Quote:
Originally Posted by qz33
Hah!
And likewise you do realize that comment was in agreement with about everything you just stated and was in your defense from this statement?
Just letting him know that the poor production quality was not the same situation as for your own company, Moore Studio. And yes except for entrepreneurship blaming the artist for a poor final product is a rare exception not the rule around here. If your name is the only one on the box though plenty of people don't make that distinction.
Very surprised DST gave you any say in production because as you indicate there is a huge disconnect between design and production even at an artists' owned entrepreneurship but especially for more mainstream mass production companies. But as you mention you do have unique experience compared to other sculptors as employees.
A lot of people here blame statue producers like Sideshow for the lack of QC in the products they receive. While I stop short of absolving production companies from any liability or financial responsibility I am well aware they are not due the majority of the blame as the root cause. China just has a different business culture, will take advantage at nearly any opportunity, and outsiders are in a poor position to enforce much of anything. Increased demand for collectibles and economic pressures have not definitely not improved the situation over time either. I always figured you signed on with DST because you were tired of that very situation and just wanted to focus on sculpting and design, instead of the endless headaches of EVERYTHING being your sole responsibility like in your own company.
So maybe you can find some consolation that even 4 years ago that comment was made fully in your defense and for your benefit with no detriment.
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Thanks for writing back, qz33. And no, when someone says you're just a cog in a machine, it won't be taken well by most people. So thanks for clarifying that.
Yes, I was very tired of dealing with the Chinese factories. Spending time with the workers was fine. The problem is that time is money and while prices have gone up, the production schedule has not relaxed at all, which is not surprising. They use power tools to finish out the pre-paint figures (called white copies) which is a huge mistake. They should be finished by hand except for cutting off larger sections, like the pour vent. Even at the best factories, you can see that they finish off a woman figure's hip with a power sander. It's criminal. You can tell the workers want to do a good job, but the line managers know they will be replaced if they don't meet the production schedule.
I very much enjoyed my time at DST. I had known the people I dealt with there for many years and my wife Shelley worked at Diamond for 17 years (her job involved the Previews catalog. I met her at the San Diego CC, actually). I think all statue companies want their pieces well produced, but they all run up against production costs and shipping schedule versus quality. I solved it by going myself and doing my own QC (my brother Paul also went about three times and is responsible for the high quality of quite. few of our projects), but the costs and the time loss in my sculpting were huge (though in some cases my going sped up production time and shipping). And now the civil unrest comes into play as well. It was always dangerous, but even more so now.
