That was great info! Ever since I found VeVe I've been hooked on collecting and wondering how the lisensing process goes. You just answered all those questions. Many thanks 😊
1995 Lucas: We want to make sure these new "Power of the Force" figures really resemble the actors. For example, we want the Leia figure to look attractive and resemble Carrie Fisher particularly. Kenner rep: Sure, Mr. Lucas. Rest assured the figures will all have attractive and accurate sculpts. Kenner rep: [turns to head sculptor and whispers] just get the damn toys out
Not sure if you got my last message, but when you asked about 7", I only have two. Kitana from Mortal Kombat (because I always collect Kitana from Mortal Kombat) and Doctor Bashir from Diamond Select, repainted to look like my character (so happy they are the same size) but they don't fit in anywhere else. Kinda like my original Jade from the Mortal Kombat Trilogy line is a half inch taller than my Playmates Star Trek figures. Ok I get a little CDO (OCD in alphabetical order) when it comes to size because everything has to fit. I have Japanese Kamen Rider figures that are the same size as some Power Rangers figures. So happy they fit together. It's all about how tall they are together for me.
Just like how I want a new line of DC figures with the same level of articulation as Marvel Legends and the same size, which Mcfarlane Toys isn't doing.
Interesting. As for someone on the other side of the specter (I am both a toy collector and the owner of a small independant superhero universe, my first novel was just published this year, who would love to have his heroes turned into toys), this is very educational. But I suppose that, since I am not Marvel or DC, And my properties are unknown, I wouldn’t be able to do anything that allowing, for a cheap revenue, anything that the toymaker want. Am I wrong ?
well, i think you're right in that i doubt someone/company is going to buy a license for an unproven IP unless it's part of a larger brand, at least not until there's a demand for it. bear in mind, too, that a 'toymaker' doesn't necessarily mean they manufacture the physical product, e.g. hasbro doesn't own the actual production facilities to manufacture 'star wars' toys. that's not written in stone, though, as mattel does own the production of barbie and hot wheels, for example. that's not to say you have to wait for mcfarlane toys to come knocking, or funco wanting to make pops, but you approaching the huge toymakers probably won't get you far unless you have a crazy hit on your hands, something that you can sustain as it takes awhile to make stuff and they don't want your IP to go cold in the meantime. even then it's probably a no-go for the big boys, i would think. someone correct me if i'm wrong, though. but, this is what's good about 3D printing, eh? sure, you won't print out ten thousand of these things, but it's entirely within the realm of possibility to manufacture figures or, better yet, unarticulated statues/models you can cast yourself out of whatever kind of resin you want. the beauty of being small is you don't have layers of people to ask permission from and allows you the flexibility to do things outside the typical cross-promotion formula people who tend to follow the status quo are bound by. you are limited by your imagination and investment ability (still a good idea to know 'how it's done,' though, lol, kind of like having to 'know the rules before you can break them' deals). maybe it would be a good idea to think of your novels as being commercials to sell other things. i mean, merchandise makes far more money than the movies. you may make more money from selling board games based on your novels than the novels themselves, who knows. if you self-published you can do whatever you want, but if not you might want to check your contract to see even if it's allowed.
Most toy companies are only interested in licensing a property that has a large following and large amounts of content. Your best bet might be to go the kickstarter route like Plunderlings does!
I'm actually thinking older. First one I actually set up the feature area for at TRU, 1999 Godzilla. Got pretty much a whole trailer full and I can't remember getting much more product in after that. Second imo is Robin hood prince of thieves
Can you do an episode on advertising gimmicks that become popular toys like the California Raisins and crash test dummies? I’m sure there are others but I can’t think of them off hand.
What happens if for some reason or another the company who gets the license can’t deliver any products to market? Either lack of sales/ interest or development doesn’t pan out.
Scott Neitlich, I failed the test for "a license to view your RUclips channel responsibly ". About that flight the other day... Let's just say I eventually made it to my destination in the same day. There's a reason I don't book the last flight of the day.
"Superman would never punch someone" was part of the licensor interference in the Superman video game for the N64. I can only imagine some of the bad/hilarious comments in toy production. Got any stories that you can share without causing trouble?
So, is there a small chance the Mega-Costrux M.O.T.U. line 'might' produce a "Mo-Larr Eternian Dentist" figure?? ... Would they need to secure new IP rights from SONY ? , Because Mo-Larr is actually a Robot Chicken Character, and not part of the M.O.T.U. line... Or is the contract for the Four Horseman figure still in effect? So we can get a Mega-Construx Mo-Larr "CON" exclusive someday.
@@purcellworthman3199 I remember that. But I was not sure how long the agreement was intended to last. "One-time-deal" , With expiration date, or "4-EVA" ! I wanted to take the opportunity to mention Mo-Larr again too... LOL!
Question: old original Skeletor toy got two boots coloring variations, half coloring and full coloring, in this case does that mean it got two coloring licenses approvals? examples: soft head He-Man and hard head He-Man, blue eyes Faker and black eyes Faker, etc
Skeletor was created by Mattel (before Mattel sold the rights in the 90's) so any deco that was made just needed to be approved by internal management.
This was realy interesting and explains a lot like why no superman the movie line except 12 inch by Mattel who have made the most the squeeze (love to know story behind that ) wb don't think is worth the juice and that's a lot of squeezing the amount of people that would need a lot of approving
Could you do a video just about Pin Mates? I’ve got a large Pin Mates collection but I’ve never seen anyone post a RUclips video just about them. Thank you!
Another great video sir- I am do glad you do these! Could an actor make an action figure of himself & sell it- like say Chuck Norris? Would there be any issues w/ previously issued toys? Another random, maybe related question, does it get harder to make a figure when the actor has been in multiple movies? (Maybe you've covered this before. I'm thinking of many actors/ actresses who have been in multiple properties.)
Do Disney owned IPs come in a package deal negotiated with Disney or would Marvel and Lucasfilm each have their own choice on who gets a license? Also thank you for the channel I have learned a lot since I started watching.
A few years back Hasbro produced 3.75 Stormtroopers, TIE pilots, and AT-AT Drivers that had removable helmets, the face underneath bearing a stong resemblance to Temuera Morrison. Would something like that have originated with Hasbro and pitched to Lucasfilm or might have LFL suggested it to Hasbro? Do you have any specific knowledge about this particular decision?
@@spectorcreative1872 Thank you. The reason I'm curious is the official canon now is that the Stormtroopers from the OT are recruits and not clones. But I can't find anything prior to the Disney sale that declares this one way or the other except these particular toys. If them being clones wasn't the official company line at that point, is it possible that they would not have approved them? Or is this a situation of "We have no stance on that one way or another. Have fun."?
Scott, you said people in the toy industry wake up hoping their product will nake it to market. Does this mean the majority of toy ideas never make it to production ir distribution?
@@spectorcreative1872 I understand since your still in the industry. You never know who you will be working with in the future. Which means we will get some real good stories after you retire.
Thats how I imagined it is but... now I think... who are the people in the other side? Because I imagine the guys who must aprove the toys must know something about toys... or they dont? Who are that people who aprove, for example, Star Wars toys? Have they wide knowledge about toys? are there toy industry experts inside the companies?
Yes a toy company can have the master license, but master licenses are not really granted these days. An example is Kenner had the master license for Star Wars back in the 80s. Mattel does not have the master license for WWE toys, just a few scales of action figures
the company who bought the license doesn't have to be the manufacturer. i think we all get that and that line was a little misspoke, but for clarity's sake there it is. di$ney really screws hasblo over in their master license.
@@manlymcstud8588 seriously. I remember Star Wars Dixie cups for your bathroom in the 70s. Nothing screams brand integrity more than some random fad disposable product. WWF had one that should not be named. Star Wars was no Calvin and Hobbs.
You can just change the name and then you can do whatever you want. Make a Batman call it ManBat and you are off the hook. People do it all the time with every single property
They are absolutely responsible for product placement at retail. However, that doesn’t mean the manufacturer is responsible for how many units the retailers order. Empty shelves do not equate to manufacturer oversight. Retailers still have to order enough to stock the shelves. If you watch Scott’s previous videos, you’ll see that big box retailers are not toy stores. They have one peg per case, and that peg is supposed to last a lot longer than it does at retailers. One guy can literally buy an entire year’s worth of stock in one transaction. If you’re tired of seeing empty pegs at Walmart and Target (as I have been for several years), start shopping local toys and comics stores, as they will usually have a much better stock than your big box retailers.
I still have my C-3PO tape dispenser. My grandma bought it for me for my birthday back in the day.
Now that was one hell of a toy! or office product
That dispenser was terrifying
That was great info!
Ever since I found VeVe I've been hooked on collecting and wondering how the lisensing process goes. You just answered all those questions. Many thanks 😊
Glad I did! Please feel free to share with others, it helps the channel a ton
This is the way!
THIS IS HOW WE DOOO IIIT!🎶
Until the Jedi show up
1995
Lucas: We want to make sure these new "Power of the Force" figures really resemble the actors. For example, we want the Leia figure to look attractive and resemble Carrie Fisher particularly.
Kenner rep: Sure, Mr. Lucas. Rest assured the figures will all have attractive and accurate sculpts.
Kenner rep: [turns to head sculptor and whispers] just get the damn toys out
Yea...lets buff up Luke and Han+!! Great idea!!!!
I wasn't there for this talk....
@@spectorcreative1872 haha!
Not sure if you got my last message, but when you asked about 7", I only have two. Kitana from Mortal Kombat (because I always collect Kitana from Mortal Kombat) and Doctor Bashir from Diamond Select, repainted to look like my character (so happy they are the same size) but they don't fit in anywhere else. Kinda like my original Jade from the Mortal Kombat Trilogy line is a half inch taller than my Playmates Star Trek figures. Ok I get a little CDO (OCD in alphabetical order) when it comes to size because everything has to fit. I have Japanese Kamen Rider figures that are the same size as some Power Rangers figures. So happy they fit together. It's all about how tall they are together for me.
Just like how I want a new line of DC figures with the same level of articulation as Marvel Legends and the same size, which Mcfarlane Toys isn't doing.
@@collegerebel I would prefer even smaller. This is why I have Heroclix around my room... except the new ones are bigger than the old ones.
Oh yes I love doing this as well having different IP live together through scale
Interesting. As for someone on the other side of the specter (I am both a toy collector and the owner of a small independant superhero universe, my first novel was just published this year, who would love to have his heroes turned into toys), this is very educational. But I suppose that, since I am not Marvel or DC, And my properties are unknown, I wouldn’t be able to do anything that allowing, for a cheap revenue, anything that the toymaker want. Am I wrong ?
well, i think you're right in that i doubt someone/company is going to buy a license for an unproven IP unless it's part of a larger brand, at least not until there's a demand for it. bear in mind, too, that a 'toymaker' doesn't necessarily mean they manufacture the physical product, e.g. hasbro doesn't own the actual production facilities to manufacture 'star wars' toys. that's not written in stone, though, as mattel does own the production of barbie and hot wheels, for example.
that's not to say you have to wait for mcfarlane toys to come knocking, or funco wanting to make pops, but you approaching the huge toymakers probably won't get you far unless you have a crazy hit on your hands, something that you can sustain as it takes awhile to make stuff and they don't want your IP to go cold in the meantime. even then it's probably a no-go for the big boys, i would think. someone correct me if i'm wrong, though.
but, this is what's good about 3D printing, eh? sure, you won't print out ten thousand of these things, but it's entirely within the realm of possibility to manufacture figures or, better yet, unarticulated statues/models you can cast yourself out of whatever kind of resin you want. the beauty of being small is you don't have layers of people to ask permission from and allows you the flexibility to do things outside the typical cross-promotion formula people who tend to follow the status quo are bound by. you are limited by your imagination and investment ability (still a good idea to know 'how it's done,' though, lol, kind of like having to 'know the rules before you can break them' deals).
maybe it would be a good idea to think of your novels as being commercials to sell other things. i mean, merchandise makes far more money than the movies. you may make more money from selling board games based on your novels than the novels themselves, who knows. if you self-published you can do whatever you want, but if not you might want to check your contract to see even if it's allowed.
Most toy companies are only interested in licensing a property that has a large following and large amounts of content. Your best bet might be to go the kickstarter route like Plunderlings does!
Take a look at Boss Fight Studios. They seem like a grass roots kind of toy company and might give you some direction.
Interresting, this licensing is complicated
More so than most people get
Speaking of Pixar Cars being the surprise toy line success. What line do you think is the biggest flop? I have my 2 (or 3) in mind.
Disney Playmation IMO
From experience, the Emoji Movie. Every order got canceled the second it came out, despite being in production already
Apptivity and BoomCo come to mind
I'm actually thinking older. First one I actually set up the feature area for at TRU, 1999 Godzilla. Got pretty much a whole trailer full and I can't remember getting much more product in after that. Second imo is Robin hood prince of thieves
@@spectorcreative1872 never heard of either :)
Thank you for making this
Glad it was interesting and helpful! Please feel free to share with others, it helps the channel a ton!
23.8K 🥳
every day rockin it!
Doubt. if is a in house license like GIJoe for Hasbro, Hot Wheels for Mattel etc... Companies have free reing on what to make or also the toy manufacturing license affect the in house products. And as for MOTU since Mattel might loose the © license do they need to ask Universal?
Yes, if the company owns the IP (i.e. GI JOE) yes you have much more freedom
Can you do an episode on advertising gimmicks that become popular toys like the California Raisins and crash test dummies? I’m sure there are others but I can’t think of them off hand.
Great idea!
Domo that Japanese tv mascot is another one
This explains why a lot of Japanese manufacturers eventually drop overseas licenses given all this this hassle and just stick with domestic properties
Very much so
....... but on the other hand , the japanese properties sells extremly good and maybe even better than western stuff .
This reminds me of the NJ Croce '66 Batmobile that was not allowed to have turning wheels.
Bingo
What happens if for some reason or another the company who gets the license can’t deliver any products to market? Either lack of sales/ interest or development doesn’t pan out.
Then they may loose the license depending on the contract
Scott Neitlich, I failed the test for "a license to view your RUclips channel responsibly ". About that flight the other day... Let's just say I eventually made it to my destination in the same day. There's a reason I don't book the last flight of the day.
Well fly safe and be well!
"Superman would never punch someone" was part of the licensor interference in the Superman video game for the N64. I can only imagine some of the bad/hilarious comments in toy production. Got any stories that you can share without causing trouble?
Well their was a Flash on a motorcycle that was pulled after production because Flash does not need to ride a motorcycle.
When you say toy license I thought it was a license to play with toys. Similar to a drivers license to drive a car XD
Well you need one of those too
Whenever you see an ugly toy (a Funko Pop, for example) remember it was the IP holder's fault.
I blame society
So, is there a small chance the Mega-Costrux M.O.T.U. line 'might' produce a "Mo-Larr Eternian Dentist" figure?? ... Would they need to secure new IP rights from SONY ? , Because Mo-Larr is actually a Robot Chicken Character, and not part of the M.O.T.U. line... Or is the contract for the Four Horseman figure still in effect? So we can get a Mega-Construx Mo-Larr "CON" exclusive someday.
in the mo-larr video he said the rights to the character were bought from robot chicken in order to make the figure.
Mo-Larr is owned by the brand, so Mattel could do that if they wanted
@@purcellworthman3199 I remember that. But I was not sure how long the agreement was intended to last. "One-time-deal" , With expiration date, or "4-EVA" ! I wanted to take the opportunity to mention Mo-Larr again too... LOL!
Question:
old original Skeletor toy got two boots coloring variations, half coloring and full coloring, in this case does that mean it got two coloring licenses approvals?
examples: soft head He-Man and hard head He-Man, blue eyes Faker and black eyes Faker, etc
Skeletor was created by Mattel (before Mattel sold the rights in the 90's) so any deco that was made just needed to be approved by internal management.
@@spectorcreative1872 thanks for clearing this up for me
This was realy interesting and explains a lot like why no superman the movie line except 12 inch by Mattel who have made the most the squeeze (love to know story behind that ) wb don't think is worth the juice and that's a lot of squeezing the amount of people that would need a lot of approving
And only about 50% of toy concepts actually make it to market
I don't know if you can say or not, but what was the easiest licensor to work with and what was the most difficult?
I'd say Sony was by far the easiest. I don't want to mention who was the hardest because, well....
Could you do a video just about Pin Mates? I’ve got a large Pin Mates collection but I’ve never seen anyone post a RUclips video just about them. Thank you!
Will do!!!!!
Another great video sir- I am do glad you do these! Could an actor make an action figure of himself & sell it- like say Chuck Norris? Would there be any issues w/ previously issued toys? Another random, maybe related question, does it get harder to make a figure when the actor has been in multiple movies? (Maybe you've covered this before. I'm thinking of many actors/ actresses who have been in multiple properties.)
No there would be no issues with that. Think of how many Samuel L Jackson figures there are
@@spectorcreative1872 That's what I thought- thanks for the personal touches!
I wonder this, since you work on the Ghostbusters license: Do that license includes the animated series (Real or Extreme)?
Typically a licensor provides a style guide with the most recent property. Very rare will they look to past versions.
It did and we had big pans for the animated series~! ruclips.net/video/tkOclpF0eGU/видео.html
Do Disney owned IPs come in a package deal negotiated with Disney or would Marvel and Lucasfilm each have their own choice on who gets a license? Also thank you for the channel I have learned a lot since I started watching.
Nope. There is no packaged deal. Every license even if owned by the same parent company is a separate deal
A few years back Hasbro produced 3.75 Stormtroopers, TIE pilots, and AT-AT Drivers that had removable helmets, the face underneath bearing a stong resemblance to Temuera Morrison. Would something like that have originated with Hasbro and pitched to Lucasfilm or might have LFL suggested it to Hasbro? Do you have any specific knowledge about this particular decision?
I actually know all about this. It is just a creative thing hasbro wanted to do and LFL let them for funnsies
@@spectorcreative1872 Thank you. The reason I'm curious is the official canon now is that the Stormtroopers from the OT are recruits and not clones. But I can't find anything prior to the Disney sale that declares this one way or the other except these particular toys. If them being clones wasn't the official company line at that point, is it possible that they would not have approved them? Or is this a situation of "We have no stance on that one way or another. Have fun."?
Scott, you said people in the toy industry wake up hoping their product will nake it to market. Does this mean the majority of toy ideas never make it to production ir distribution?
Unfortunately, that is the norm.
In my experience, maybe 30% of ideas presented get to market. Companies need retail buyer commitment before making anything
Very much so. I'd say about 50% of ideas make it to market
@@bleedingedges What job did you have in the industry?
@@spectorcreative1872 It is sad because there were probably some really cool toys that were rejected because they wouldn't reach a big enough market
Anyway you could do a vid on how our hobby might look like in 10 to 20 yrs, would it be online only ?
I'll add it to the list.
Scott, are you in position to tell some of the crazy stories of the license holders?
I"m not really going to talk "bad" about any licensor, that wouldn't really be good karma. But their have been good and bad licensors over the years
@@spectorcreative1872 I understand since your still in the industry. You never know who you will be working with in the future. Which means we will get some real good stories after you retire.
Thats how I imagined it is but... now I think... who are the people in the other side? Because I imagine the guys who must aprove the toys must know something about toys... or they dont? Who are that people who aprove, for example, Star Wars toys? Have they wide knowledge about toys? are there toy industry experts inside the companies?
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Their is no constancy.
Can a toy company hold the master license of another company and would an example of this might be how Mattel has WWE license .
Yes a toy company can have the master license, but master licenses are not really granted these days. An example is Kenner had the master license for Star Wars back in the 80s.
Mattel does not have the master license for WWE toys, just a few scales of action figures
the company who bought the license doesn't have to be the manufacturer. i think we all get that and that line was a little misspoke, but for clarity's sake there it is.
di$ney really screws hasblo over in their master license.
Overlicensing happens a lot.
@@spectorcreative1872 no doubt, lol. george lucas would have licensed 'princess leia tampons' if anyone ever threw a nickel at him.
@@manlymcstud8588 seriously. I remember Star Wars Dixie cups for your bathroom in the 70s. Nothing screams brand integrity more than some random fad disposable product. WWF had one that should not be named. Star Wars was no Calvin and Hobbs.
🤯
muahhaa
You can just change the name and then you can do whatever you want. Make a Batman call it ManBat and you are off the hook. People do it all the time with every single property
4:32 you just admitted the manufacturers are responsible for their product placement at retail.
They are absolutely responsible for product placement at retail. However, that doesn’t mean the manufacturer is responsible for how many units the retailers order. Empty shelves do not equate to manufacturer oversight. Retailers still have to order enough to stock the shelves. If you watch Scott’s previous videos, you’ll see that big box retailers are not toy stores. They have one peg per case, and that peg is supposed to last a lot longer than it does at retailers. One guy can literally buy an entire year’s worth of stock in one transaction. If you’re tired of seeing empty pegs at Walmart and Target (as I have been for several years), start shopping local toys and comics stores, as they will usually have a much better stock than your big box retailers.
Well yes they pitch for it, but they don't always get what they want
I dont care about this topic. Where are the Classics reviews??
Still chuggin I promise.
Blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah, BLAH!
you forgot blah