popular as some other characters does not mean they will not sell should Sideshow produce them. In regard to Hobbits PF's, it makes no difference to us.....if the quality is there, we will buy them, and we will proudly display them exactly where they belong......with all the other members of the Fellowship.

Form Letter #8

For the past few years Sideshow has questioned the need for a complete "Fellowship" in PF. This, no doubt, based on the perceived lack of popularity of the remaining three Hobbits. And I assume this perceived lack of popularity is based on the number of customer requests for the characters of Sam, Merry, and Pippin. It certainly can't be based on anything else, because with the exception of the Sam and Frodo Mt. Doom diorama Sideshow has never produced any of these characters, in any format....ever.

May I be so bold as to ask what percentage of customer requests you received prior to "green-lighting" the Mordor Orc PF project?....And how does that percentage compare with the number of requests received for extremely popular characters such as a Ringwraith and Mouth of Sauron? I think it safe to assume the number of requests you received for a Mordor Orc paled in comparison to the other characters I mentioned yet here we are, on the verge of a Mordor Orc PF pre-order.

Several years ago, Sideshow produced a Frodo PF, and in spite of a so-so likeness you managed to sell a very respectable 1500 of them. I'm not saying PF's of the remaining three Hobbits can achieve those types of ES numbers as times have changed, but I do believe if Sideshow produces them PF collectors will respond. All we are asking is that you "put us to the test". We will either back up our words with our wallets, or we won't....either way it will provide a clear indication as to whether or not Sideshow should proceed with PF's of Merry and Pippin. Produce a Samwise PF and let the results speak for themselves, I suspect you will be pleasantly surprised with those results!

Form Letter #9

Dear Sideshow Product Design Team,

I first read Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" at age 13 which, no longer being a youngster, was nearly half a century ago. can honestly say that it was a seminal time in my life, not only changing my expectations regarding what constituted great literature but also altering my reading habits for a lifetime. Being a reader of some voracious appetite and now with many years and volumes behind me, I can still without reservation say these books remain my favorites. When I first heard that the trilogy was going to be made into a full-blown movie, as opposed to the animated false start by Ralph Bakshi, I was prepared to forgo the cinema experience altogether fully expecting to be disappointed again and possibly have my entire Tolkien experience permanently ruined. However, after hearing accolades from any number of sources after the release of "The Fellowship of the Ring", and with still significant trepidation, I purchased a ticket. Prepared to run for my life at any point, I was amazed to be drawn in nearly from the moment the epilogue began. I left the theater already counting the days until the release of the second and third installments just as pleased as I could possibly be.

I didn't immediately discover the landslide of merchandise that accompanied the movies’ release, and when I did it was significantly further along before I came across the high quality LOTR collectibles then offered by Sideshow/Weta. A collector of various items all my life, I immediately jumped on the opportunity to acquire these reminders of my now all-time favorite movie experience. Unfortunately I had missed a significant number of releases already and, unwilling to pay much higher prices from sources such as eBay, still have gaps which I would like to fill.

When Sideshow acquired the LOTR license and released the first figure in your flagship Premium Format, it looked as though I had discovered the absolute best renditions of the movie characters that were ever likely to be manufactured. It was also a chance to fill in important items missing from my collection, particularly those of the major characters of the Fellowship. At this point I have nearly all of the LOTR PF releases, certainly with the hope that the entire cast of major characters would eventually appear. It's with more than some concern that I understand that there is significant doubt that this will happen, particularly in the case of the Hobbits. I am supporting the maquette line with enthusiasm, but am disturbed that your BEST line may wind up incomplete.

Please let me add my voice to the very significant number of collectors, whose existence we obviously need to demonstrate, that will be extremely happy to support with their dollars a complete line of Fellowship characters. When the quality you have demonstrated, particularly of late, is there, the sales will absolutely follow. I'm sure the four stout-hearted Hobbit friends will all share a flagon and toast to your success at the Green Dragon.

I appreciate your time in reading this somewhat overlong explanation driven by a significant lifelong passion. I sincerely hope this will urge you in the right direction and help to move things along quickly enough so that other man dressed in black robes doesn't get to me first.

Form Letter #10

Dear Sideshow Design Team,

I think most "Lord of the Rings" Premium Format collectors have been very, very pleased with the steadily increasing quality of the line as new pieces have been released. With each new statue the likeness to the actor that portrayed the subject in the movie has been considerably improved. The resemblance to Sir Ian McKellen portrayed in the most recent issue as Gandalf the Grey is uncanny. Given the hint that PF representations of Sean Bean as Boromir and John Rhys-Davies as Gimli are on the drawing boards is most encouraging and will no doubt bolster purchases of other characters you plan to release in the Premium Format line. However, I think support will be significantly compromised if the remaining members of the Fellowship, specifically Sam, Pippin and Merry are left out of the mix. I'm sure, based on numerous comments from collectors, you realize that there has been significant disappointment that so many lines have been dropped before a complete Fellowship has been produced. Please do not let this happen to your signature line. We are pleased that your new maquette series has plans to cover many characters, some never before produced, but they cannot replace examples of the most important characters in the larger, more easily detailed, format. I have no doubt that collectors, for whom the Premium Format represents the ultimate in high-end collectible statuary, will gladly add all members of the Fellowship to their displays. Given the extremely high quality of the ever improving line I feel confident in saying that you will have very little trouble in achieving the necessary sales goals to produce these final three characters and thereby make a significant number of your patrons extremely happy.

Sincerely,



Seaward's letter:

There and back again, A Hobbit’s tale, by Sideshow Lord of the Rings Premium Format Collectors

Now, where to begin? Ah, yes.

Concerning Hobbits.

Hobbits have been living and farming in the four Farthings of the Shire for many hundreds of years. Quite content to ignore and be ignored by the world of the Big Folk., Middle Earth being, after all, full of strange creatures beyond count, Hobbits must seem of little importance, being neither renowned as great warriors, nor counted amongst the very wise. As collectors of the Lord of the Rings Premium, however, this idea that hobbits might be of little importance could not be more wrong. While they are not renowned as great warriors, the One Ring could not have been destroyed without their bravery. While the hobbits may not seem as adventurous or brave as other characters, but they are central to the story and would be integral to any Sideshow Lord of the Rings Premium Format collection.

In fact, it has been remarked by some that Hobbits’ only real passion is for food. A rather unfair observation as they have also developed a keen interest in the brewing of ales and the smoking of pipeweed. But where their hearts truly lie is in peace and quiet and good tilled earth For all Hobbits share a love of all things that grow. And yes, no doubt to others, their ways seem quaint. But today of all days, it is brought home to me it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life by creating Premium Formats of the Hobbits. Most collectors would desire to see a Premium Format figure that reflects the simple qualities of a hobbit reflected in their attire, but their bravery reflected in the pose and sculpt. The Hobbit Premium Format figures would be an ideal way to translate the amazing costume and design work as done by Ngila Dickson and the Weta Design team along with the amazing sculpting abilities of the Sideshow design team to create amazing collectibles that truly exemplify the heart of the Lord of the Rings story and films.


Sticklebacks, where are those Hobbit Premium Formats! Sideshow!


Sincerely,




____________________________________________
A Lord of the Rings Premium Format Collector

More information added from Dave Mac's Original thread:
https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88280

I have a thread in the Ask Sideshow section of our site here to urge Sideshow to complete the fellowship, and I hope we can organize a letter writing campaign in all it's forms (I am breaking out the stamp book today people!!!) and we can let Sideshow know how important it will be for Sideshow to produce the complete Fellowship in the Premium Format range. It would be nice if we could send them pictures of our collections, as a lot of us have most if not all of the PF's, and let them know we would love to see the three remaining hobbits in the line. I think Gimli and Boromir are kind of a lock (they did answer a Q&A) that Gimli is coming after 2011, but I don't think it is bad to request these characters either!

Time to get writing (after a business meeting this morning!) I will jot some notes on a letter to send, but I would love feedback to let Sideshow know how important the complete Fellowship is for us collectors!

FrodoEyes, can I lean on you for support to help with a similar campaign at the Weta board? I am a member there, but I don't have a lot of posts yet. I am also not a member at Statue Forum, but that is another collector base we can tap!

Let's really do this right!!!!!

I like the idea of sending in a token (tolkien?!? Ha.) to Sideshow that would well represent the Fellowship. The potato would be hilarious, and I think you can actually just put an address on a potato and mail it with stamps, like people do with a banana. I was thinking about composing a letter in an LOTR font that is reminiscent of the Red Book of Westmarch, and gathering signatures in that and mailing the completed book in to Sideshow. I could have people send me a PDF of their signed copy of the letter and compile it into one book, but I also think that individual mailings would be great!!!

I would like to suggest also using something from the dialogue from the beginning of LOTR when Bilbo is describing Hobbits, and we can put the subject line of the letter to read: Concerning Hobbits

I am still trying to think of something that would be inexpensive to send to Sideshow that shows our support for LOTR PF hobbits. How about an old pair of shoes to represent the barefoot nature of the characters? We could also suggest that any sent shoes to Sideshow be donated to a local charity or shelter...What do you think?

I have some meetings this morning, but I will draft up a letter shortly that we can use to send. I still also like the idea of a petition book that I can generate a PDF, and send to people that would like to participate, and we can submit a nice book with screenshots of the Hobbits over to Sideshow with some quotes from the books and films. I wonder if we could also see if we could reach out to Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd through their respective talent agencies or something!

I want to include just a brief note on the possiblilty that the maquette line could be bolstered by alternate offerings of the Hobbits, but the hobbits in their outfits as they set out from the Shire would be prefered for the Premium Format line. How best do we set up an economical mailing of Lay's Potato Chips to Sideshow? I was thinking about boxing up some of the variety packs you can buy at the grocery and creating an initial offering, and then posting some of the process here with the letter to inspire other people to do the same. I also want to incorporate the idea of "keep your nasty chips, we want the hobbitses!" on the box or something, maybe a Gollum drawing on the outside of the big box to send!

I also talked to my friend who is working to be a film editor, and I have asked him to help me cut together a video of LOTR hobbit scenes and PF collectibles, to highlight the need to get these made. I might want to request pictures of your collections or your reviews of stuff we have and the request for figures that haven't been made yet. I'll keep you posted after I talk to my buddy tonight!

Chris

So I have the letter, with one minor revision to include how the Premium Format line can show Hobbits at their bucolic best, and the Maquette line seems a better opportunity to show them at their most adventurous, and the Rohan and Gondorian garb that Merry and Pippin receive would be well-suited for fullly sculptured pieces.

I have a box that I am going to draw a huge Gollum on, and include the line from SigEp756 on the box about "Keeping the chips." I am going to include the letter one top and send along a bunch of potato chips, just to get started, and I should be able to mail them out on Friday. If we can have a few other people send their own copy of the letter in with potato chips, and document them here on the board, I would think that it will help start the groundswell.

I used a Ringbearer font for the letter, as the Bilbo script for letters in Word is somewhat tough to read, and I plan to age it by steeping it in tea tonight to get ready to send. I want to take pictures of the process, and again, at some point, collate a bunch of these letters into a single book, and maybe hand-write the original letter, throw in pictures of the hobbits, some quotes about hobbits from the films and such.

My friend Marty is also going to help me make a fake production blog that will show the depth of the LOTR PF line as it is, and make some push towards the missing hobbits. This may take a couple of weeks to set up, as he wants to get creative with it!

Bill,

I plan on setting up a gmail account that I can host to receive pictures and put this together, but I don't have a chance to do that until tomorrow night. I wonder if our overseas collectors would want to send a bag of chips from an online retailer to Sideshow as a gift with the attached message. Setting up a paypal account to make purchases might be more than I can commit to right now, but we can certainly figure something out!

Okay,
So I have been thinking about this all day trying to figure out how best to send Sideshow "chips" from our overseas collector brethren. I don't mind sending a bunch of chips (maybe smaller bags though) for folks that are overseas, but I would like to get your "signature" on the letters that I send. Do you think a printed name and a message board alias would carry as much weight as an actual signature? If so, I can collect a list of names here (real names through private message) and I will send a copy of the letter for each member that contacts me. Maybe a weekly shipment of chips for the next couple of weeks. For the folks here in the US, do you mind springing for a bag or two of potato chips and sending them to sideshow?

Chris

Dave Mac's AWESOME letter to Barad-dur....Er...I mean Sideshow.

I don't think I can do the 'post a potato' thing so I have gone for the letter option and taken a cue from Seaward for a touch of Middle Earth homeyness (with tongue firmly in cheek! )

Another week, another barrage needed folk. E-mail, Snail-mail, parcels, visits etc, etc.

WE WANT THE FELLOWSHIP IN P.F!

Hi everyone,

So I have my first (of hopefully many boxes) of potato chips to send to Sideshow.

I have my first letter to send, and I will be glad to collect letters from our overseas collectors and send a bag of chips on your behalf. I plan to send a box every week to 10 days or so for the time being. I quickly sketched Gollum and Smeagol on the box, and used SigEp's phrase of "Keep your nasty chips, we want Hobbits!" on the exterior of the box. If people would like to have me send a bag of chips on their behalf, shoot me a PM, and I will update in the thread who I am sending a letter and bag of chips for. I will probably try to send multiple bags of chips in each box, as I am thinking of using the brown shipping boxes for the Premium Format figures I have, and adding a sketch to each one, such as the Witchking with a phrase like "Give us the Halflings!!" or something equally geeky.

I am going to try to get some pics of the Witchking and post in that thread, but I will add pictures here shortly too, of the box and letter ready to go! Sorry for my absence, things have been crazy and I used to log in at work during downtime. Since that is out, I need to find more time at home to get to keep up with things!

We Call all LOTR Premium Format Collectors....and their families.....and friends....and non-collectors, heck it's a call to anyone and everyone. Get writing, messaging and emailing.

Middle Earth would not be the place it is without Hobbits. They may be little folk but they are brave, loyal and true.

Samwise the Brave "It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy?"
"How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened."
"That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why."
"But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now."
"Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something."

Frodo Baggins "What are we holding on to, Sam?"

Samwise the Brave "That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for."

 

[mr.thrifty]

Form Letter #3 sent......

 

[The Ween]

I sent an email yesterday!

 

[woodsy]

Form Letter #3 sent......

I sent an email yesterday!

That's great, I have added both of you to the list. I've sent all five form letters to date, and I've gotten two others to do the same. So remember....keep sending those emails!

 

[Moriaman]

Letter #5 sent

 

[woodsy]

Letter #5 sent

Thanks Darren, and please feel free to pass this info onto S&F members as well! The more people who get involved, the greater the odds we will see a complete Fellowship.

 

[gfdill]

Product suggestion sent… to be followed by e-mail from myself, friends and family!

 

[carbo-fation]

Add me as well. I will try to send at least one email a week if I can.

 

[Valarauko]

I sent in a request yesterday. This is great; it would be nice to get an idea of how many have contacted SS.

 

[woodsy]

Product suggestion sent… to be followed by e-mail from myself, friends and family!

Add me as well. I will try to send at least one email a week if I can.

I sent in a request yesterday. This is great; it would be nice to get an idea of how many have contacted SS.

Thanks guys! You've all been added to the list. Hopefully everyone who contacts SS will post that info here...it will give us a very good idea as to how many people have participated.

 

[marker2037]

letter #5 emailed

 

[woodsy]

letter #5 emailed

Thanks marker! I've added you to the list. I've also added a 6th form letter to Post #1. Hopefully, others will come up with some idea's as well. The greater the variety of emails we can send to Sideshow, the better.

 

[datafagga]

letter #3 sent

 

[bill59]

Letter #5 sent...that makes it 4 sent so far.

Also, I think Seawards has sent crisps to SS on my behalf in his crisp campaign.


Bill

 

[woodsy]

letter #3 sent

Thanks data...I've added you to the list!

Letter #5 sent...that makes it 4 sent so far.

Also, I think Seawards has sent crisps to SS on my behalf in his crisp campaign.


Bill

Good man Bill! I knew I could count on you...keep those emails coming. I've added you, Seaward and DaveMac to the list!

 

[DaveMac]

I have sent a copy of a letter to my kids on Face Book in order for them to get thier friends to send a request in to Sideshow.

There were a couple of polls carried out at the S+F forum, the GD and on here. I don't think these were ever viewed by SS so maybe if people attached these to thier e-mails?

 

[Anubis]

Yeah just sent another one too.

I used one of yours as a template Woodsy, but added a large amount of my own feelings underneath. I just hope it works...

 

[BRFC]

I've sent a letter on behalf of the little fellows of the Shire (thats LancaSHIRE Eng) to the big folks @ SS and will continue to do so until all three hobbits get the nod.

 

[bill59]

Great stuff guys!

The facebook idea is really good Dave, well done mate.

If we all get our friends and family involved, SS won't know what hit it.

The 9 will be ours!

Bill
p.s. I am beginning to feel a little sorry for the poor SS worker/workers who get to deal with all these requests!

 

[Adoptedscot]

I have added a lot of information from Dave Mac's original thread Q & A thread (here: https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88280 )
...as quotes into Collin's opening post of this thread.

I think it's only fair as Dave Mac, Seaward and others have had some terrific ideas and contributions and deserve the acknowlegement and thanks for starting this gathering, making suggestions and advice on what we can do.
Plus their posts contain some valuable information and ideas for us to use including a letter that Dave has already made in the spirit of Middle Earth which is awesome

So write now, message, email, snail mail or facebook.

Rise up for the halflings. Make us be heard
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