TMP?
TMP! As the plot line goes, the old starship returned from its five-year mission and underwent a massive upgrade, or refit, in which everything was replaced, much like modern naval ships undergo every few years.

Great answer! I appreciate it being the ‘in universe’, too! So… What are the big differences between the two models?
Besides sharing the same structural configuration of the hulls and the engine nacelles, everything is different! The most striking difference is probably the paint job and sweeping nacelle pylons. While the TOS Enterprise was mainly gray, the TMP Enterprise is more off-white, but covered in multicolored iridescent panels that have a fascinating visual effect. TOMY’s TMP Enterprise is also slightly bigger than TOMY’s TOS Enterprise, and has visually dynamic lighting effects that can interfaced via the display base.

Why do you think those changes we’re desirable? Why were the fans so enthusiastic for it, I mean?
Many Star Trek fans fell in love with the Enterprise refit as they watched the movie on massive cinema screens in 1979. The ship’s design itself was a work of art, and the fans really wanted us to replicate it in every possible way.

As a designer, what was the greatest challenge you faced on this model?
Nailing the iridescent effect on the starship is critical, and TOMY is doing its best to recreate the effect. It requires a massively increased amount of painting techniques compared to TOMY’s TOS Enterprise – so we’re excited to offer this to collectors.

I’m glad you mentioned that, actually! The surface finish is incredible… I was curious how you’d achieved it. How did you do it?
I’m extremely fortunate to have a crack squad of Treksperts at the ready who have been integral in helping TOMY recreate the iridescent patterns on the starship… Karl Tate and Gary Kerr spent many hours analyzing previously unseen reference photos of the TMP Enterprise filming miniature, and ultimately created the most accurate visual map of the patterns ever to be deciphered.

Wow! Is that right? They unearthed original images from the late 70s? That’s incredible.
Isn’t it?! And now TOMY is doing its best to recreate that look at the factory level. We’re excited to see this model displayed proudly in Star Trek fan collections.

I’ll bet. Let me ask you this: if you could’ve waved a magic wand and included one more dream feature on this, what would it have been?!
Fully functioning transporters without any corruption of the buffer pattern during rematerialization – because screaming blobs of flesh are a real buzzkill, man!

Ha! Heck, now it’s more important than ever to find a magic wand! Ha! That’s funny! Alright… What’s the one question I could’ve asked you about this today but didn’t?
Hmmm… From my personal perspective, what’s the most amazing thing about this project?

Love it! What’s the answer?
I had the incredible opportunity to show TOMY’s original USS Enterprise Refit model to Adam Savage and Norman Chan of TESTED.com.

Oh, no way?!
Yes way! I’m a huge fan of Adam and Norm which made my visit to their awe-inspiring studios a dream come true.

Perfect answer. Thank you, Chris. And perhaps we’ll speak again next year looking at the NCC 1701-A…

The post Private Enterprise? Chris Huisman reveals why TOMY’s new Star Trek model is out of this world appeared first on Brands Untapped.

Oh wow. For some reason I imagined you specialised! I think because the thing that caught my eye recently is so incredible… It’s the TOMY Plus model of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek. Saying that, calling it a model scarcely does it justice…
Thank you! Replicating the 11-foot studio model of the USS Enterprise was a thrill! I was able to work with a few legends in the Star Trek community to make this the best die-cast replica that it could be…

Actually, Chris, perhaps I should’ve said it’s die-cast – and it’s huge! Who are some of these legends?
Gary Kerr, Matt Cushman, Karl Tate, and Glen Swanson were extremely vital to the USS Enterprise project… They provided technical data, official paint chips, and other really important information.

That makes sense, because some of the detail on it is extraordinary… The shuttle bay in particular blew my mind. How’s it gone down with fans?
Thanks, Deej. Personally, I love the saucer separation feature, but I do love how the shuttle bay turned out. And I’m pleased to say consumers are raving about it… It’s kind of humbling to realise that I’ve made such an impact on Star Trek and sci-fi fans.

Well, let’s talk about that… With a license as beloved as Star Trek, how easy is it to balance what fans might want with what designers can realistically do?
I’ve had the good fortune to consult with some of the biggest Star Trek fans on what they’d like to see… And the great fortune of working with TOMY’s incredible Marketing, Project Management and Design and Engineering Teams to make it happen. My colleagues in Hong Kong and China – led by Michael Siu and Joe Chan – were a massive support to the development and production of this amazing replica.

How did this project come to fruition, Chris? And what was your biggest challenge?
The team at TOMY had been envisioning a high-end collector program for several years; one that captured a wider pop-culture fanbase. With the immeasurable help of some colleagues, it manifested into a solid program. As regards the biggest challenge… Well, that was making sure every detail was correct. Star Trek fans are brutally honest with their opinions, so it was important to set the bar high in order to make sure nothing was overlooked.

I think you’ve cleared the bar. I’m going to include a few photos, by the way; I want people to see your work. Tell us about yourself! How did you come to be doing what you do?
I’ve been a creative in the toy industry for more than 25 years… And while I have a couple of patents and award-winning toys, my first dive into the business was actually in die-cast replicas. Over the years, I’ve used my time and talents to explore other areas of the toy aisle learning about the consumer’s needs and pushing for innovation wherever possible.

Brilliant. And what would you be doing if you didn’t do this?
That’s a good question. I had a billion jobs before TOMY, including butcher, garbage man, concrete construction and English tutor in a prison…

Naturally… Who hasn’t made the little leap from penal system to toys?! Ha!
Ha! What would I be doing now, though… I’d probably be expanding on my side business/hobby of retro-purposing junk into functional lamps and centrepieces. Either that or running a salvage yard.

Retro-purposing junk into functional lamps?! You won’t believe me when I say this, but I tried to find someone that did that a couple of Christmases ago! What kind of junk?
The junk I’m always look for is typically familiar and sometimes difficult to recognise… Gears, cameras, sewing machines, airplane wings, old oscillating fans, musical instruments, blenders… Just about anything. I mostly work on commission for individuals looking to enhance their home or business.

Junk aside, what’s next for you?
Perhaps you’ve seen our next high-end replica, the time machine from Back to the Future?

The DeLorean? I have seen that… Don’t tell me that’s yours as well?!
Yes…

Oh my days! Tell us about that! Huge; die cast again…
Yes, die-cast again. It also has amazing lighting effects, plus a super-cool smoking feature: it produces smoke out of the back.

What? Wait a minute… Are you telling me that you built a smoke machine… Into a DeLorean?
Ha! I am! So again, I like to think with those features and that detail that we’re really doing something that fans appreciate.

Oh, no question. I mean, what a treat! That’s terrific, Chris. The team must be thrilled. I feel I’ve got lost in my own question here, we were talking about what’s coming up…
So Tomy Plus has quite a few surprises coming up, and I’m excited to be bringing them to life. Of course, I can’t say what they are, but I’m 1000% certain they’re going to blow people away.

Well, you do – if I might be so bold – appear to be doing that, Chris. Alright, let’s wrap this up… What’s the one question I could’ve asked you today but didn’t?
You could’ve asked about other hobbies! Painting, sculpting, collecting vintage toys, building and riding motorised bicycles, researching and collecting old military equipment…

Crikey. You might be the most interesting person in the industry, Chris! Let’s get into some of that when you come back… You have an open invitation to come back and talk about other stuff in the future. Thanks, Chris.

The post Boldly going Back to the Future: Chris Huisman on designing two iconic brand models for TOMY Plus appeared first on Brands Untapped.