'White Metal'

Well apart from being the generic name for the media that most of our range is produced in, it is also an idea that Kev and I have been thinking about for a couple of years now.

The fundamental basis for 'White Metal' is to give other sculptors an opportunity to use the HF website and resources as a springboard to show their work without such a huge financial risk as we took. We have found that many manufacturers don't actually credit their sculptors with the figure in their catalogues so many customers don't know who actually sculpted their favourite toy. This makes it hard for a sculptor to establish themselves in their own right away from a manufacturer. Many sculptors also , like lots of artists, are naturally insecure about their own skills and don't like working without the security of very rigid briefs from companies. This used to frustrate Kev however as he wanted to make figures that were 'different' but was always told that he had no talent other than what the manufacturer had created by giving him fixed designs to work from.

Ha!

We were very lucky when we started up Hasslefree that Kevs name and reputation as a sculptor was already quite well-known in the industry even if it was only for being associated with large manufacturers. All we had to do with HF was to take a chance that the ideas that he created away from the briefs that he had been given would appeal enough to customers for us to make a go of selling his figures direct. This really was a huge risk as we had three small children between 5 months old and 4 years old and quite a hefty mortgage.

Anyhow through sheer determination and a lot of hours we succeeded in finding out what customers wanted and producing the range that you see nowadays. We had a helping hand initally from talented Danish painter called 'Jenova' who hosted us on her own website for a year whilst we figured out what to do and how to do it in the world of e-commerce and then in May 2005 we launched the site you see today with the help and talent of our Canadian Webmaster Anthony Stapells.



Question: No-one does anything for nothing nowadays, so what are you getting out of it?

Ermm..........not a lot financially, lots more work that I could probably do without and a risk that maybe we shouldn't be taking on with the responsibilities that we currently have!

Seriously though, the industry always appears short of good sculptors and I feel that talent needs to be nurtured and supported in order for it to grow. Todays financial climate and the decline in many areas of our hobby means that the risk for starting out now is higher than it was even a few years ago. I feel that I have done my bit with HF and watched it and Kevs reputation grow and I feel that someone needs to take a risk with all the rest of the 'hidden' talent out there, so why not me ?



Question: Why not just add them to the existing HF range of figures?

We are gradually within HF building up a bank of freelance sculptors that we ask to help out with our usual ranges but there are many genres that we cant consider taking on without diversifying too much. We have a definite plan of where we want the HF ranges to go and need to stick to it fairly rigidly in order to keep a regular income rolling in to feed the kids and pay the bills. This is even more important now with a new baby on the way.

We have been keeping an eye for the last couple of years over the many sculpting competitions that are beginning to take place and have pin-pointed a few sculptors that we would like to give an opportunity to, some whom have already been contacted and some who we need to contact. Our current list includes work from Michael Brand and John Pickford. We expect the list of 'White Metal' sculptors to gradually grow as the project takes hold but limitations are in place due to our finances so they wont be able to grow unchecked for a long while yet.



Question: What if it doesnt work?

Then at least I have tried, someone has to make an effort or nothing gets done. It is best to think of the benefits if it does work.



Question: How will it work?

At the moment to avoid legal disputes over IP's etc (and whilst we figure out exactly how it will work), Kev or I will approach sculptors whose work we have seen either in a competition or otherwise and offer to purchase the Green of the figure providing it hasnt already been commercially produced by another company. We will then shoulder the costs of getting it into production/ marketed/sold and on purchase by us the figure (and all of its associated rights) will belong to HF. If we are approached by a sculptor offering a green for sale and we have enough left in our 'White Metal' budget then we will try to purchase it provided we feel it is of a standard that will make it viable to produce.

In the future if the project takes off then we hope to set up a commission scheme where the green remains the property of the sculptor and we 'lease' it from them for a fixed period during which time we hold exclusive rights to produce it and he/she isnt allowed to sell it to anyone else.



Question: How is it being funded?

Initially out of HF funds. We have set aside a certain amount for initial purchases and we are hoping that by choosing figures that we believe will sell a certain quantity then we can plough back all of the profits into expanding the range. It is basically how we set up HF. . .with our savings and throwing back in all profits bar living expenses for two years. Even now Kev only takes a minimum amount from the company and Debbi (our production manager) gets paid more than he does!



Question: What will the sculptor get?

A fair price for their work, a chance to see a figure going into production, an opportunity to build a webpage about themselves and hosted on the HF site, recognition for what they can achieve on their own.

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