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As some may already know, Bill Watterson, the totally awesome, kick-ass creator of Calvin & Hobbes fought a tough battle AGAINST merchandising his characters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson#Fight_against_merchandising_the_cartoon_characters
Now on some level I think most of us here, as artists, greatly respect Bill for his insane devotion to his craft (and part of it is what made C&H so magnificent). However, there is nothing wrong with merchandising in and of itself (until you get into… “adult toys”) so I’m wondering here, what merchandising would you like to see of any of your works, what would you be ok with, and where do you draw a line?
I myself at least see Nagasaki Moon as a movie and/or comic book. I don’t think I’d approve of toys or games though. I make it kind of a rule that anything which has toys is prime parody material* and therefore, to make my parody a toy line, would ruin its soul.
As for my other project… well let’s let someone else talk.
*Proof? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was started as a comic book spoof on comic book trends at the time. It was very gritty and fairly adult at the time. Then it got syndicated and toyfied and thus you started seeing parodies of IT. (yes, parodies of a parody, think about that a minute…)
If it was ever published, I would be fine with seeing one of my WIPs made into a movie, but otherwise, and especially in the case of all my other writing projects, I’m generally of the view that merchandising my work would cheapen it. Just looking at the piles of New Moon/Twilight music boxes and companion books at bookstores and elsewhere successfully puts me off the idea.
But…. Merchandising is where the real money is made!
In all seriousness, I’m with you guys. My novels, I can totally see as movies [especially the YA one… the horror one, not so much] – same with my children’s novel. But ugh, anything else beyond that would be a no from me.
A good movie would be nice, I guess. I don’t really know how you would play a board game with my WIP. Or why anyone would want a cardboard cutout of one of my characters in their room.
Although, I guess I’m a bit of a hypocrite because I own LotR Monopoly AND Trivia Pursuit, and my brother has a cardboard Legolas. XP
I originally thought of my story as a movie first, to the point where it contains scenes that would probably work better on film than in print. I wouldn’t be real fussed about merchandise, as long as it was good merch and not just shit made to cash in.
As an aside, I read the first issue of the TMNT comic in the library when I was in elementary school. I was a huge fan of the cartoon and I swear the comic scarred me.
I’ll be honest, one reason I want to be a writer is because I want to see a movie made out of at least one of my works. Is that an acceptable motivation?
When they make bed sets with your male lead emblazoned on them, you know something’s gone terribly wrong somewhere.
Yeah, bed sheets are jumping the shark.
There are SOME game tie-ins I might be ok with, but I’d have to demand a case by case review.
I’m with Bill Watterson… Merchandising is a big NO for me.
I could see a movie, possibly, and a Neverwinter Nights-style video game, but that’s all. My work isn’t mascottish enough to feature on toys, cartoons or lunch boxes.
@ Puppet: And I would like a t-shirt with one of Calvin’s funnier quotes…
And I would like a t-shirt with one of Calvin’s funnier quotes…
This reminded of a friends episode, where Joey has a jacket on in a nice restaurant because his T-shirt has “a picture of Calvin doing Hobbes.”
Anyway…
I would be okay with movies and possible merchandise (probably not toys unless it was a children’s story). I would have to be involved with the movie though. I would have to approve certain things. I don’t know if they let authors do that, but if I wouldn’t have any say in anything, I don’t think I’d sell the rights. I’ve seen to many books butchered on the big screen, and I’d like to prevent my own work from suffering a similar fate.
I really don’t have much of a problem with merchandising. I understand Bill Watterson’s point of view and respect him for it, but I don’t care too much about “selling out”. Just because there’s toys and T-shirts of something doesn’t mean it’s actually harmed. It may cheapen it in the eyes of people who don’t know anything else about the source, but the original is still the same, no matter what tie-ins are produced.
Like… Lord of the Rings. There’s little Frodo and Sam toys for kids and so on, but that doesn’t make LotR worse off!
Like…Lord of the Rings.
Yeah, I mentioned that earlier. I shamelessly buy LotR merchandise. :)
And the swords, the swords… SO PRETTY.
My parents won’t let us buy those. I do, however, have an Evenstar in my possession. (My dad mocks me mercilessly for not having a boyfriend to give it to. Not that he wants me to have a boyfriend, but he likes needling people.)
However, if I somehow netted another LotR freak, I would definitely give him mine (and he would be man enough to wear it.) :D
However, if I somehow netted another LotR freak, I would definitely give him mine (and he would be man enough to wear it.) :D
Ditto. :D
My friend (who doesn’t really care for LotR, at least, not as much as I do) has decided to write her sophmore thesis on LotR. Apparently, our school library has a book on philosophy in terms of LotR.
WE WANTS IT, WE NEEDS IT! MUST HAVE THE PRECIOUSSSSSS!
(She was a little freaked by my Gollum impression.)
Admittedly, most people would be freaked out by a good Gollum impression…
Yeah… all the STUPID people Apep.
Yeah, so now I’m writing my sophmore thesis on LotR. I don’t care that EVERYONE’S probably doing it. I LOVE LotR, so that should count for something. Heck, the password to my computer is in Elvish!
Okay, not that’s a little creepy…
Edit:
yeeeaah, maybe a little obsessive…
How is it creepy?
It’s not like I have a cardboard Legolas in my room…
My sister used to have a life size picture of Legolas. ‘Twas freaky. And some of my passwords are in Elvish too. gives SWQ a high five :D
Oh ok SWQ... here you go.
Geekiness incarnate- having Matthew 9:6 inscribed inside your wedding ring… in Elvish.
Yep, that would be my brother-in-law. It looks really, really cool, too.
Anything in Elvish looks cool because IRL only you know what it means and most people can’t understand it. Me included.
It’s like Japanese tattoos.
Except that when you start going around telling people that it’s something in Elvish it becomes dorky.
My personal opinion on tie-ins is that I’d totally sell out until it started getting to the oven-mitts and school supplies level.
Japanese tattoos can rapidly become hilarious when you can read them, because kanji compounds don’t typically combine in a direct sense.
As an example of what I mean, there was a joke in ES21 where two brothers on the American team visiting Japan got tats to celebrate which they thought meant Big+Useful and Little+Useful, but when you combine the characters like that they become words for feces and urine, respectively. Hilarity ensues.
Then again, if strategically placed, anybody who is uncool enough to actually READ Japanese may never get to see what the tattoo says.
:(
yes, that was aimed at you.
Hey, what’s uncool about reading Japanese? It’s helpful for a lot of things!
And it’s done by sansa, which makes it manly.
Moldorm’s reply is the most correct thing I’ve ever read.
school supplies level.
What’s wrong with school supplies? They’re cooooool! As long as they’re age appropriate and such. I mean, if it’s a children’s story, okay, let’s have a pencil set. Actually, that’s probably the only thing I’d allow.
Anyway, though, I agree with NeuroticPlatypus:
I would be okay with movies and possible merchandise (probably not toys unless it was a children’s story). I would have to be involved with the movie though.
A film would be pretty excellent, especially if I got a minor role and were allowed to cast some friends into it.
Sansafro187: Keeping the MAN in huMANity.
What’s wrong with school supplies? They’re cooooool! As long as they’re age appropriate and such. I mean, if it’s a children’s story, okay, let’s have a pencil set. Actually, that’s probably the only thing I’d allow.
What, no “Ringu” binders or anything?
What, no “Ringu” binders or anything?
We can make them just like the tapes—open them and die in seven days.
I might sound like a fangirl, but I would totally go for a binder with Elvish script all over it. I used to want to go on Trading Spaces to makeover my room as part of Rivendell or a hobbit hole.
Of course, LotR is a monumentally influential and long-lasting classic of literature, while whatever I might ever publish would probably never be even close.
We can make them just like the tapes—open them and die in seven days.
It would make homework more entertaining.
I might sound like a fangirl, but I would totally go for a binder with Elvish script all over it.
YES (and by the way, I just Wikipedia’d Trading Spaces… don’t you think that would be too fangirly for television ;)).
Meh.
We’ll create a SPECIAL LOTR TRADING SPACES where we can make my kitchen into a hobbit hole, my room into Rivendell, the living room into Mordor, my parents’ into Lothlorien…it’ll be TOTALLY COOL.
...
Ok, yeah, too much. :P I’ll settle for my Elvish tattoo on my right ankle.
What’s wrong with school supplies? They’re cooooool! As long as they’re age appropriate and such. I mean, if it’s a children’s story, okay, let’s have a pencil set. Actually, that’s probably the only thing I’d allow.
I dunno, they just seem like you’re going too far…
Lol, I was just kidding about the Japanese thing by the way. I seem to have this desire to offend people without really offending them.
But you did really offend me. I even made a sadface.
it’ll be TOTALLY COOL.
Indeed.
@ Steph – Do you really think it’s going to far if it’s a school story for young children? Just throwing that out.
Sorry, sansa!
@ hmyd.windmere: Actually, I needed something to go with the ‘oven mitts’ level to sound good. And then I actually go and defend it. Don’t mind me, just talking nonsense here. I actually think school supplies are okay.
Ah, thank you for clearing that up. Oven mitts are definitely unnecessary (even if it’s a cooking story?).
Blech, I dunno.
Even I wouldn’t wear Bilbo Baggins oven mitts.
We’ll create a SPECIAL LOTR TRADING SPACES where we can make my kitchen into a hobbit hole, my room into Rivendell, the living room into Mordor, my parents’ into Lothlorien…it’ll be TOTALLY COOL.
YES!
The fact that PaoPao totally stole Lothlorien really bothers me…
ahem Anyways, I think I’ve mentioned how I want the one ring to be my wedding ring.
That’s pretty cool.
And you can use Elven rings as engagement rings.
Uh huh. I’ve got in all planned out. Now I just need to find someone… ;)
And you can use Elven rings as engagement rings.
Yep. I’m getting Nenya, and my beloved can have the Ring of Barahir. <3
Nenya:
Ring of Barahir:
What’s your address SWQ?
and of course
What’s your address, SWQ?
Bag End, Hobbiton, Westfarthing, The Shire. Should be easy enough to find if you stick to the main road and stay out of Farmer Maggot’s crops.
Ok, I’ll put these in the mail first thing Monday morning.
Bag End, Hobbiton, Westfarthing, The Shire.
‘Ere! That’s my place!
/showing off.
No, no, my landscaping is so much better.
Ohhhh… Nenya! It’s beautiful. I wants it, my precious, I do!
Nenya IS gorgeous…
That’s why it’s going to be MY engagement ring. :D
I would also be totally cool with wearing a dress like Galadriel’s at my wedding. Do you think they make those?
(Ok, LotR wedding fantasy over now.)
Yesyesyes!! That would be so beautiful! And you would definitely have to have an outdoor wedding.
Swenson White Queen…
Or at least we can be each other’s maids of honor. :)
Yeah, that too.
Yay, weddings!!!
Can I help?!!
Hmm, well, how soon can you make a cake that looks exactly like Lothlorien? And of course the venue will have to be decorated to look like Rivendell. And the reception will have to look like the feast from Fellowship of the Ring (the one where Bilbo and Aragorn make the song), because I’ve always wanted to go to that feast. If there was one thing I could visit from a book, I seriously think that feast would be it.
Well, here’s a Minas Tirith cake.
Will that do?
Holy crap on a cracker!
Too…awesome…to….exist! I love LOTR, but that seems to be going a little too far…
Too…awesome…to….exist! I love LOTR, but that seems to be going a little too far…
That’s unpossible!!!!
I WANT THAT.
Moldorm, YOU’RE BRILLIANT!
HAHAHAHA, that would be awesome.
And we can all practise our wedding vows, so when the real thing happens, we’ll be well-prepared.
I would also be totally cool with wearing a dress like Galadriel’s at my wedding. Do you think they make those?
If by “they” you mean commercial costume makers, no. If, however, you mean individual, professional seamstresses, yes. The only problem is that the pay they require includes your entire life savings plus a sizeable portion of your soul.
Dibs on being Eowyn and a bridesmaid!
:D
Guys, there are other threads for this.
Sorry Puppet :(
I’d only do a movie if they let me help write the screenplay. There will be none of this “let’s burn down the burrow” crap.
I agree. It must be hard as hell to hand control of your stuff over to someone else
after everything else…
If people start talking about doing “NWWIP” themed weddings then I know I have… done… something or other.
I think I would just let them do whatever they want with it but I might contribute a bit. I wouldn’t know how to adapt my story to a screenplay. I wouldn’t really care much how it turned out. Chances are it wouldn’t be screwed up too much and the fans would still like it enough probably.
It must be hard as hell to hand control of your stuff over to someone else.
Especially if that someone else is aiming to cast a twenty year old model as your twelve year old girl. Moviemakers of The Lightning Thief, I’m looking at you. It’s only exacerbated by the fact that Percy is only a few years older than what he’s supposed to be, creating a VERY weird situation when they eventually get together in later books.
I can’t believe they couldn’t find some talented, age-appropriate young girl somewhere.
I’m sort of torn…
Like, a lot of the LotR movies had lines straight from the books, but they reordered some of them to make it more “movie friendly”.
I think if I had to approve, I’d want to just judge some concept pictures/special effects and give a sort of general read over, see if they got the “soul” of the story more than direct, technically accurate quotes from it.
I can’t believe they couldn’t find some talented, age-appropriate young girl somewhere.
It’s entirely possible they couldn’t. Not just find her, but all the legal ramifications.
I’m so nosy I’d like to at least be on the advisory board and be kept aware of what’s going on.
I’d want to talk to the director about it to make sure he gets the story. Not like it’s complicated or anything, but I’d be scared some directors might try to turn a story about people killing each other with swords into some kind of parable about what it’s like to grow up as a gay Polynesian midget with a hook for a hand and a never-say-die attitude.