Studio Series 86 Toys Behind the Scenes Info from Evan Brooks

CactusReporter · Apr 6, 2022

Mod edit: Transformers Studio Series 86 "Behind The Scenes" images and info round up

Jazz

Wreck-Gar

Kup

Grimlock

All images and trivia on this link:

Transformers Studio Series 86 "Behind The Scenes" Images & Development Info - Transformers News - TFW2005

Update: Second round up featuring

Blurr

Hot Rod

Transformers Studio Series 86 “Behind The Scenes” Images & Development Info - Part 2 - Transformers News - TFW2005

Update: Third round up featuring

Scourge/Sweep

Gnaw

Transformers Studio Series 86 “Behind The Scenes” Images & Development Info – Part 3 - Transformers News - TFW2005

Update: Fourth round up featuring

Sludge

Snarl

Transformers Studio Series 86 “Behind The Scenes” Images & Development Info – Part 4: Sludge & Slug - Transformers News - TFW2005

Update: Fifth round up featuring

Core Rumble

Studio Series 86 Core Rumble Behind the Scenes - Transformers News - TFW2005

Login • Instagram

Hello there! I'm the person who primarily works on Studio Series 86 transformers. The Transformer's design team is trying to be more open and transparent about the process of how we go about designing these figures with our partners over at Takara Tomy and I figured I'd start with Studio Series 86-01 that I worked on with Ittoku Kuwazu!

It was super exciting to do an animation accurate Jazz since he's a classic character (one of the coolest bots around) and his past figures have usually followed his toy design expression.

Before I had joined the TF team, John Warden had a concept for a generic version of his vehicle mode already drawn up by( I believe) Michael DiTullo.
That design was used as a base and then tweaked as the robot form became solidified.

Ittoku and I then worked on the details. The goal of these figures was to be accurate to the animation designs but to also have it so they'd look like they fit in with your other Generations figures and stand with them on your shelf. I tried to bring in some of the details from the original stickers of the g1 toy and sprinkle them about in areas that needed just a bit more "pizzazz". The abdomen area at our original detail stage also brought in some a-symmetry from the g1 toy sculpt but we later removed it to be more in line with the animation model.

Deco wise, when I work on a car robot, one of my main priorities is to make sure the tire rims get painted. It's a small detail that can knock a vehicle form up to the next level. The goal is always balance between both robot and vehicle modes and sometimes that means you can't get every detail you wish you could for one of the forms.

Other than that, The only other challenge was I was asked to change the number on the side of his car form. I picked the number "14" as a nod to his 1984 toy catalog number and also just in case any fan wanted to remove the "1" so they can make it the classic number.

Overall, I was very pleased with how this figure turned out with our updated standards of articulation but do you all prefer the classic toy design over animation? Are you enjoying the SS86 line? Are their movie characters you've been waiting for?
Let us know!
Click to expand...

CactusReporter · Apr 6, 2022

Login • Instagram

Hello again! I'm going to try to maybe post a few of these a week depending on when I have time but I thought I'd jump ahead and drop a bit of the design process for my favorite T.V. talking bot, SS86 Wreck-gar!

To be able to represent this Floro Dery design as close as we can in toy was a dream come true.I had the absolute pleasure to work on this item with the renowned Kunihiro Takashi, who is more than likely the man responsible for MANY of your favorite Transformer toys over the years. He is so skilled that he lays out transformation design plans in MARKER. I can't even imagine trying to draw anymore without Ctrl+Z.

When we first laid out the design for Wreck-gar's alt mode, we gave him the front fender that is seen in the Motorcycle animation model but as we got to the Block model, we realized that the naked tire being on his arm as a shield was more iconic so we removed it.

Our goal from the beginning was to make sure that himself (and other bots of similar or smaller sizes) could ride on his alt mode. We also had already planned to put in Junkheap/Junkyard's head and, thankfully, got some more tooling for that character later to make him look more like himself.

When it came time to paint the character, he brought an issue to light. I had been using my DVD 20th anniversary copy of the 86 movie for the first wave of SS86 characters and had just gotten the 30th anniversary BluRay in which I noticed the colors were different. In fact, depending on which transfer of the movie you're watching, all the colors shift ever so slightly. Over the years, I feel like certain characters have gained a sort of collective unconscious color assignment because of how other toys have featured them. "Wreck-gar is Orange" was something I thought I remembered so vividly but then it's like "Actually no, he's like, rust colored..."

Since this line is supposed to be as close a translation of the film to Toy, the Hasbro and Takara teams talked and we decided that we would use the BluRay transfer of the movie going forward to select colors for these figures.

But what do you all think? Let me know if there are SS86 figures you're dying to know the behind the scenes dirt on!
Click to expand...

Foster · Apr 6, 2022

Fun! I love the insights here. And I agree with the painted rims being a great thing when it's done!

Foster · Apr 6, 2022

Another fun read! - I agree that the rust color for Wreck-Gar is something I've thought of as orange for years!

Cheebs · Apr 6, 2022

I love reading these.

Cheebs · Apr 6, 2022

Very cool little article!

Oniconvoy · Apr 6, 2022

Cool write up. Wish he addressed the breakage issue. I assume he must know about that design flaw?

Fafnir72 · Apr 6, 2022

Oh the number 14! I love how he homage the original Diaclone number! That is so hard core!

T-Hybrid · Apr 6, 2022

Foster said: ↑

I agree that the rust color for Wreck-Gar is something I've thought of as orange for years!
Click to expand...

It's kinda like how Victorion was orange/"blue" to convey that same look.

bellpeppers · Apr 6, 2022

I really dig this mold.

I would love to see this mold / engineering and apply it to a ‘70 VW and give us a G1 / Bee movie hybrid Bumblebee.

Liampope · Apr 6, 2022

It's amazing how close that is to the Porsche! They really got away with only a few deliberate alterations.

giga-galvatron · Apr 6, 2022

What’s the breakage flaw?

faciov42 · Apr 6, 2022

giga-galvatron said: ↑

What’s the breakage flaw?
Click to expand...

Clear plastic windshield, it will likely break if you transform it too much or force it.

T-Hybrid · Apr 6, 2022

Lost in the shuffle:

The Transformer's design team is trying to be more open and transparent about the process of how we go about designing these figures with our partners over at Takara Tomy...
Click to expand...

So that would explain the major info dump of art/models etc. They're actively trying to be more open about how this stuff works because they're excited about it and interested in sharing that with us. That's pretty cool.

Dirge121 · Apr 6, 2022

These articles are great, I’m loving this little behind the scenes peek at how the figures come together. Wreck-Gar in particular stands out as one they absolutely knocked out of the park. One of my favorite voyagers in a very long time, an absolute gem of a figure.

Burnout00012 · Apr 6, 2022

faciov42 said: ↑

Clear plastic windshield, it will likely break if you transform it too much or force it.
Click to expand...

Just gotta be gentle. Mine doesn't even have stress marks yet, despite my frequent transformations.

Onyxstrike · Apr 6, 2022

Burnout00012 said: ↑

Just gotta be gentle. Mine doesn't even have stress marks yet, despite my frequent transformations.
Click to expand...

Yeah, mainly I've been also following the way MachSabre transforms the windshield backpack and I haven't had any breakages there yet.

And yeah, I've been really enjoying this recent bevy of designer insight.

Novaburnhilde · Apr 6, 2022

I really hope we keep seeing these sorts of things, because they can be pretty insightful.

Burnout00012 · Apr 6, 2022

Onyxstrike said: ↑

Yeah, mainly I've been also following the way MachSabre transforms the windshield backpack and I haven't had any breakages there yet.

And yeah, I've been really enjoying this recent bevy of designer insight.
Click to expand...

I didn't even know about this video and I figured this method out on my own, haha.

Ikkstakk · Apr 6, 2022

I'd love it if he got even crunchier about how to design a vehicle mode so close to the Porsche 935 yet not so close as to need licensing. Sounds like changing the livery was key. Was there anything else, specifically, or just minor alterations were enough to kick it into "genericized vehicle" territory?

Log in or Sign up

Studio Series 86 Toys Behind the Scenes Info from Evan Brooks

CactusReporter Semi-Recognizable Leaker

CactusReporter Semi-Recognizable Leaker

Foster Haslab Victory Saber Backer #3 Veteran

Foster Haslab Victory Saber Backer #3 Veteran

Cheebs Well-Known Member

Cheebs Well-Known Member

Oniconvoy The other black repaint

Fafnir72 XYxInfinity

T-Hybrid Gnodab Kidult (He/Him)

bellpeppers A Meat Popsicle

Liampope Well-Known Member

giga-galvatron Decepticon S.T.A.G ******

faciov42 Well-Known Member

T-Hybrid Gnodab Kidult (He/Him)

Dirge121 I'll be your end of days

Burnout00012 SKREEEEEEEOONK

Onyxstrike Well-Known Member

Novaburnhilde Lord High Governor

Burnout00012 SKREEEEEEEOONK

Ikkstakk Well-Known Member

Log in or Sign up

Studio Series 86 Toys Behind the Scenes Info from Evan Brooks

CactusReporter Semi-Recognizable Leaker

CactusReporter Semi-Recognizable Leaker

Foster Haslab Victory Saber Backer #3 Veteran

Foster Haslab Victory Saber Backer #3 Veteran

Cheebs Well-Known Member

Cheebs Well-Known Member

Oniconvoy The other black repaint

Fafnir72 XYxInfinity

T-Hybrid Gnodab Kidult (He/Him)

bellpeppers A Meat Popsicle

Liampope Well-Known Member

giga-galvatron Decepticon S.T.A.G ******

faciov42 Well-Known Member

T-Hybrid Gnodab Kidult (He/Him)

Dirge121 I'll be your end of days

Burnout00012 SKREEEEEEEOONK

Onyxstrike Well-Known Member

Novaburnhilde Lord High Governor

Burnout00012 SKREEEEEEEOONK

Ikkstakk Well-Known Member

Useful Searches