Tuesday 22 April 2008

Q&A with Robin Chaudhuri of Atlanta Cutlery/Museum Replicas Ltd. & Windless Studios, regarding their newly acquired Star Wars license.

My name is Christopher Plummer, Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Rockland Shakespeare Company and the Pen & Sword Theatre Troupe in New York. I am also a lifelong Star Wars fan (An incredible 30 years and counting!), a (pending) member of the wonderful Star Wars costuming enthusiast group, The Fighting 501st and a proud member of Philip Wise’s Rebelscum forum community! (Where else can you be referred to as a ‘Scummer’ and be proud if it?!) I have known and worked with Robin Chaudhuri, a really wonderful person who works for a great company called Atlanta Cutlery/Museum Replicas Ltd. (Yes, another MR in our licensed Star Wars company fleet!), for a number of years. He was gracious enough to take time out of his busy schedule to allow me to interview him regarding his company’s thrilling new Star Wars licensing agreement with LucasFilm Ltd. People have been waiting a long time for this particular license. So, without further ado, here is my interview with Mr. Chaudhuri. Strap yourselves in. This is going to be fun!


CP: Hi Robin, great to speak with you again, today! A lot of people have been waiting for this announcement, so let’s get right to it!!!



CP: What is your name and title at Atlanta Cutlery/Museum Replicas Ltd.?



RC: Name, rank and serial number? This is going to be fun… Robin Chaudhuri, Sales & Distribution Manager for Atlanta Cutlery Corp, Museum Replicas Ltd & Windlass Studios, although my hat can change from day to day.



CP: How long have Atlanta Cutlery/Museum Replicas Ltd. been in business?



RC: Proudly we’ve been around and growing steadily since 1971. And since 1996 we’ve been under the guidance of Windlass Steelcrafts which started way back in 1943 doing work for the British Dept of Defence (which the family still does today). They’ve given us manufacturing capabilities we never dreamed of and opened the door for worldwide distribution.



CP: How many licenses does Atlanta Cutlery/Museum Replicas Ltd. currently hold?



RC: Oh, let me count the ways…currently our licenses include, GI Joe, Forgotten Realms, The Phantom, The Wheel of Time, Marvel (Thor, Captain America, Submariner, Blade, X-Men, Iron Man, Dr. Doom, Thanos), Showtime’s The Tudor’s, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed, World of Warcraft and of course (drum roll) Star Wars! -Which includes all six feature films and Star Wars: Clone Wars coming to theaters this August and TV this fall.



CP: What are some of the major licenses that are held?



RC: Definitely Star Wars & Marvel jump to mind. I’m not sure you could do better than Jedi Knights and Iron Man right now followed by World of Warcraft.



CP: How did this new and exciting partnership with Lucas Film Limited come about? (How did you acquire this coveted license?)



RC: I’d like to say it was my electric personality that swayed them, but since you know me that won’t fly. It didn’t happen overnight that’s for sure. We’ve been manufacturing collectibles and movie props on sets since 1996, most collectors own or have seen our products for years without even knowing it. What frustrated us the most during this time was that many companies we made collectibles for weren’t fans, but business men. We kept seeing opportunities lost and the fan community not being listened to and so finally stepped from the shadows to acquire these great properties ourselves. The blend we have of business sense and enthusiasm is really rare. Anyway, it was being known as a manufacturer and presenting that extensive resume that keeps the door open. As you know we manufactured for Master Replicas and were sad like most fans when they couldn’t continue, so we stepped in and things went from there.



CP: What kind of product does your particular license include specifically? (are there any gray areas?)



RC: It includes all six feature films plus the newest installment Star Wars: Clone Wars coming in August. It includes all characters and I do mean all, for high-end, screen worthy clothing ensembles with accessories plus full sets of armor. We will be working very closely with Lucasfilm archival personnel, physical samples from the archives, swatches, 3-D files, cut patterns, etc. to bring out the most screen accurate clothing ensembles ever offered. So our license is for all the characters from iconic Han, Luke, Leia, Anakin and Obi to auxiliary characters like Boba Fett, Imperial Officers, Rebel fighters, Biker Scouts you name it. If it’s in the films we’ve got the character. Oh and for the first time ever, fully licensed and endorsed, complete sets of armor! Yes, Storm Troopers, Sand Troopers, Clone Troopers, Biker Scouts, Boba, Jango and more. I’ll geek out here; I’ve always wanted a suit of armor direct from the archives so I’ll be in line for one too!



CP: From which films/shows are you licensed to produce product?



RC: I’m happy to say all of them. The galaxy is far too cool to miss anyone.



CP: Does this conflict or work in concert with eFX and what they plan on producing?



RC: We don’t feel there is any conflict and are glad to see eFX still producing high end LE props. We do not have a prop specific license, but clothing and armor license. We can produce any accessory needed to complete a look, but will not be producing individual props per se. We’ve seen some amazing fan made outfits that may be lacking just a piece or two like a screen accurate robe or boots and we feel they should have access to these without breaking the bank, that’s why clothing will be accessible individually as well as sets. So we see eFX as a partner and when possible we will be working with them to come out with replicas that compliment each other. We just don’t see how more great Star Wars collectibles is a bad thing.



CP: What will your initial product plan consist of?



RC: Great question, where do you start when a galaxy opens up to you? Our 2008 line up will consist of Luke, Han & Leia plus Imperial Officers (both colors and multiple ranks) from episode 4: A New Hope. We wanted the hero outfits to be true to the character, but also exciting and unique so we chose the ones seen in the ceremony at the end. Plus the classic Storm Troopers (with some variants, I’ll tease that out there). We won’t stop there though, Anakin and Obi will be given the royal treatment from Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. Our goal is to offer balance, something from each trilogy that makes sense and compliment each other. We also feel it very important to give men AND women something to get excited about. For instance the ladies can look forward to the screen worn jewelry, belts, shoes, even hair extensions to complete a look! Our lines will go well into 2010 and beyond so don’t fret if you don’t see your persona yet.



CP: Will the costumes be replicas of pieces that were used in filming or will they be idealized versions of what people 'thought' they saw on-screen? (This is always a bone of contention among collectors)



RC: They will be as close as is humanly possible to the screen worn versions. …Again with all the bells & whistles. Keep in mind that in the 70’s, there wasn’t the thought to keep wardrobes around for posterity or an after market of collectors like today. Throw in that some garments were true one-offs like Padme’s gowns (we’re doing some of those too) or the past decades may have seen a particular textile go extinct so that’s why we say as close as humanly possible. A few things just don’t exist any longer in any way for reference. What is extremely rare and very cool in our opinion is that we also plan to make all layers of an outfit, even the ones you don’t see on screen. In addition most fans don’t realize all the little unseen details that were done to the various outfits to get the garments to look right or sit perfectly depending on the scene. These little details will be there also. Some of the material is still being made from the original outfits, but most isn’t which means we need to custom make many of these garments from scratch. The research we are doing with Lucasfilm makes incredible accuracy still possible though. Naturally as the films evolved and interest grew more and more of this valuable reference was kept safe and these incredible outfits have been made available to us.



CP: Will there perhaps be room for a duel offering of actual replicas and idealized versions?



RC: Not at first. But there is no better feedback than the loyal fans and you never know…



CP: Will pieces or certain components of these costumes and armor be available separately (like was available with your superb Lord of the Rings line of costumes and armor) or will people have to purchase them altogether?



RC: We feel both ways will be very important. All our clothing ensembles will be offered as complete outfits or you can purchase pieces separately. As I said, many fans have had a great deal of time to create outfits on their own and may only need a few items to push them over the top. You should feel part of the Star Wars galaxy and be proud to own this piece of movie making history. The more access to them the better. That said, our armor outfits will be offered as complete sets only, at least at first.



CP: Costuming, specifically 'Trooping' with The Fighting 501st, has become a very popular pastime for Star Wars enthusiasts, will people be able to 'Troop' in these costumes, specifically the armor?



RC: What’s the use of being a Clone Trooper or any other if you can’t troop, fight, frolic (OK, maybe not frolic). No cheap plastic here. We want to be able to move and enjoy a good blaster fight just like you, so you’ll have that aspect to the armor. We’re paying particular attention to the material and will do our best to come up with a material that looks, feels and plays the part without breaking, denting and have minimal scratching. Of course we realize some of you will do this on your own for a battle damaged look. Steve Sansweet has told us how important these specific aspects are to the fan base and we need to make sure that’s incorporated into the design.



CP: Will any of these pieces be strictly limited (as in numbered editions) or will enough be made to satisfy the hunger for individual pieces/sets?



RC: Yes and no. Many of the clothing ensembles will be available for a limited time- for instance we may offer Luke’s ceremony jacket for a year giving us the chance to offer another outfit or piece, so you’ll have a series of garments that can be offered for each character. We feel the armor sets may be limited however to an edition size, but no final decision has been made on it yet.



CP: Will all pieces come with a COA and product description?



RC: Absolutely.



CP: What, if anything will accompany a full set of armor or a costume? Is there a certain display option? For instance, a mannequin of appropriate height for certain characters male and female?



RC: Packaging and the experience of unveiling beautiful pieces will be very important to us. The Star Wars experience should be felt every step of the way. The clothing for instance will come in full length, custom made garment bags and boxed for protection. We liken the care to a wedding dress, which we hope some of these will become. Yes, height will be very important for a mannequin. Display is a very personal thing, but we’ll have a few display options available as separate sku’s, starting with male & female height specific static mannequins that would come with a plaque. Our “deluxe” option will be a height specific mannequin you can pose so screen shots and iconic poses can be reenacted. Then there is a third option which will blow you away, but that’s for a later discussion.



CP: What is the planned timeframe/release schedule that collectors and other potential buyers can expect for most of the pieces? How many will be released per year and at what frequency?



RC: You’re members are ahead of the game here. I’m happy to say you have the scoop. This is our first public discussion about any of this. We hope to have some prototypes available to view at the International Costume Show in March, and some outfits may start shipping by August, but we’ll really show the line off in July at Comic Con at the Lucasfilm Pavilion.



CP: What price points can we expect for the various pieces (What price range)?



RC: Full ensembles could easily range from $350 for a gown to over $1500 for a full outfit. Remember you’re getting archival quality with detail never offered before plus the important accessories. We should have movie memorabilia and Star Wars fans drooling all over the place. Hmmmm, maybe, we should provide bibs with each outfit?



CP: Will a payment plan be available?



RC: I’ll be honest; we hadn’t thought that far ahead. Possibly for the Trooper armor, but since the other ensembles are available as pieces it’s pretty easy to create your own payment plan.



CP: Who has the final say on which characters costumes will be available for all the rabid fans to get their hands on and display in their collections? I think collectors are often unaware as to how certain products are put forth for production. For instance, is it all coming from within your company or a combination of AC/MR and LFL? Does fan input bear any fruit?



RC: I do! No actually you the fan does. We work hand-in-hand with as many fans as possible, attend shows and consult groups like the 501st plus we receive continual feedback from the great folks at Lucasfilm. Nobody knows better than them after 30+ years. This is what steers us.



CP: Does the costume that Anthony Daniels wore constitute a costume in terms of coming under your license umbrella or is that a 'No-No' this time around due to Sideshow having a 1:1 scale C-3PO forthcoming?



RC: Sideshow does amazing work and we’re happy to say we’ll be working directly with them. Not only will they distribute many of our items, but their creative team’s input is helpful. They have a license for 1:1, full scale statues in essence and we have the license for moveable working/wearable replicas. This is a bit more of a gray area for us though and if we head into the direction of droids we’ll get everyone on the same page before we act.



CP: Is this strictly a Star Wars license or a broader LFL license? *cough* INDY *cough*



RC: There’s no doubt Lucas Licensing has many great properties and we have discussed some with them. Keep in mind though a license usually covers a single movie, game or book and that’s enough to keep a company busy for a while. I know it seems like we may only have one license with them and it’s worded that way, but in reality we have eight to contend with at one time when you consider the six feature films, Clone Wars the animated series, Star Wars: Clone Wars movie and the TV series. And don’t forget the live-action series in the works. We’d like to be everywhere at once, but had to take a hard look at our focus and honestly don’t feel we could ever give Star Wars the justice it properly deserves if we were attempting other things as well that were equally iconic.



CP: Are you going to have various sizes (S/M, L/XL, etc.) for all the costumes or are they going to be actual replicas of the pieces worn and tailored for each actor?



RC: We plan sizes, because these should not only look good on display, but as good on you as possible too. Probably two sizes for each outfit except the gowns which require a more tailored fit and these would be in 4 sizes. There will be minimal adjustability for each also to fit a range of body types. Nothing extreme though, we need to preserve the look and integrity of each ensemble. Armor is undecided at this point, but we are leaning toward the general screen size with straps that allow some adjustability.



CP: What can we expect in the future from this new and exciting line? What is planned past the initial offering?



RC: Geeze, I don’t know where to begin or end. For us the Star Wars Galaxy is a real, living world that continues to change and grow. Rest assured you can expect about 4-6 new clothing ensembles per year (to include men & women, sorry no Wookies) and a new set of Trooper and/or other armor each year as well. Save those pennies, I know I will.



CP: Thanks for taking the time to answer some burning questions about your company’s thrilling new line, Robin!


RC: Thank you, Chris and all the dedicated fans out there. Without you, none of this is possible.

Interview taken from www.rebelscum.com

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