Ok lets begin this belated post with a bit of a long story!
(ok hopefully not to long ! I am dyslexic and I like to ramble though).
Why I believe I think my project has legs?
Hasbro and Takara have been releasing transformable toys
called Transformers since 1984, destroying their original competitors (the go
bots) not by a better product but by the addition of relatable and tangible character
line : releasing not only comic books, but going to the extent of releasing a
Cartoon TV series, designed specifically to sell toys.
A toy line that
survives 30 years is pretty god dammed special or incredibly intelligent, Hasbro
and takra have been very intelligent in the decisions that they have made along
the years, they have been through the list of transformers that they know work
and removed the ones that don’t.
1984 G1 The introduction to the original toy line deceptions
and Autobots (the bad guys are planes – the good guys are mostly ground vehicles)
1986 G1 The movie everyone loves transformers, lets somehow
find an excuse to add more caricatures whilst removing some of the least
popular toys – Transformers the movie is released with a hug reboot and
addition of new caricatures.
G2 Even more caricatures
Beast machines/ wars– holly hell everyone loves animals now – but people
still like our original caricatures, what do we do – lets keep them but make
the, into transformable dinosaurs and other animals boys love.
2001 – 2006 quick and easy to animate tv series are released multiple different shows, that introduce caricatures left right and center
keeping the Target market hooked on what may be coming next. These Toy lines were
not as successful as they were full of repaints and unknown caricatures, and silly gimmicks (gimmicks are great but make the actual toy the most important factor).
2007 transformers the movie, Michael bay took his machete to
the franchise and stuck it in good, but the toy line and movies were so successful,
why? Math!
5 – 11 year olds are the target consumers (well their parents) for transformers. The original line was produced in 1984, a five year old child
would have been 33 years old In 2007when the first movie was released, naustalga is the mother of all sales! the average age
of parents is 25 years old meaning 8 year old boys and girls were now being introduction to a toy line, Nostalgia can now have a huge effect on what
parents buy their children, or are willing too put up with at the cinema with their children– thus the toy line is given a new breath and a new
clientele.
Children 5 - 11 always there
Collectors 11 years plus always there
Nostalgic parents 24 years + brand new market
Nostalgic collectors 24 years + brand new market
What does this mean for the toy line, we want our original caricatures
back – because they are selling better than brownies in the OSU dorms!
And Hasbro and Takara know it, releasing 4 massive toy lines
since the movie.
Transformers animated – all original g1 caricatures yes stylized but in essence incredibly sellable to all market audiences
Transformers generations – a celebration to collectors releasing
better tooled and molded toys of their bestselling toys throughout the life
span - better toys equals brand devotion.
Transformers thrilling thirty - quite literally producing toys that Hasbro know
original collectors and nostalgic collectors / nostalgic parents have been asking for throughout the life span
of the toy line
Finally the latest ploy from hasbro and Takara, transformers combiner wars, not a single
caricature has been released so far that is not from the original g1 or g2 line
– and toys are selling everywhere.
What is my plan ?
To pitch a line of transformers – transformers origins
why?
We can take nostalgic fan favorite caricatures and put an interpretation
on what an earlier caricature might have been like, this creates two dimensions: the introduction of fun more youthful caricatures appealing to hasbro a target audience 5- 11 year olds as well as allowing
nostalgic collectors, collectors and nostalgic parents to relate to the
product.
As a line of toys it will allow designers to pick and
choose where they think the caricature came from Cybertron (dose the design
require a more alien appearance), earth (is the design a simpler, more g1
body line) or even complete different series beast wars (was this caricature simply from beast wars planet and has found their way to earth or cybertron?) .
So right now lets focus on my caricature, Kup first
introduced in 1986 Kup is a grumpy old cybertron warrior – full of war stories
and one of primes go to soldiers for advice, or to lead a division of his armada. A front line man but knows when to stay back and lead his men, never putting himself or other autobots in danger.
my interpretation – Kup is the perfect solider 35 year old physique, fast quick intelligent not bulky and a fast decision maker, meets his soon to be sidekick Hot rod in a recruitment tanning session that kup is leading - based on cybertron – his alternative mode will contain design features taken from the original design / caricature, aspects from the cybertronian toy line, darker sports vehicles and militarized scout based vehicles in production today.
oK I have made some serious changes to my original concept
and I will show you the processes I have been through to show you where I am now.
I
will go through stages 1 – 4
will go through stages 1 – 4
And then showcase my decisions on 5
ORIGINAL CARICATURE INSPIRATIONS AND REASONING BEHIND MODEL
WAR FOR CYBER TON INSPIRATION
ORIGINAL CARICATURE INSPIRATIONS AND REASONING BEHIND MODEL
WAR FOR CYBER TON INSPIRATION
MILITARY BASED VEHICLES AND DAKAR INSPIRATION
INCASE ANYONE ASKS HOW I PLAN ON DISPLAYING MY WORK I AM TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THE FOLLOING:
DISPLAY CASES FOR LEGO TRANSFORMERS AND OTHER PRODUCT LINES IN STORES LIKE TARGET, LEGO AND TOYS RUS THE STANDARD 2 *1 *1 PLEXLI GLASS CASSES BUT I WANT TO TAKE IT FURTHER AND AM TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THIS VIDEO: (IT STARTS 1:10 INTO THE VIDEO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxXom0f7Gh4
