Jim Swearingen foi o designer principal
da linha original “Star Wars” da Kenner quando o filme estreou em 1977.
Swearingen também contribuiu para muitas linhas de produtos populares,
incluindo PlayDoh, Spirograph, Baby Alive, Care Bears e Strawberry Shortcake.
SWCP: Fale-nos um pouco sobre o seu trabalho como designer de brinquedos na Kenner.
J.S:
Fomos encarregados de apresentar novas ideias, explorar novos materiais, analisar propostas de inventário e procurar propriedades intelectuais como Six Million Dollar Man e, claro, Star Wars e muito mais.
SWCP: Nessa altura, os filmes não eram tidos em grande consideração nas linhas de brinquedos.Concorda connosco se dissermos que Star Wars revolucionou o conceito de merchandise de brinquedos de filmes?
J.S:
Em 1977, a única propriedade cinematográfica que tinha sido licenciada era «Planet of the Apes». Quando «Star Wars» estava a ser promovido às empresas de brinquedos, elas recusaram porque era um filme, era ficção científica e estreava em maio. As empresas de brinquedos perceberam que não teriam o produto disponível até 1978 e não quiseram arriscar com SW.
Isso foi até o roteiro voltar para Cincinnati. Como eu conhecia o filme «THX 1138», de George Lucas, e o seu sucesso com «American Graffiti», em 1973, e tinha lido uma matéria na revista Star Log, em novembro de 1975, sobre um projeto em que Lucas estava a trabalhar com a 20th Century Fox, eu estava preparado para SW.
Tive a oportunidade de ser a primeira pessoa a ler o roteiro e ver fotos do programa e assumi a liderança do projeto SW. Além de desenvolver a primeira linha de produtos, também fui o elo de ligação entre a Kenner e a Lucasfilm.
SWCP: É também um colecionador. Quais são os seus items mais valiosos a nível monetário e sentimental?
J.S: Tenho uma coleção muito pequena. O meu X-Wing original e o X-Wing e o TIE Fighter que dei à minha mãe, são os produtos mais valiosos. Também tenho uma boa coleção de cartazes originais de filmes.
SWCP: Que balanço faz acerca da sua participação em convenções de Star
Wars e de colecionismo?
J.S: Gosto de conhecer tantos fãs de SW e colecionadores de brinquedos e ouvir as suas histórias sobre como SW e os nossos brinquedos contribuíram para as suas infâncias.
SWCP: Em que projetos está atualmente a trabalhar?
J.S: Estou reformado e agora passo parte do meu tempo a viajar para convenções.
SWCP: Que mensagem gostaria de enviar aos fãs de Star Wars?
J.S: Que a Força esteja convosco e continuem a desfrutar de Star Wars.
ENGLISH VERSION:
Jim Swearingen served as lead designer for Kenner's
original "Star Wars" line when the movie debuted in 1977. Swearingen
also contributed to many popular product lines, including PlayDoh, Spirograph,
Baby Alive, Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake.
SWCP: Tell us a little more about your work as a toy designer at Kenner.
J.S: I attended the University of Cincinnat in Ohio. On graduating with
a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972 I went to work at Kenner Toys in
Cincinnati. I began working on pre-school, Pay-Doh and creative play toys. In
1973 Kenner formed the Preliminary Design Department with David Okada as its
leader. I was one of the first designers in the department.
We were charged with coming up with new ideas, exploring new materials,
reviewing inventory submissions and looking for intellectual properties like
Six Million Dollar Man and of course Star Wars and beyond.
SWCP: At the time, movies weren't given much consideration for toy
lines. Would you agree with us if we said that Star Wars revolutionized the
concept of film toy merchandise?
J.S: Kenner’s first big success with licensed products was the Six
Million Dollar Man. On that project i contributed his ‘bionic eye.’
In 1977 the only movie property that had been licensed was “Planet of
the Apes”. When “Star Wars” was being promoted to toy companies they had been
turned down because it was a movie, it was science fiction and it was opening
in May. Toy companies realized that they would not have product available until
1978 and didn’t want to take the risk on SW.
That was until the script came back to Cincinnati. Since I knew George
Lucas’s movie “THX1138” and his success with “American Graffiti” in 1973 and I
had read a story in Star Log magazine in November 1975 about a project Lucas
was working on with 20th Century Fox, I was primed for SW.
I had the opportunity to be the first person to read the script and see
photos from the show and took the lead on the SW project. Along with developing
the first product line I was also the liaison between Kenner and Lucas film.
SWCP: You're also a collector. What are your most valuable items, both
monetarily and sentimentally?
J.S: I have a very small collection. My original X-Wing and the X-Wing
and TIE Fighter I originally gave my mother are like the most valuable
products. I also have a good collection of original movie posters.
SWCP: What do you think about your participation in Star Wars and
collectors' conventions?
J.S: I enjoy meeting so many SW fans and toy collects and hearing their stories about how SW and our toys contributed to their childhoods.
SWCP: What projects are you currently working on?
J.S: I am retired and now fill a little of my time traveling to
conventions.
SWCP: What message would you like to send to Star Wars fans?
J.S: May the Force be with you and keep enjoying Star Wars.