Raving Toy Maniac

Doug Sapp of ReSaurus Responds To Your 20 Questions

1) userid: Linda

Question: What sort of research do you do while designing your figures? It is obvious from the great details in the Speed Racer line that you do more than just look at a still picture or two.

Our designers and sculptors grab as much information as is possible. They work from drawings, photos, new art that they create, and when there is not much reference available they take photos of themselves in the pose that they want.

2) userid: Mike Merlo

Question: Doug, As an industrial design student I would like to work in the action figure field, but I find my studies are leading to more generalized design. As an employer, do you look for portfolios that focus on toys, or can a wide variety of projects impress you as well? What is most important, the design process or the final product?

We look for someone who is really good at what the do. If they are designers or sculptors or whatever they just need to be good. We do not have a set of specifics that we look for. In fact, there is no one here who had any toy experience prior to working for ReSaurus.

3, 4, 5) userid: Horatio Heckpop

Question 1.) Out of what material do you make your figures? (The plastic seems heavier and much denser than that of other manufacturers...)

Question 2.) Will there be a third series of "Speed Racer" figures? If so, will there be a Sparky, Moms Racer, Snake Oiler, Robot Racer and Spritle/Chim Chim on card?

Question 3.) Any chance of an "Astroboy" line of figures? "Kimba the White Lion"? "8-Man"? Any other Japanimation properites?

Counts as 3 questions.

1) We make our figures from the same material that all action figures are made from. we might have thicker "sidewalls" or solid areas but, it is all the same plastic.

2) I think so. Your suggestions look good to me.

3) No to the first 3 licenses, and we are looking at a number of Japanimation titles for possibilities.

6) userid: Kevin

Question: In your opinion, what is the current holy grail of licenses, already taken by yourself or a competitor, or something that has yet to find a manufacturer?

I really like a couple of licenses. I think the Cartoon Network would have been great, (we got beat out be Trendmasters, rats!), for us. I also like several classic properties that I can not talk about because we are working on the licenses. These are licenses and titles that have been around for awhile and have high name recognition.

7) userid: Philip Hutchinson

Question: I was wondering about your Street Fighter line. Will you continue it after the initial 2 waves? I would love to have more SF and PF figures. My final question is if you'll make other Capcom properties, like Mega Man, Darkstalkers, and Rival Schools?

Yes. Street Fighter is a major license for ReSaurus. We have plans for new lines throughout the length of the license. I like a couple of these titles and we are looking into the availability of the licenses. Sorry, can't be more specific than this.

8) userid: Ardeth Bey

Question: How do you decide what toy line to produce? Do you go out to buy the rights, or do they solicit you?

We are solicited frequently by many companies wanting us to get involved in toys for their properties. If we have developed a concept internally we will pursue the idea including the rights to the appropriate license. We consider a lot of factors when looking at a toy line including; history, character development, licensor, fun and coolness as well as costs associated with development of the products.

9) userid: Thomas Wheeler

Question: Have any plans been developed for some sort of general release, even by mail order or online, for the RAZOR action figure that was created as part of ReSaurus' "Make-a-Wish" project? I think it would be great if this figure could be released, and a percentage of sales could be donated to either Make-A-Wish or to help fight leukemia, which the boy, Jeff, who created Razor, is afflicted with. I'd probably buy several of the figure myself.

We hope to have information on Razor soon.

10) userid: Augie

Question: What is your favorite ReSaurus figure, and what ONE product are you most excited about that's coming up?

Tough question. I really love "Pops Racer" from the Speed Racer Series but, I don't know if I could call that my favorite. I am also really into the Street FIghter line, I don't really have a single favorite, but, Pops comes close.

11) userid: Paul M. Kelly

Question: Do you think any toy company will ever make action figures in the likes of Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien or any other talk show host like that?

I have no idea. The only one that I would be interested in would be a David Letterman figure that came with a velcro suit, or a suit made up of alka-seltzer tablets. Come to think of it . . .

12) userid: Hurricane567

Question: What do you think when you you see a good license (Xxxxx xxx xxxx: Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx) being produced by a less-than-quality company (Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, XXX)?

I have removed the names that you mentioned so that I don't look like an idiot. I generally think that whatever company did the line either;

• could have done better
• ran out of time
• ran into issues with the licensor
• ran out of time
• ran into more issues with the licensor
• or, I don't care unless they are our figures, then I just get upset.

13) userid: Jack Conway

Question: I have become a ReSaurus fanatic! Watching this company skyrocket due to well placed bids for properties and dedication to customer satisfaction has been refreshing and inspiring. Your website is also top notch and puts literally every other toy companies' site to shame! A quick question for you; I am one of Raving Toy Maniac's many fans that customizes his own toys (heh, never Resaurus ones tho, the sculpting is too exact to each character and therefore can only look like the likeness it was cast as. A credit to you!) and the one thing the "behind the scenes" reports never seem to go into is what _kind_ of paints are used on action figures? Acrylics? Enamels? Just curious, or is this a "trade secret"?

Geee, thanks. (I think I'm blushing) I don't think that we have acutally found out the specific paints that are used on figures. It must be some kind of manufacturing secret formula or something. I want to know the answer to this question myself. Anyone?

14) userid: Sean Farley

Question: What do you think of doing an action figure lie basd on the movie Die Hard This is a line that deserves to be made! You cold do the 3 movies in waves! What do you think?

I agree with you. I love this idea but, I hear that Bruce is a little dificult to work with.

15) userid: Damon Muraida

Question: Now, we all know about the Mach 5 coming out soon and the rumor about the Racer X's Shooting Star but are you planning any other Speed Racer cars, like the GRX or any of the recurring villains' cars?

Ahhh the rumor of the Mach 5. Well let me say this, the Mach 5 ships in the first quarter of 2000. There, that's one rumor dead. Now onto your question, there are no plans for additional cars in the Speed Racer line.

16) userid: Andrew McGee

question: Is it true that ReSaurus has aquired the Oddworld license?

No, this is just a rumor.

17) userid: NoZ

Question: The bulk of your endeavors have been revolving around video game characters. Save for lines like Badlands and Code Red, ReSaurus seems dependent on these first-person shoots as action figure fodder. Will be see a departure from this, and perhaps a few attempts at retrieving arguably decent film or television series licenses?

You won't see us depart from the video game arena, we will be adding in additional licenses and releasing some of our own brands but, video games are too much fun. We are doing a collectable line in 2000 that will be very cool, and we are working on different concepts but film licenses are a little shaky right now.

18) userid: Joey Smith

Question: Hello, and thank you for taking our questions. Is there any truth to the rumors about ReSaurus producing a 3.75 inch line of soldier-figures much like the GI Joe:A Real American Hero line of the 80's? If so, what can you say about it? Will they sport the same famous articulation?

We are producing a line called "Special Forces" that was inspired by posts to our website forum. The line will be very highly detailed and will come with several accessories per figure. The size will probably come in around 6" to start with. A 3.75" line may be in the future. The figures will have lots of articulation.

19) userid: The Eyeball Kid

Question: I'm a big fan of monkey-related action figures. My question is, can we hope to see any cool monkeys from Resaurus in the future? I love your sculptors, and I think you could do some kickass monkeys.

Besides the infamous "Monkeyhead" that shows up occassionally in our friday fotos, we are not really all that interested in monkeys. Sorry. Unless you are speaking of the 60's - 70's band The Monkees, and then we might be interested in this idea.

20) userid: Scott Rogers

Question:Here's a whole mess of questions for ya:

1. What advice would you give someone who was interested in getting into the action figure industry?
2. If you could have any license in the universe, what would it be and why?
3. What has been the biggest heartbreak pertaining to your business you've experienced (lost a really good license, had a mold accidently destroyed, etc.)
4. Is the action figure industry as fun as it seems?
5. What factors do you use to determine which figures from your licensed line to use? (Why Crash on a surfboard rather than Crash with "Spin Action")
6. How big is your company? How many production artists, sculptors, engineers, etc.
7. What are the different types of job positions in a "typical" toy company?
8. Has your company considered add-on product such as vehicles, playsets or other accessories to your existing lines? If not, why not?
9. What seems to have been the favorite toys of you and your fellow co-workers growing up? Have they influenced the type of toys you make?
10. What do you see your company doing in 5 years? In 10 years?

1. Be real good at what you do.
2. Street Fighter - oh yeah, we got this one.
3. You don't want to know.
4. No.
5. Coolness, designers wishes, and realistc production attributes.
6. Small. There's about 30 folks hanging out here.
7. Grunt, Senior Grunt, Junior Vice President Grunt, Head Grunt (or a combination thereof)
8. Yes.
9. My favorite was/is the Rat Patrol Jeep with the figures, I think they were by Mego.
10. I have no idea.