[We recently had a chance to talk to Klim Kozinevich of Bigshot Toyworks about his personal project, The Four Horsies of the ‘Pocalypse. Klim talks about the concept, the Kickstarter campaign (thru 6.19) to create a 6” art toy of Maddie, mentor to the fearsome four, and shares with us the first photos of the test pulls of the figure.]
Q: Hi Klim. Please tells us briefly about yourself and your background.
Hello, my name is Klim and I operate a small but highly productive character and product development shop called Bigshot Toyworks where we spend our time creating new characters and illustrations for advertising campaigns, developing all sorts of toys and games for various agencies and companies and developing some of the most intricate and detailed collectibles that we can for our friends, clients and creative partners.
Q: We know that the Four Horises of the 'Pocalypse began with your 'Friendship is Madness' project which appears to be a Cthulhu inspired re-imagining of the biblical 'Four Horseman of the Apocalypse'. How did you come up with the initial concept and what convinced you to pursue it?
It all started out with a brainstorm as I was trying to come up with some interesting ideas for new characters. My personal non-work style is all about cute shapes and forms, so I was drawing puppies, and kittens and robots, and then I had a thought that it would be awesome to do a mashup of a Cute horse and various themes that no one considers cute, and this is how Maddie was born. Then I was thinking of what would the kids of the horses of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse look like? What would their lives be like? Where would they live and how can we make it funny? This was the basic premise for the Four Horsies and that is what we are working on parallel to the Kickstarter.
Q: I think some of the interest and appeal of the project is the perceived link to 'My Little Pony' and the notion that it turns the original material on its head. Was this reference part of your original idea?
The main characters in this story are all horses and Maddie has a horse body to help relate to the group. They also all live in a world populated with all manner of interesting and fantastical creatures. I hope to get a chance to explore this world further at some point later this year. I spent a lot of time exploring forms, proportions and shapes and these are the shapes and proportions that I like. The characters can certainly live next to MLP on the shelf but they can certainly hang with any other figure on the block.
Q: You (and Tenacious Toys) are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of a 6" Little Maddie Figure (the FourHorsies' mentor). Perhaps it's obvious considering your background, but why toys as the first product from the project and not say a book or other media form ?
I like 3D objects and that is how I respond to design. I love toys because they are characters that I can hold and let my imagination bring them to life. It is also a great way to share your designs as tangible objects in a digital world. There is also great fun in seeing people go WTF did I just see? And then see that followed up with a smile.
Q: What sets Maddie and the Four Horsies universe apart from the countless other toys lining shelves? Or put another way, why should we all back the Kickstarter project?
I think it is a matter of personal taste and a sense of humor. If you get it you get it. And if the design, form and story appeals to you then please back the project. I feel that we managed to create something unique, funny and smart. It may not be for everyone but neither were Bogglins, My pet Monster. Powerlords, and Skeleton warriors.
Thank you for your time and support. I hope we can have another chat at NYCC when we have production figures in hand and host a small art show dedicated to the ‘Pocalypse.
