How Great Toys Are Made – And Not Made

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It probably sounds like paradise to design toys and merch for media tie-ins; the problem is that you have odd deadlines, rejected ideas, and things that seemed cool at the time that embarrass you. Oh, and then there’s having to relocate because people need to get ears right.

Four years ago Action Figure Insider had an article on rejected toys by Jason Geyer, who was hip- deep in star wars merch design. He’s updated this with additional information on the crazy ideas that came out. Jabba the Hutt beanbags, laval lamps, and more are all here.

This is a great insight into merch/toy design, what it’s like, and what it’s like to work in that area – as well as how crazy your imagination can get or has to get. I enjoyed such gems as:

  • The manufacturing constraints and why design has to be done so early.
  • Why Jar-Jar’s ears required the writer to live in China for awhile.
  • The influence of Disney.
  • Darth Vader potato chip clip. No I’m not kidding.

MUST READ here. Also I need to interview this guy . . .

– Steven Savage

And here we go again . . .

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Looks like Anonymous teamed up with Wikileaks to release a load of hacked emails taken from Stratfor.  Admittedly we’re all a bit numb to hack news these days, but there’s a few important takeaways.

  • It’s Anonymous teaming up with Wikileaks.  Even in it’s worn-down state, Wikileaks has reach and this may revive them.
  • Stratfor has some big name clients – I’ve been seeing analysis of what’s come up drift around the internet today.
  • Any security or intelligence company is a target, because of A) clients, and B) being about security/intelligence is seen as some as an invitation to try it out.  That’s a powerful combination.
  • We might see another wave of hacks, the article hints at.
  • Hacking is slowly becoming a norm.  It seems it’s not as unusual anymore.
  • I suspect every hack out there just increases the market for security firms and IT security personnel.

– Steven Savage