The Official "Ask Sideshow" Thread (Check 3rd post before asking questions)

[The Mule]

Originally Posted by SSAlex

Licensing fees will always play a role (and Star Wars is one of the most expensive licenses…even more so since Disney took even more control within the last few months) but manufacturing costs on these products increases with every new piece (no matter the license, no matter the character, no matter the product). So factor in one of the most expensive licenses one can have and the ever increasing costs to produce the characters/creatures and there will be price increases for them.

So this means that licensing fees and manifacturing costs have gone up 10% in the last couple months, since Vader is 50$ more than Boba?

[jpuli28]

Originally Posted by SSAlex

Licensing fees will always play a role (and Star Wars is one of the most expensive licenses…even more so since Disney took even more control within the last few months) but manufacturing costs on these products increases with every new piece (no matter the license, no matter the character, no matter the product). So factor in one of the most expensive licenses one can have and the ever increasing costs to produce the characters/creatures and there will be price increases for them.

Hi Alex, so does this ^ also explain why the Balent CW "variant" with no Ex and no change of head (hands or hair) is still $399? Will this be the trend moving fwd with all DC PFs?

[SSAlex]

Originally Posted by JohnMatrix

Thank you for your updates, Dear Alex! Could you please tell the right party at Sideshow to make us a comic book Loki PF with a cape like below? AND please give him a cool exclusive switch-out parts/portrait! God of Mischef deserves the most Sideshow love!

A Loki PF (comic and movie based) has been asked about for quite awhile and those that need to hear those cries of want have very much heard them. Hopefully there will be a Loki in the future. *fingers crossed*

Originally Posted by DARKSIDER

SSALEX any idea when the prime 1 tmnt michealangelo is going up for preorder? Thanks

It's unknown when Michealangelo will go up for order through us. Hopefully really soon!

Originally Posted by tuyethuy

hi Alex, i would like to ask for your help. i had recently bought prime 1 megatron from secret compass and i know they got it from Sideshow. Anyway megatron came broken and i would like to get a replacement. can i deal directly with sideshow for the replacement or do i have to deal with secret compass. I had spoken to Shane about this and there are too many steps so therefore i wanted to cut time short and wanted to deal directly with sideshow instead. Please let me know what to do. thanks in advance Alex

Oh no! Sorry to hear about your broken Megatron. You will have to go through Secret Compass directly for a replacement since you didn't buy it directly from us as your transaction was done directly with them.

Originally Posted by The Mule

So this means that licensing fees and manifacturing costs have gone up 10% in the last couple months, since Vader is 50$ more than Boba?

Sounds about right…especially in regards to Star Wars specific items.

Originally Posted by jpuli28

Hi Alex, so does this ^ also explain why the Balent CW "variant" with no Ex and no change of head (hands or hair) is still $399? Will this be the trend moving fwd with all DC PFs?

The newest Catwoman PF pricing would be based on cost to produce the item now and is not due to any licensing increase (since we haven't had any DC licensing increases for a while). As to whether all DC PFs are getting variation treatments….it will all depend on the character and if there is a variation of the character that would be fun and/or interesting to do. So not all DC PFs will be getting a variation in the future.

[Vince-Vell]

Question on how you guys do cloth with a outside sculptor

So like for the Catwoman statue, Mark Newman sculpted the body i guess, but does he deal with the cloth, does he send the sculpt in and then they send back for tweaks or does he just do a one time sculpt then in house sculptors tweak and do whats needs for the cloth to fit?

just curious about the process a bit.

[SSAlex]

Originally Posted by Vince-Vell

Question on how you guys do cloth with a outside sculptor

So like for the Catwoman statue, Mark Newman sculpted the body i guess, but does he deal with the cloth, does he send the sculpt in and then they send back for tweaks or does he just do a one time sculpt then in house sculptors tweak and do whats needs for the cloth to fit?

just curious about the process a bit.

The sculptors (whether in house or out-of-house) will do their portion of the project. Once done it's turned in to complete the rest of the steps (approvals, tweaking if necessary - not necessarily done by the original sculptor, molding/casting, cut and sew, painting, and so on). Specifically in regards to projects with cut and sew elements….once the sculpt is done and goes through the approval process internally and with the licensor (and any tweaking needing to be done after its turned in) it will start the process of adding the cut and sew elements. The sculpt will stay as is a lot of the time with the cut and sew elements patterned and done to fit on the piece the right way BUT there can be occasions where some slight mods have to be done to the sculpt to accomplish the right look with the fabric elements.

[Vince-Vell]

Thanks for the info!

[jpuli28]

Originally Posted by SSAlex

The newest Catwoman PF pricing would be based on cost to produce the item now and is not due to any licensing increase (since we haven't had any DC licensing increases for a while). As to whether all DC PFs are getting variation treatments….it will all depend on the character and if there is a variation of the character that would be fun and/or interesting to do. So not all DC PFs will be getting a variation in the future.

Thanks. So this is what I meant by trend, a simple or basic PF with no extras will be $399, any extras such as CoH's or mixed media would increase the cost?
Examples, WW and current CW came with more and was the same $399.

[SSAlex]

Originally Posted by jpuli28

Thanks. So this is what I meant by trend, a simple or basic PF with no extras will be $399, any extras such as CoH's or mixed media would increase the cost?
Examples, WW and current CW came with more and was the same $399.

Wonder Woman and Catwoman (original one) were produced at costs from 2013/2014. We are now in 2015 and what it cost to produce something similar (with less parts even) will be more than costs from 13/14 (and even last month really). The trend is that costs to produce continue to go up and up and up across the board for these kinds of products (from sixth scale to life-size).

[jpuli28]

Thanks again. Although it may be a couple years, I really hope we reach some sorta of plateau soon because, although I make a decent coin, sometimes the cost just exceeds the want.

[frenchyoutoo]

Hey Alex

With their photos, why do sideshow advertise proto pics of statues when what is made is lesser quality production pieces? Why don't they just advertise production standard pieces instead so then there's no surprises when the product arrives?

Like the new Green hulk for instance. I'm highly doubting the paint app will be as good as the proto pics show, lighting or not.