Some of the summer sets actually went through a major redesign because the feeling among the kids in the focus groups was that they did not look "BIONICLE enough."
As is every year of BIONICLE. I'm sure 2008 will be awesome.
-- Got a chance to see the villain sets for 2008 up close -- man, they're nice, particularly the January ones. Definitely buying those -- very BIONICLE, but very creepy.
Even creepier than the Barraki I wonder? Sweet...
-- Look for more substantial Matoran sets in 2008 than we have done before, and for them to play a more significant role in story.
Sounds good. Lately, I've seen the Matoran as only victims of the year's villains, I'd like to see them play a more important role than that.
-- Book sales have evidently stabilized. While they are still well below where we were in 2004, the cutback schedule means stores are selling through the new books before they get the next new one, which means few to no returns (always a good thing). No word yet on a schedule for 2009.
Good news! You're doing a great job with the books, Prisoners of the Pit was especially good.
-- I have a phone conference today to discuss the shooting outline for the BIONICLE movie, which I have to say is just great. (I did the story, but am not doing the script itself, but the person who is doing it is so far doing a very good job.) Wish I could share more about it, but as you can imagine, it is still very hush-hush.
Nice to see you get your say in it this time. That movie's gonna rock.
-- Also had another meeting this week in New York which I hopefully can share with you soon regarding the comics and some changes and exciting new things planned in that area.
Sounds good, sounds good.
-- January BrickMaster is currently scheduled to have a four-page feature on the history of the Brotherhood of Makuta (or it will when I finish writing it!)
I'm finally going to sign up before 2007's over, BrickMaster looks really cool.
-- Big meeting going on in Denmark this week to discuss 2008 and marketing plans for it. Then in October, they start focus group testing 2009 sets in New York.
Hopefully 2009 will have some great commercials, I really liked the ones from this year. And some lucky people get to check out the 2009 sets... I'm jealous.
Ah, everything seems to be going well in the world of 2008. Based on what I've heard, it's going to be the best year yet. Creepy, yet BIONICLE villains? Check. More focus on Matoran? Check. Really, large sets? Check. Return of the Toa Nuva? Well... almost check...
Great to hear the book sets are stabalizing, and I cannot wait for the movie!
Thanks so much for the blog update Greg, I really appreciate that you let us know what's going on!
Edit: Wow, it is interesting to know that the summer sets went through I redesign. I'm glad they are looking more "BIONICLEish", but it is good to try to expand into different art styles too, I think. It must be a huge dilemma for the set designers, I'm sure. Well, I'm sure they'll do their best! That's what we have these focus groups for, right?
-- I have a phone conference today to discuss the shooting outline for the BIONICLE movie, which I have to say is just great. (I did the story, but am not doing the script itself, but the person who is doing it is so far doing a very good job.) Wish I could share more about it, but as you can imagine, it is still very hush-hush.
It's great you did the story. Perfect, I would say. But someone else is doing the script... *Remembers the dialogues of the previous movies: B1, during the Kohlii match -- "Comes from the right." And that was all what the announcer said. B3, when the Toa face Vakama -- Onewa: "And if we don't want to?" -- Vakama: "Then I'll force you!" (I don't remember them exactly, but they were something like that)* Please, Greg, make sure we get intelligent dialogues . Khote
Your question gives me a chance to go into more detail on how this movie thing is working.
Basically, we have a movie "core team," which consists of myself, the screenwriter, the VP of development and the president of Tinseltown Toons. Anything that gets done, script-wise or outline-wise, gets approved by the four of us before it gets passed on to LEGO. (There will probably be something similar when we reach the animation phase, but most likely that will involve the set designer and people from our creative agency more than me, since the visuals are their area of expertise.)
Then it goes out to the global head of BIONICLE and the franchise manager and the other story team members, as well as the licensing manager, and they get to have their input. So LEGO is making more of an effort to exert ownership of this project than they have in the past.
At this point, there is no script, but the snippets of dialogue I have seen I am happy with. Obviously, a lot more work to do before it's ready to go, but we are hoping to have a final, approved script by the beginning of next year.
Greg
--BufFooN
EHLEK
-- Got a chance to see the villain sets for 2008 up close -- man, they're nice, particularly the January ones. Definitely buying those -- very BIONICLE, but very creepy.
Even creepier than the Barraki I wonder? Sweet...
-- Look for more substantial Matoran sets in 2008 than we have done before, and for them to play a more significant role in story.
Sounds good. Lately, I've seen the Matoran as only victims of the year's villains, I'd like to see them play a more important role than that.
-- Book sales have evidently stabilized. While they are still well below where we were in 2004, the cutback schedule means stores are selling through the new books before they get the next new one, which means few to no returns (always a good thing). No word yet on a schedule for 2009.
Good news! You're doing a great job with the books, Prisoners of the Pit was especially good.
-- I have a phone conference today to discuss the shooting outline for the BIONICLE movie, which I have to say is just great. (I did the story, but am not doing the script itself, but the person who is doing it is so far doing a very good job.) Wish I could share more about it, but as you can imagine, it is still very hush-hush.
Nice to see you get your say in it this time. That movie's gonna rock.
-- Also had another meeting this week in New York which I hopefully can share with you soon regarding the comics and some changes and exciting new things planned in that area.
Sounds good, sounds good.
-- January BrickMaster is currently scheduled to have a four-page feature on the history of the Brotherhood of Makuta (or it will when I finish writing it!)
I'm finally going to sign up before 2007's over, BrickMaster looks really cool.
-- Big meeting going on in Denmark this week to discuss 2008 and marketing plans for it. Then in October, they start focus group testing 2009 sets in New York.
Hopefully 2009 will have some great commercials, I really liked the ones from this year. And some lucky people get to check out the 2009 sets... I'm jealous.
Good updates, Greg, thanks for telling us.
--BufFooN
Great to hear the book sets are stabalizing, and I cannot wait for the movie!
Thanks so much for the blog update Greg, I really appreciate that you let us know what's going on!
Edit: Wow, it is interesting to know that the summer sets went through I redesign. I'm glad they are looking more "BIONICLEish", but it is good to try to expand into different art styles too, I think. It must be a huge dilemma for the set designers, I'm sure. Well, I'm sure they'll do their best! That's what we have these focus groups for, right?
*Remembers the dialogues of the previous movies:
B1, during the Kohlii match -- "Comes from the right." And that was all what the announcer said.
B3, when the Toa face Vakama -- Onewa: "And if we don't want to?" -- Vakama: "Then I'll force you!"
(I don't remember them exactly, but they were something like that)*
Please, Greg, make sure we get intelligent dialogues
Khote
thanks for the update Greg!
Woot for the Bionicle movie!! I hope someday to work on Movie #5 in the Future!!!
(Studying now)
I do hope All goes well in everything...
Not to hyped about the set thing though
*sigh* but that might be just me...
Thanks for the info!!
Ranna
Your question gives me a chance to go into more detail on how this movie thing is working.
Basically, we have a movie "core team," which consists of myself, the screenwriter, the VP of development and the president of Tinseltown Toons. Anything that gets done, script-wise or outline-wise, gets approved by the four of us before it gets passed on to LEGO. (There will probably be something similar when we reach the animation phase, but most likely that will involve the set designer and people from our creative agency more than me, since the visuals are their area of expertise.)
Then it goes out to the global head of BIONICLE and the franchise manager and the other story team members, as well as the licensing manager, and they get to have their input. So LEGO is making more of an effort to exert ownership of this project than they have in the past.
At this point, there is no script, but the snippets of dialogue I have seen I am happy with. Obviously, a lot more work to do before it's ready to go, but we are hoping to have a final, approved script by the beginning of next year.
Greg