Amidst the myriad of arthouse toys, UNKL Brand certainly stands out from the pack. Alternating between cute and weird their line of Po figures has taken the scene by storm. Leading the pack are the original HazMoPo and over four dozen figures. Weve all seen these dolls in our favorite hipster stores and I got a chance to talk with UNKL Brand creators Derek Welch and Jason Bacon about their inspirations and plans for their figures.
Check out the website for UNKL
Daniel Robert Epstein: Are the toys are made out of urban vinyl?
Derek Welch: Theyre not necessarily made out of urban vinyl. I think thats one category to describe some of what we do. But they are made out of vinyl.
DRE: Who came up with the designs?
DW: Thats something that Jason and I both collaborate on. The basic form or the concept or story might start with one of us. Then we kick it around and we both affect what the end result is.
DRE: So you come up with a story for the characters before you decide to design them and turn them into a toy.
DW: Sometimes the story comes first and then we create characters to support the story. Other times it could be a character that we draw or sculpt and then start kicking it around from a standpoint of what it actually means and create the story from there.
Jason Bacon: Each character has their own very specific in-depth story. What we try to do is take two opposing ideas and bring them together. Our first toy, the HazMoPo, is probably the best example of that. Weve got these ominous gas-masked figures, but theyre done in a very cute colorful way. So theres that meeting of those two worlds and it tends to challenge people a little bit, which is perfect.
DRE: What was the story for HazMaPo?
DW: They were creatures that were created to be covert operatives and assassins during the Cold War. Then when the Cold War ended, they werent really aware that it happened. So they carry on doing their thing without any real direction. But they also each have individual interests that are completely the opposite of what their actual description is or what their role of being an assassin is. One of them might collect vintage blue jeans or something like that.
DRE: How did UNKL first come about?
DW: We have a full-service design studio by the name of Big Giant. Being creative, we felt a need to explore ideas and create things that didnt really have anything in the way of marketing goals or anything like a lot of the client-based work that we do. We just wanted to create stuff that we liked. Weve been creating our own characters for years and through the process of exploring a lot of different things, we finally arrived at the idea of bringing those characters to life and trying to get them out to people. Were not trying to identify any gap in the market or direct them towards anyone in particular. If its something that we like we pretty much go ahead with it.
DRE: Is the shape and the size of the first HazMaPo, pretty much what set the standard for the stuff that you guys wanted to do?
DW: Thats probably typical as far as the size goes. But weve done everything from figures that are two inches tall, like with TinPo and UniPo, and then SUG is 12 inches tall. Weve done some 12 inch versions of HazMaPos as well, so the size can vary. Weve done six inches as well, with JunPo, and also some six inch versions of TinPo. Also the word Po, for us, designates four legs. Thats what that means to us.
JB: Thats become our signature in our character development. We certainly do things other than that. But thats a thing that we all know, that four leg thing.
DRE: Was doing these kinds of toys always what you guys wanted to do back when you were working for all of these big clients?
JB: Derek and I had been creating characters and writing stories for almost 15 years. Previously it was much more of an illustration and writing exercise. Then as we went along and we started our own company, we had an idea to do a new product. We had quite a few friends who are in the urban vinyl world and they had seen our characters at some of the art shows we attend. People were asking us to take that next step to make them into three dimensional characters. It was a very natural progression for us. So in a way it wasnt premeditated at all. It was a very organic process.
DRE: At this point, what else do you make besides these toys?
DW: Really what our big focus is for us right now is the storytelling aspect of what were doing. Were developing quite a few characters and stories for possible animated television series or movies. A lot of what were doing is actually fleshing out the stories and creating individual episodes. To build what you might consider to be a seasons worth of a television series around these characters. Were doing that for three or four different character groups right now. So the vinyl aspect of what were doing is the most immediate way to bring them to life in a way thats accessible for people. But the bigger picture stuff for us is really concentrating on the storytelling aspect and trying to build that beyond where it has been.
JB: Some of our characters are being optioned right now for those purposes and that has led to several other entertainment industry companies coming to us and asking us to start sending ideas.
DRE: Do the designs of the figures start in your sketchbooks?
DW: Some of it. Some was actual sculpting. Jason and I each have kids so we create a lot of things with them. Some of the ideas were generated just from sitting down with kids and drawing and sculpting figures just for fun.
JB: Sometimes it starts out as a very loose sketch that maybe I have done. Derek looks at that and he does something thats on the computer thats very geometric and very tight. Then hell send that file back to me and then I might make alterations to that. It goes back and forth like that. Then when the sculpture comes back from the factory, one of us might have an idea to evolve it even further. It really is a very true collaborative process.
DRE: You mentioned that people are optioning the toys for projects, are the stories that theyre going to do going to mirror the stories that you guys came up with?
DW: Yeah. Generally when people have come to us, they feel like the aesthetic part of it is nailed pretty well. They want us to flush the story out a little bit more. But it can also be a matter of us collaborating with those people. They may have writers attached to the project, but were still giving input and coming up with ideas on where the story might go. So the collaborative nature of what we do internally is something thats also reflected in the people that were working with outside of UNKL.
DRE: Are the stories that you want to do PG-13 or R-rated type stories?
DW: Theyre all of that. It just depends on the characters and where we want to take them. Some things were working on are intentionally oriented more towards a younger audience and some of them are oriented towards a more sophisticated audience, at least from a humor standpoint. I think we feel like we can get raunchy with it. In a lot of ways thats reflective of who we are as people.
DRE: When you guys each design a Po, are they much different from one another?
DW: They definitely can be. Typically what happens is that if Im doing something that has one point of view and hes doing something that has a completely different point of view, sometimes I might look at what he has and say, Yeah, I like it just like it is. Or I might say, Why dont I just take what you have there and try to put a different spin on it and see where it might go. Exploration is a big part of what we do. So its almost like we just put it through the sausage grinder and see what comes out the other end.
DRE: I was just in LA, a friend of mine dragged me to Urban Outfitters on Melrose down there. It seems like they sell a lot of stuff similar to Pos, is that where the toys are being sold?
DW: Yeah also we have stuff currently in about 24 countries. But as far as the type of store, there are stores like Kid Robot that specialize in designer vinyl or urban vinyl. Then there are smaller stores as well and something like Urban Outfitters probably represents a larger retailer for this type of a thing.
DRE: What makes you want to do such limited runs?
DW: I think its because the audience for this type of product is somewhat limited. Its not a total mass market thing. We know that what were doing is specific to our style and what we like. So we made the assumption that theres only going to be a handful of people that would be into it. Then there is this whole category of collectors who are into designer vinyl. Its growing, but it will only grow to a certain point before it takes off like a general mass market thing. We feel like what were doing is a little bit more directed towards people like us. We dont feel like we want to go make a half million of something. Wed rather make a smaller quantity and then move on to the next project.
JB: For most of the urban vinyl world, this stuff is an extension of the art world. Theres a component that this stuff needs to be a little more limited because it is a form of art. You have some consumers that are collectors so the limited aspect of this really appeals to them. Then you have people that are just interested in the art part of it. A lot of the world sees this stuff as sculpture more than it sees it as toys. Thats a big part of it.
DRE: Is the fact that its art also what makes them expensive?
DW: Yeah, I think thats part of it. Also the quantities dictate the price as well. Were not trying to take advantage of anyone. We want to price it as fairly as we can so thats the nature of doing 100 pieces of anything. It means that the unit cost is going to be fairly high. When youre doing small runs, it costs a lot more to do it. If we make a hundred of something versus ten thousand, obviously the unit cost is going to be vastly different. People who are into it understand thats the reality. If there is only a hundred of something, they can expect it to cost more, because it costs more to make.
DRE: Did you guys grow up together?
DW: No, we ended up working together and in the process of working together we realized that we collaborated well and have styles and modes of working that compliment each other.
DRE: Is there ever going to be a SuicideGirls Po?
DW: We actually are working on that as we speak. We have quite a few ideas on that, that are looking really cool.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the website for UNKL
Daniel Robert Epstein: Are the toys are made out of urban vinyl?
Derek Welch: Theyre not necessarily made out of urban vinyl. I think thats one category to describe some of what we do. But they are made out of vinyl.
DRE: Who came up with the designs?
DW: Thats something that Jason and I both collaborate on. The basic form or the concept or story might start with one of us. Then we kick it around and we both affect what the end result is.
DRE: So you come up with a story for the characters before you decide to design them and turn them into a toy.
DW: Sometimes the story comes first and then we create characters to support the story. Other times it could be a character that we draw or sculpt and then start kicking it around from a standpoint of what it actually means and create the story from there.
Jason Bacon: Each character has their own very specific in-depth story. What we try to do is take two opposing ideas and bring them together. Our first toy, the HazMoPo, is probably the best example of that. Weve got these ominous gas-masked figures, but theyre done in a very cute colorful way. So theres that meeting of those two worlds and it tends to challenge people a little bit, which is perfect.
DRE: What was the story for HazMaPo?
DW: They were creatures that were created to be covert operatives and assassins during the Cold War. Then when the Cold War ended, they werent really aware that it happened. So they carry on doing their thing without any real direction. But they also each have individual interests that are completely the opposite of what their actual description is or what their role of being an assassin is. One of them might collect vintage blue jeans or something like that.
DRE: How did UNKL first come about?
DW: We have a full-service design studio by the name of Big Giant. Being creative, we felt a need to explore ideas and create things that didnt really have anything in the way of marketing goals or anything like a lot of the client-based work that we do. We just wanted to create stuff that we liked. Weve been creating our own characters for years and through the process of exploring a lot of different things, we finally arrived at the idea of bringing those characters to life and trying to get them out to people. Were not trying to identify any gap in the market or direct them towards anyone in particular. If its something that we like we pretty much go ahead with it.
DRE: Is the shape and the size of the first HazMaPo, pretty much what set the standard for the stuff that you guys wanted to do?
DW: Thats probably typical as far as the size goes. But weve done everything from figures that are two inches tall, like with TinPo and UniPo, and then SUG is 12 inches tall. Weve done some 12 inch versions of HazMaPos as well, so the size can vary. Weve done six inches as well, with JunPo, and also some six inch versions of TinPo. Also the word Po, for us, designates four legs. Thats what that means to us.
JB: Thats become our signature in our character development. We certainly do things other than that. But thats a thing that we all know, that four leg thing.
DRE: Was doing these kinds of toys always what you guys wanted to do back when you were working for all of these big clients?
JB: Derek and I had been creating characters and writing stories for almost 15 years. Previously it was much more of an illustration and writing exercise. Then as we went along and we started our own company, we had an idea to do a new product. We had quite a few friends who are in the urban vinyl world and they had seen our characters at some of the art shows we attend. People were asking us to take that next step to make them into three dimensional characters. It was a very natural progression for us. So in a way it wasnt premeditated at all. It was a very organic process.
DRE: At this point, what else do you make besides these toys?
DW: Really what our big focus is for us right now is the storytelling aspect of what were doing. Were developing quite a few characters and stories for possible animated television series or movies. A lot of what were doing is actually fleshing out the stories and creating individual episodes. To build what you might consider to be a seasons worth of a television series around these characters. Were doing that for three or four different character groups right now. So the vinyl aspect of what were doing is the most immediate way to bring them to life in a way thats accessible for people. But the bigger picture stuff for us is really concentrating on the storytelling aspect and trying to build that beyond where it has been.
JB: Some of our characters are being optioned right now for those purposes and that has led to several other entertainment industry companies coming to us and asking us to start sending ideas.
DRE: Do the designs of the figures start in your sketchbooks?
DW: Some of it. Some was actual sculpting. Jason and I each have kids so we create a lot of things with them. Some of the ideas were generated just from sitting down with kids and drawing and sculpting figures just for fun.
JB: Sometimes it starts out as a very loose sketch that maybe I have done. Derek looks at that and he does something thats on the computer thats very geometric and very tight. Then hell send that file back to me and then I might make alterations to that. It goes back and forth like that. Then when the sculpture comes back from the factory, one of us might have an idea to evolve it even further. It really is a very true collaborative process.
DRE: You mentioned that people are optioning the toys for projects, are the stories that theyre going to do going to mirror the stories that you guys came up with?
DW: Yeah. Generally when people have come to us, they feel like the aesthetic part of it is nailed pretty well. They want us to flush the story out a little bit more. But it can also be a matter of us collaborating with those people. They may have writers attached to the project, but were still giving input and coming up with ideas on where the story might go. So the collaborative nature of what we do internally is something thats also reflected in the people that were working with outside of UNKL.
DRE: Are the stories that you want to do PG-13 or R-rated type stories?
DW: Theyre all of that. It just depends on the characters and where we want to take them. Some things were working on are intentionally oriented more towards a younger audience and some of them are oriented towards a more sophisticated audience, at least from a humor standpoint. I think we feel like we can get raunchy with it. In a lot of ways thats reflective of who we are as people.
DRE: When you guys each design a Po, are they much different from one another?
DW: They definitely can be. Typically what happens is that if Im doing something that has one point of view and hes doing something that has a completely different point of view, sometimes I might look at what he has and say, Yeah, I like it just like it is. Or I might say, Why dont I just take what you have there and try to put a different spin on it and see where it might go. Exploration is a big part of what we do. So its almost like we just put it through the sausage grinder and see what comes out the other end.
DRE: I was just in LA, a friend of mine dragged me to Urban Outfitters on Melrose down there. It seems like they sell a lot of stuff similar to Pos, is that where the toys are being sold?
DW: Yeah also we have stuff currently in about 24 countries. But as far as the type of store, there are stores like Kid Robot that specialize in designer vinyl or urban vinyl. Then there are smaller stores as well and something like Urban Outfitters probably represents a larger retailer for this type of a thing.
DRE: What makes you want to do such limited runs?
DW: I think its because the audience for this type of product is somewhat limited. Its not a total mass market thing. We know that what were doing is specific to our style and what we like. So we made the assumption that theres only going to be a handful of people that would be into it. Then there is this whole category of collectors who are into designer vinyl. Its growing, but it will only grow to a certain point before it takes off like a general mass market thing. We feel like what were doing is a little bit more directed towards people like us. We dont feel like we want to go make a half million of something. Wed rather make a smaller quantity and then move on to the next project.
JB: For most of the urban vinyl world, this stuff is an extension of the art world. Theres a component that this stuff needs to be a little more limited because it is a form of art. You have some consumers that are collectors so the limited aspect of this really appeals to them. Then you have people that are just interested in the art part of it. A lot of the world sees this stuff as sculpture more than it sees it as toys. Thats a big part of it.
DRE: Is the fact that its art also what makes them expensive?
DW: Yeah, I think thats part of it. Also the quantities dictate the price as well. Were not trying to take advantage of anyone. We want to price it as fairly as we can so thats the nature of doing 100 pieces of anything. It means that the unit cost is going to be fairly high. When youre doing small runs, it costs a lot more to do it. If we make a hundred of something versus ten thousand, obviously the unit cost is going to be vastly different. People who are into it understand thats the reality. If there is only a hundred of something, they can expect it to cost more, because it costs more to make.
DRE: Did you guys grow up together?
DW: No, we ended up working together and in the process of working together we realized that we collaborated well and have styles and modes of working that compliment each other.
DRE: Is there ever going to be a SuicideGirls Po?
DW: We actually are working on that as we speak. We have quite a few ideas on that, that are looking really cool.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
zoetica:
Amidst the myriad of arthouse toys, UNKL Brand certainly stands out from the pack. Alternating between cute and weird their line of Po figures has taken the scene by storm. Leading the pack are the original HazMoPo and over four dozen figures. Weve all seen these dolls in our favorite hipster stores...
1337b33f:
Woohoo, Vinyl toys on the front page of SG, who would have thought? Now people, go buy some Tinpos(or unipos or hazmapos) and come join the vinyl toy group.