Hi,
My name's Fox Henderson, I have a small online retail shop selling prosthetics (eventually props, masks, both latex and silicone) and I'm in the midst of writing up a business plan and I was hoping to get some feedback/information from independent filmmakers.
I'm hoping to prove there's a market (no matter how small it might be) for an indie special effects company to assist indie filmmakers with some special effects for their projects. I'm not looking to get commitments from people, just to see that if there was a service available would be it be something anyone would be interested in using.
As I mentioned above, and I'll try to make clearer here, I'm mainly doing prosthetic makeup right now (mostly for my own movies anyway and then made available online for sale). The pieces are similar to those you can buy from other online retailers, like MostlyDead.com - however I'm also doing commission work as well. So if someone needed a specific piece for their project, I could affordably supply it - still requiring a makeup artist on location to apply it though.
I don't know if that's enough information or too much. If it's not, let me know. Otherwise, you can see some of my work at www.themonkeyrodeo.com.
Thanks for any information or feedback.
There are several places offering this. I think that shows there is a market for it.
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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
Really? I couldn't find anything myself. Could you point me in the direction of one or two of them. That'd be awesome.
There are several companies that make masks and generic prosthetics, so you will for sure have some competition.
?url?www.fxfaces.com?/url?
Cinema Secrets
Rouge Planet
Instant Monsters
SPFX Masks
Scream Team
and a few others
I looked at your site, and my advice would be to really focus on raising the bar. Please don't feel insulted or discouraged, but I think at present your product could not compete with what is presently on the market. I would focus on improving the sense of anatomy and structure in your designs, expanding the variety more, and ramping up the level of the painting on the display pieces.
As for masks, you are going to have to compete with the specialty mask industry, check out Casey Love Designs, Distortions Unlimited, Schell Studio, Jon Fuller, Joe Lester, and many others.
The key is to make a good first impression. You need to present a product that can compete with what is out there or it will just flounder and disappear. If it is truly awesome, word will spread and customers will come. You may also have to do shows, like HauntCon, Transworld, Monsterpalooza, etc. to promote your stuff and that requires some serious investment.
making low budget dreams come true
making low budget dreams come true
Not really the info I was looking for, I'm well aware of those companies. And I'm not discouraged at all, I appreciate the feedback. Although I've actually sold to a few companies already who were apparently quite impressed with my stuff, so it may be a matter of opinion - however raising the bar is never a bad idea.
I wasn't looking for companies selling their wares online, but companies that worked as a special effects counterpart to lower budget indie films/web series. I have a local research company looking into it now anyway, they do this stuff for free so hopefully they can turn up something.
Thanks.
I think one of the points I was trying to make is that perhaps for film, the quality has to come up. Stuff for a local haunted hay ride, or for barhopping with your friends on Halloween is one thing, but something that is truly believable on screen are another. I would say that you should research the market more. I keep track of shows like Transworld and Monsterpalooza that put a lot of collectors and low budget filmmakers in touch with artists like you and if you saw the level of work out there, you would see what I mean about raising the bar. You obviously have some raw talent, but you need to really up the scale of the product to compete with the thousands of others out there. If some vendors picked up your stuff that is a great start, but there is no guarantee it will sell or that they won't switch to a more marketable product if they find one.
If your work is truly awesome, the customers will come in droves. You will also be able to charge more if the work is better.
I reiterate that I don't want to sound harsh but proper anatomy is the cornerstone of this work, and everything comes from there. The consumer is becoming more and more discerning. Bear that in mind.
making low budget dreams come true
making low budget dreams come true
quote:
Originally posted by FoxHenderson
I wasn't looking for companies selling their wares online,
I, too, got confused. when you said;
quote:
Originally posted by FoxHenderson
I have a small online retail shop selling prosthetics (eventually props, masks, both latex and silicone) and I'm in the midst of writing up a business plan and I was hoping to get some feedback/information from independent filmmakers.
I got the impression you were asking for feedback and
information about an online retail shop selling prosthetics.
So you're asking about makeup efx companies that do
makeup efx for low budget movies? I did that for 14 years.
I think you're right, there is a market for an indie special
effects company to assist indie filmmakers with some
special effects for their projects. I know a lot that are working
here in my area.
=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
