'Vinyl Addiction' Interview: Designer Toys Are the Next Art Movement

In Vinyl Addiction, Jesse Hernandez interviews designers toy artists and enthusiasts. In one episode, Hernandez spends time with Joe Hahn of Linkin Park to see his art and toy collection and tour Hahn’s store SURU. Hernandez’s work as an artist and animator helps make Vinyl Addiction a very slick insider’s look at the vinyl toy phenomenon. Each episode features bold graphics and great images of vinyl toys, art, street-wear and more. Tubefilter talked to Hernandez to learn more about the seriously fun world of designer toy art, the making of Vinyl Addiction episodes, and how the world of art toys embraces the show.

Tubefilter: Your art and toy designs combine traditional indigenous styles with urban street themes. How did you develop your style?

Jesse Hernandez: My style is always evolving. The themes have stayed the same, but as an artist you must always continue to learn.

Tubefilter: Who are some of your favorite toy artists?

JH: I have tons of artists that I am a fan of, but here’s the ones of the top of the dome: Michael Lau, Tim Tsui, Marka 27, Doze Green, Pushead, Coarsetoys, KAWS, Sket, Huck, MAD, Usugrow, Sam Flores.

Tubefilter: Do you also have your own toy collections?

KH: Of course, I have 3 display cases full of just Black and monotone pieces, and a bunch more I don’t have room to display.

Tubefilter: You have designed toys for Kidrobot, Toyqube, Kaching. What toys do you have coming out next?

JH: I just finished the signings for the Bic Buddy series with Bic Plastics and Marka 27. There was a ton of great artists on that series. Now I’m finishing up the plans for my first original toy with Bic Plastics named “Ozomahlti” which is nahuatl meaning “monkey”. I’m very excited to finally get this bad boy out. It’s been many years in the making. There will be a few exclusives to with some of my favorite stores as well. We debuted the prototype this year at San Diego Comic Con. I also have a few collaborations dropping soon.

Tubefilter: Your show goes behind the scenes with interviews with toy artists, companies, and collectors. How did this thing originally come about?

JH: I work on a cartoon called The Nutshack for MYX.tv. They wanted our group to expand to become program development for MYX, which basically means we would be responsible for coming up with fresh concepts for future shows. So we pitched a few pilots. Vinyl Addiction was the show I pitched, and we came down to LA to shoot the pilot episode and the company loved it so they green-lighted the show. I’ve been rocking on it ever since.

Tubefilter: How do you decide who to interview?

JH: Having been involved in the scene for a long time now both as a collector and artist, I have a pretty good sense of who I need to cover in the industry. Also it depends on location. We’re located in the Bay area, so we catch as many people as we can when they come through SF, but we also try to hit as many big events as the budget can afford. When we do travel, as the producer I have to maximize the amount of segments and interviews we can get while we’re there. So they can be pretty intense, but always fun.

Tubefilter: Your first four episodes featured Marka27, Joe Hahn, Roy Miles, and David Flores. Who else is coming up on Vinyl Addiction?

JH: We’ve been shooting since last year so we’ve got a ton of interviews on the way, such as Michael Lau, DJ Qbert, Rob Dyrdek, STRANGEco, Tristan Eaton, PON, MAD, Sket-one, Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters, Craola, Patrick Ma, Toy Qube, Joe Ledbetter, Tara Mcpherson, Ron English, Dacosta Bayley, Brian Flynn, The Super Sucklord, Big Foot, Andrew Bell, Trace Tubera, and tons more.

Tubefilter: Tell us about how an episode is put together?

JH: It takes a long time, because I strive for the show to be as polished and slick as possible. I want to make sure that the other artists are happy with how they are represented, and have it as informative, and entertaining as possible. It’s also a very visually driven show, so it’s pretty intense for the editing process. From start to finish the step by step goes something like this: booking an interview, coordinating with the crew, shooting the interview, B-roll, acquire additional B-Roll from the artist, import the footage, cut down, final cut down, add B-roll graphics, final approval.

Tubefilter: What camera do you shoot with?

JH: We shoot for broadcast standard with a pair of Panasonic DVX 100’s.

Tubefilter: How many people are on the crew?

JH: It all depends. When we’re on shoots its normally just me as the Host and Producer and my Camera man Joe Perry. Sometimes we get an intern and if we’re lucky another field producer.When it comes to editing its really just me and my boy Roland Posadas working on it. So we make it happen with a pretty small crew.

Tubefilter: What do you do to market Vinyl Addiction? What are the best ways to reach out to the designer and urban toy community to know about the show?

JH: Right now we’re just guerilla style, letting people know just by posting on the blog, and announcing over Twitter or Facebook, and of course through the Main news sites for the Art Toy scene, Vinylpulse, Toys R evil, Clutter, Plastic and Plush, Spanky Stokes, Vinyl Abuse, and Toybot Studios.