Q and A round 6
Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:25 pm
If the information JT has is accurate, the turn-around on this one is going to be quicker than last time. So no dithering.
Deadling: August 10
Feel free to add questions or suggest wording for the questions below.
Held over from last time:
1:
Given that a frequent theme in fan Q and A letters is "when will you make, or re-release, _____?", is it likely that there could be some kind of referendum process set up, (similar to local political referendums), to allow fans to petition/suggest certain toys be produced or re-issued?
2:
- The movie medium has removed a lot of the 'character' that made individual Transformers toys, and arguably the line, stand out in years past. It's understandable that, given the screen time, not every character can be developed thoroughly. But, why has Hasbro not expanded on the characters in the toy bios and elsewhere, ala Cybertron, where many memorable and quirky fan-favourites emerged? Obviously it's important to get the biosl written before the toys are released. And, the timeframe is tight for in-movie characters before the script is finalised. Many 'offscreen' characters get generic "Loves to save lives/blow things up" personalities, or are just carbon copies of pre-existing characters. Are there plans to change this?
3:
While the financial success of the first movie cannot be denied, was there any "backup" plan as for what to do if the first movie bombed at the box office? What do you think Hasbro would have done?
4:
How does Hasbro choose which characters/toys to spend more time on. Besides say Prime and Megatron, are they given hints about which characters will feature the most in the movie? How far does the communication go? Clearly their are still issues when characters and scenes can get cut (or put in; see Jolt) at the last minutes, so how do they decide where to focus their attention?
5:
What would the designers like to tackle for TF3? The movie aesthetic itself is still new, and "Revenge of the Fallen" introduced combiners in to the mix. There was a pretender in the film, though not the toy-line. Are there other types of gimmicks and forms the designers would like to attempt?
6: Are their plans to address the quality control issues that have been plaguing the "Revenge of the Fallen" line and others, such as brittle plastic and gimmicks being removed at the last minute?
7: - Given the negative feedback received from many parties despite Revenge of the Fallen's stellar box office performance, how do Hasbro feel the likes of the low-brow humour employed represent the brand and franchise as a whole? Is there concern about long-term impact beyond instant financial gain?
Dom
-edited August 4.
Deadling: August 10
Feel free to add questions or suggest wording for the questions below.
Held over from last time:
1:
Given that a frequent theme in fan Q and A letters is "when will you make, or re-release, _____?", is it likely that there could be some kind of referendum process set up, (similar to local political referendums), to allow fans to petition/suggest certain toys be produced or re-issued?
2:
- The movie medium has removed a lot of the 'character' that made individual Transformers toys, and arguably the line, stand out in years past. It's understandable that, given the screen time, not every character can be developed thoroughly. But, why has Hasbro not expanded on the characters in the toy bios and elsewhere, ala Cybertron, where many memorable and quirky fan-favourites emerged? Obviously it's important to get the biosl written before the toys are released. And, the timeframe is tight for in-movie characters before the script is finalised. Many 'offscreen' characters get generic "Loves to save lives/blow things up" personalities, or are just carbon copies of pre-existing characters. Are there plans to change this?
3:
While the financial success of the first movie cannot be denied, was there any "backup" plan as for what to do if the first movie bombed at the box office? What do you think Hasbro would have done?
4:
How does Hasbro choose which characters/toys to spend more time on. Besides say Prime and Megatron, are they given hints about which characters will feature the most in the movie? How far does the communication go? Clearly their are still issues when characters and scenes can get cut (or put in; see Jolt) at the last minutes, so how do they decide where to focus their attention?
5:
What would the designers like to tackle for TF3? The movie aesthetic itself is still new, and "Revenge of the Fallen" introduced combiners in to the mix. There was a pretender in the film, though not the toy-line. Are there other types of gimmicks and forms the designers would like to attempt?
6: Are their plans to address the quality control issues that have been plaguing the "Revenge of the Fallen" line and others, such as brittle plastic and gimmicks being removed at the last minute?
7: - Given the negative feedback received from many parties despite Revenge of the Fallen's stellar box office performance, how do Hasbro feel the likes of the low-brow humour employed represent the brand and franchise as a whole? Is there concern about long-term impact beyond instant financial gain?
Dom
-edited August 4.