Lunchboxes - Answer from Ross

[hollis27]

I took Jason's suggestion and asked AU what's up with the lunchboxes. Thought I'd post the response I got here for anyone who's interested.

----- Original Message -----


Hey Ross,
How's it going? Quick question...why aren't the lunchboxes done yet?
__________________________________________________________

They needed an art change which was provided to them. They've been printed and will be getting formed this week.

[Megs]

They needed an art change which was provided to them. They've been printed and will be getting formed this week.

That's not what Jason was told. In another post he mentioned he got an e-mail saying that the metal (not even the lunchboxes) would be warehoused if Ross didn't get in touch with someone by Wednesday.

Ross, is this true?

[Jason R]

The metal was printed. So there is lots of pretty metal that has lunchbox templates printed on it and pictures of the MSCL cast, but it has to be turned into lunchboxes. If it goes to storage, it will add at least several weeks to the process.

[starbug]

AARRRGGHH!



This just gets worse and worse. I'd love it if Ross would just come online and post a big email detailing all the problems with what is left to do plus some realistic timescales.

I'm losing my sense of humour over this now. And that is the one thing that keeps me going...

[Jason R]

You and me both. It bothers me that there has been clearance to move ahead with the lunchboxes since late July. While it may look like I am trying to humiliate AU into doing something (I'd prefer the term "pressure"), just understand that I really am trying to show an enormous amount of restraint.

[starbug]

Gotcha Jason . Totally understand. If I were in your position, there's no way I'd be so restrained... I reckon you've been the picture of understatement and patience thus far. Which is more than I can say of myself.

So, Ross: Bring it on baby... let's have some comprehensive answers. If you don't know the answers, say you don't know. But also say why and how long it will be before you do know...

That would at least allow me to welcome back my sense of humour with open arms. Although I admit pigs might fly past my office window first.


I'm laughing, but it's more of a manic hysteria than anything else...

[pgh kenny]

So there is lots of pretty metal that has lunchbox templates printed on it and pictures of the MSCL cast

At this point, I'll take a pretty printed sheet of metal sans the stamping. I think it would hang nicely on my bare office wall. It would be a nice conversation piece as well.

[Jason R]

might be delivered faster too. they can just stick some stamps on it and send it as a huge metal postcard.

So there is lots of pretty metal that has lunchbox templates printed on it and pictures of the MSCL cast

At this point, I'll take a pretty printed sheet of metal sans the stamping. I think it would hang nicely on my bare office wall. It would be a nice conversation piece as well.

[Anakin]

The metal was printed. So there is lots of pretty metal that has lunchbox templates printed on it and pictures of the MSCL cast, but it has to be turned into lunchboxes. If it goes to storage, it will add at least several weeks to the process.

So why don't they just get the lunchbox finished and send it out? What is the deal to stop the work in progress and store the printed metal in warehouse? This could cause the pritned metal to be scratched.

[David Lambert]

Because they apparently want to get paid first?


AU owes them $8600...check around the forum for that info. I guess they decided they didn't want to invest more time to pay employees to work with the metal to turn it into lunchboxes, if they could not pay the employees for the effort.

[Jason R]

Soon after I posted the info about the $8,600 owed, the facility received a call from Ross telling them not to speak to me any longer and that I am not involved with AnotherUniverse, etc. etc.

I have this to say:

It was always part of the deal to share the goings-on of the production process. If you don't want embarassing stuff posted, then don't do embarassing stuff. It's pretty simple.

BMG hasn't screwed anything up. You don't see me posting anything negative about them. I think the lunchbox company http://www.gwhizonline.net has been great, with the patience of saints. You don't see anything bad here. No criticism for anybody. A huge debt is owed to all of them.

I am not bad mouthing anybody. I'm just telling the truth. The offer of the truth is what originally sold this DVD! Now people want to know why everything is so screwed up, so I am telling them.

People deserve to know why they were pre-charged the full amount when everybody else has had to pull teeth to get paid.

[Anakin]

People deserve to know why they were pre-charged the full amount when everybody else has had to pull teeth to get paid.

I truely believe that we people who pre-ordered and got charged should have the right to know what is going on.

Would AU pay the $8600 to the lunchbox company within this week? I beleive AU had more than enough cash to pay it as most of us are charged or even double charged.
So what is the situation now, Ross?

[GordLacey]

I think the lunchbox company http://www.gwhizonline.net has been great, with the patience of saints. You don't see anything bad here. No criticism for anybody. A huge debt is owed to all of them.

It's funny...back in June when Jason and I were at GWhiz they showed us a render of a lunchbox they did. Jason asked when they could do a render of the MSCL box and the reply was "Well....we'd like to see some cash". I was surprised that they hadn't seen any money yet. Sure, they've been paid some money now, but geez....they're STILL owed a ton of it.

I think the only person that didn't have a problem getting paid was Dan.

Gord

[Jason R]

Anakin, you are right.

In any other case, you could almost forgive the CEO of a small company for saying "$8,600 is a lot of cash for me to come up with this week." However, this was a situation in which the fans were financing the set, and I think that they are now asking "was I financing the DVDs or was I financing Another Universe?"

Too often, I heard Mike McCullough at AU.com say that "this project is great for cash flow," and he even used cash flow as a reason for not wanting to refund somebody who orders a significant number of DVD sets. At the same time, Ross would tell me "Jason, you know that this DVD is not the only project we are working on." Kind of treating it like it was no big deal.

Well, I ask you to look at the front page of anotheruniverse.com. Does it look like this DVD project was not a big deal for them? (If you don't want to visit the site, if you click there you will see a big picture of Angela Chase at the top of the screen). I'd say that it was a big deal for them, and they should have made an extra-special effort not to f*** things up.

Justin once told me I was "paranoid" when I spoke about some of my problems with AU. I suppose that he sought to discredit me in some way. Make me seem like some nutty guy who was losing his grasp on reality. Those who know me KNOW that I am a nutty kind of guy, and a perfectionist, so I don't view it as paranoia. I view it as anger and disgust based on the actions of others. NOT my perceptions.

And the two things should not be confused. I believe that I am being perfectly reasonable, as are any of the customers who are upset with AU.

People deserve to know why they were pre-charged the full amount when everybody else has had to pull teeth to get paid.

I truely believe that we people who pre-ordered and got charged should have the right to know what is going on.

Would AU pay the $8600 to the lunchbox company within this week? I beleive AU had more than enough cash to pay it as most of us are charged or even double charged.
So what is the situation now, Ross?