[Iminime] A trio of GoodFellas

[PopCultKid]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Yea that is true. I shouldn't say the end per say, but they have asked for money at the right time or what should've been the right time, but delays would always occur, and those delays were to appease us. I too paid for Space Trucker quite a while ago (and I hate to say I'm really on the fence about her). Their business model has tons of brushing up to do, but I think mostly in ways outside of how they handle money. I hear what you’re saying and you're 1000% right that it's not the smartest thing to send an unlicensed international company money that exceeds PayPal protection time limits.

Unfortunately they probably aren’t there yet financially to float the projects themselves and need us to essentially act as temporary investors. Really Rainman, doesn’t work much differently but he gets everything out faster because he doesn’t run in to the same issues that cause the delays as they do. Beto, Velvet, Serang and many of the others selling various things here work the same way too. I guess we do put a lot of trust in all of these custom artists when it comes to our money but unfortunately I think that’s the only way to buy products from these types of sellers. It would be nice if they all started taking refundable and non-refundable deposits instead of the pay in full thing, but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen.

 

[chilipep66]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

yep im in!!

 

[karamazov80]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Pop, I think you are right, in that the only way we would ever get these things is probably following their current model, so maybe it is a necessary evil. But I think Rainman's process is actually better because he does one project at a time, and usually gets it done in around 6 weeks. With Iminime folks could have multiple projects they have paid for months ago in some stage of development while more new figures are being announced all the time.

And this is all good so long as Iminime is still viable and making good on their promises, but there have been multiple examples on this forum of custom artists leaving folks with nothing after money has been paid, some of which were very well respected before things went south--DarkArtist, Les Walker, Chris Howes, boot25, Ones Customs, the list goes on. I'm sure these guys all started out with the best of intentions, but when they got in over their heads and couldn't dig themselves out, it ended with customers getting hosed. Axe has mentioned before about how Iminime is a small operation and aren't making huge profits. This is a potential problem when you have lots of money tied up with those guys and they keep taking on more and more projects that may take half a year to get finished. What happens in a scenario where they can't pay all the staff anymore for one reason or another, and the money paid for the figures months ago was used for bills and overhead, so products aren't finished and refunds aren't available? The reason the 30 day rule is part of forum policy is that Dave doesn't want customers acting as temporary investors, because that is the scenario that has led to tears in the past. And if Iminime didn't have a great track record chances are they wouldn't be allowed to do things this way and promote themselves so heavily on the boards.

In other words, I think reigning things in might be a good idea as well, until some older figures can get delivered. Obviously I don't know all the details of how those guys operate. Maybe they are insured somehow? But it seems like we see a new project announced every couple of weeks while figures paid for months ago are still in stages of development. Logically, does that feel like a sustainable model?

 

[PopCultKid]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

You absolutely right. There are no guarantees and there is no customer service line to call when things go wrong and there is no solid policy that's backed by a cooperate entity that you can trust will make things right (with or without hassle). And you right to be worried about profits being thin which can cause them to fold with everyone's money in the balance.

But none of us see their books so we are all only speculating. We do know that Denny says they do a lot of other work for established companies because this gig on its own is still crawling and just starting to walk. You’re right about everything that you say but I still feel that Iminime is much different than these guys that you mentioned you were really just one man artists getting business off of forums and working in their own home. I think that relying on a single person who operates like this to be reliable is different than what Iminime is doing. Like Ones life could fall apart (or whatever the F was his problem) and screw everyone in a heartbeat. I trust the whole company structure more. The team that works out of an office, the different talents being grouped together (some who worked for Hot Toys), the website, blah blah blah. But maybe I'm wrong. And although I trust it more I do know that it's not fool proof.

 

[karamazov80]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

I also trust them more, which is the only reason I give them money For example, there are some other efforts on the board that I simply am not going to pay upfront for. But the issue of more and more threads popping up starts to bug me. . .not just as a customer, but as a moderator who has to think of the interests of other boardies. If they either cut down on all the announcements, or waited until figures were (nearly) ready to go to take payment then I would feel better about it.

 

[Wake]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Pop, I think you are right, in that the only way we would ever get these things is probably following their current model, so maybe it is a necessary evil. But I think Rainman's process is actually better because he does one project at a time, and usually gets it done in around 6 weeks. With Iminime folks could have multiple projects they have paid for months ago in some stage of development while more new figures are being announced all the time.

And this is all good so long as Iminime is still viable and making good on their promises, but there have been multiple examples on this forum of custom artists leaving folks with nothing after money has been paid, some of which were very well respected before things went south--DarkArtist, Les Walker, Chris Howes, boot25, Ones Customs, the list goes on. I'm sure these guys all started out with the best of intentions, but when they got in over their heads and couldn't dig themselves out, it ended with customers getting hosed. Axe has mentioned before about how Iminime is a small operation and aren't making huge profits. This is a potential problem when you have lots of money tied up with those guys and they keep taking on more and more projects that may take half a year to get finished. What happens in a scenario where they can't pay all the staff anymore for one reason or another, and the money paid for the figures months ago was used for bills and overhead, so products aren't finished and refunds aren't available? The reason the 30 day rule is part of forum policy is that Dave doesn't want customers acting as temporary investors, because that is the scenario that has led to tears in the past. And if Iminime didn't have a great track record chances are they wouldn't be allowed to do things this way and promote themselves so heavily on the boards.

In other words, I think reigning things in might be a good idea as well, until some older figures can get delivered. Obviously I don't know all the details of how those guys operate. Maybe they are insured somehow? But it seems like we see a new project announced every couple of weeks while figures paid for months ago are still in stages of development. Logically, does that feel like a sustainable model?

All of these are very valid points and worth noting. But you have to consider the following...

The nature of the 1/6 business is that each step has a stage. For instance R&D is first. Iminime has to figure out what figure they want to make, then determine what the plan is for that figure. After that they settle on sculpt expression, clothes options, accessories, etc. Up to this point, no work outside of maybe putting a pen to paper, or taking screengrabs of a movie has been done. Subsequently, once all of that has been agreed upon they go to work. The sculpt the head. Who knows exactly how this process goes for them but I assume it takes a week or two and several revisions and changes are made (although I've heard stories of some sculptors taking months I don't think the Iminime Sculptors are that slow). Concurrently they work on tailoring of the outfit and culling accessories either from existing molds or designing from scratch. Then the head is painted. This I assume goes through several passes.

Once all of the above is done the marketing photos are taken and published AND THEN IMINIME ASKS FOR MONEY. The money isn't really to pay for the R&D, but in order to complete the creation of all of these figures that are most likely painted by one or two artists instead of a team of painters and/or machines. Same goes for the clothes.

Because of this its important I think, and as a person who has been both an employee and a boss i can say this, to keep your people busy. You don't want down time. So as one project is being sculpted another is being tailor while another is being photographed while another is being painted whilst another is being cast and yet another being prepared for release. This explains Iminime's overlapping projects.

In the end we should be grateful to be a part of the R&D. All of the terrible things you mention in your post above could happen to any business after all. Iminime could fold under its own weight and they might have not announced a single figure in 6 months. Heck Sideshow could go bankrupt and then what would happen?

Instead we get to ask for what we want to a company that listens (UNLIKE HOT TOYS-who after all is shrouded in secrecy and then release product with glaring quality control and accuracy issues without listening or adhering to any public criticisms constructive or not). Iminime gets something out of this, of course... they get to see which figures draw the kind of interest they need to keep selling whilst generating buzz. It's not without its risks, as Denny has found out (with license legalities coming into play).

So to answer your question it is the ONLY sustainable model for growth. If Denny lets his artist sit on their hands two things happen... They either leave to go where they can find work (and get paid) or Denny goes out of business paying people to do nothing.

I too have Space Trucker on PO. The delay with that figure is due to Denny's attention to his clientele's demands. We wanted more accurate hair and he listened. Even casting it in a softer plastic. Isn't this what everybody cries about with Hot Toys?! In fact, even that company regularly has delays... some are egregious. Look at Tron Cycle and Avatar and Babydoll.

 

[karamazov80]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

I get what you are saying Wake, but none of this makes me feel more comfortable about having to wait so long between paying and getting the product. I don't believe production changes should require multiple months to implement after payment. I'm talking in a general sense, not solely about the collectibles being sold here. Of course, I do appreciate Iminime listening to collectors and giving us licenses we want in high quality. But I'm not sure that, and the model they have developed to do that, excuses the issues I am bringing up. I hadn't really thought of this as an issue until recently, but it does seem that more and more is getting piled on Iminime's plate. You yourself have started up 3 threads in the last month of projects they are apparently going to be doing, while Lector and Space Trucker (both figures I paid for multiple months ago) are in some stage of production. Keeping artists busy is great, but what is the business model facilitating that?

 

[snoop101]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Henry is your top choice out of the three, huh? Interesting

Definitely. Ive always liked Ray Liotta, especially in Goodfellas.

EDIT: I'd be interested in a Henry.

 

[Wake]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Id be interested in a Henry.

I'm in for all 3

yep im in!!

Noted. And added to the lists.

 

[Astro_zombie]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Put me down for all 3!

 

[yodasan]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Interested in all three. As long as I don't have read paragraph size posts in this thread every time I look for an update.

:wink1:

 

[Wake]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Guys don't forget to tell me your outfit preference SUIT or CASUAL?

 

[karamazov80]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

Interested in all three. As long as I don't have read paragraph size posts in this thread every time I look for an update.

:wink1:

I take offense to this. Several posts here were multiple paragraphs.

 

[Wake]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

I take offense to this. Several posts here were multiple paragraphs.

Hey man, speaking of which are you interested?

 

[karamazov80]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

I am actually most interested in the Deniro figure. Love the movie, not sure I need figures, but I would like to have a nice Deniro on display. Vito Corleone would be better, but. . .I doubt it would have the support this line probably will.

 

[snoop101]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

I'd prefer casual. Though with the picture you went with, either way Henrys wearing a suit. This to me is Henrys casual outfit:

 

[Wake]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

I'd prefer casual. Though with the picture you went with, either way Henrys wearing a suit. This to me is Henrys casual outfit:

Fact is I feel the need to have at least one of them have one of those ridiculous 60s-70s gangster collars.

 

[snoop101]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

But how is that casual?

 

[Wake]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

But how is that casual?

It's not a dark suit. Its a khaki suit. Khaki suits are casual.

 

[snoop101]

Re: [Iminime] "You think I'm funny how?!" A trio of Good 'Fellows'

It's not a dark suit. Its a khaki suit. Khaki suits are casual.

I wouldn't call that casual, especially compared the the other characters "casual" looks. I would prefer outfits like these,