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| | INTERVIEW: STEVEN CHARENDOFF (RITTENHOUSE ARCHIVES) | |
Rittenhouse Archives have been given the license to create sets of collectible cards for both THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK and PITCH BLACK,and that's just what they did. You can read our FAQ for all the details on this set that is due on June 2nd, and you can view images of a few of the cards here.
PitcherBlacker was lucky enough to get the chance to fire a couple questions at Steven M. Charendoff, President of Rittenhouse Archives, so have a seat and flip through his answers.
How does your company generally land the rights to do cards for a movie franchise? Is it something that is bid on, or perhaps you are contacted directly by the movie studio?
In most cases, we have a pre-existing relationship with each studio, so when new licenses become available, they will come to us and ask if we are interested. And then in most cases, it's simply a matter of working out a deal. Occasionally, there will be a bidding process, but not often. Personally, I don't find those kinds of situations to be advantageous.
Could you describe the process of designing the card product line? Is Universal involved, or even some of the principals from the movie (in this case, director David Twohy or maybe Vin Diesel? Do you gear it more towards the fan of the product or the card collectors?
Either I or one of my associates will create a product plan, depending on who is the most knowledgeable about the movie or TV show, and then we fine tune it internally, before sending the basic plan to the studio for their approval. It's not often that the studio will get too involved, but sometimes they do. In those situations, it's usually helpful because they may have more inside knowledge that can lead to more interesting product features. In the case of Riddick/Pitch Black, I did all the planning and designing.
How long does the process take of thinking up the product line, discussing it with Universal or whomever, and then starting production?
In the case of Riddick, it took me about a month to get things nailed down. A lot is dictacted by the availability of photos, and we used everything that was available.
When I interviewed the guys doing the CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK figures and vehicles, they said that success of their product determines future runs and that the movie's performance is much less significant. Would this be the same for future types of cards from the CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK franchise? Is there even a chance of future cards in the series?
Yes, there is a chance for more cards, if the movie really hits it big, which is my hope. In fact, I have already created some cards that are to be used in that case. For now and until after the movie is released, we will simply wait and see, but I do want to put out more cards, if there is reason to. We're ready for it.
Cole Hauser, who played one of the principal characters from PITCH BLACK, does not have a signature included. Rather than discuss the specifics of that particular situation, could you instead describe generally what kinds of issues arise from trying to coordinate signature cards with actors?
In most cases, because we have relationships with many of the key Hollywood agencies, getting autographs is usually not too difficult. In the case of Riddick, once we had Judi Dench and Vin Diesel on board, everyone else came on board with absolutely no issues at all. The only problem we face with a movie like this (as opposed to a TV show) is that the actors have all dispersed, and they are off on new projects. Getting to them in a timely fashion is the challenge, but it worked out well in the end. As for Cole Hauser, we simply could not get a reply from his rep in time to include him in this project. If we have reason to do more cards for Pitch Black, I suspect we will get cooperation, and the timeliness of it won't be so important as before.
What is the actual signature on the sig cards? Is it a reproduction of the actor's signature, or did they actually sit down and sign a hundred cards?
For sure, they actually sit down and sign every card by hand. No reproductions.
A lot of my readers are probably more movie fans than hardcore collectors, and as such are confused as to how the specialty cards are distributed. How does a regular card buyer actually get an Autograph Case Topper Card, Multi-Case Purchase Incentive Card, or signature card?
The best thing to do is to contact one of our dealers who will break down the product and sell individual cards or even complete master sets. We refer people all the time, and if anyone needs a referral, they can email me anytime. We're very good about this sort of thing, and try very hard to make it easy for anyone to collect. Although there are other dealers, I can certainly refer people right now to Barrington Square Cards, 847-426-2020, or K&J NonSports, 800-581-9097. Both are very reliable and reputable, and they carry just about everything we make.
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