Shawn Smith is one busy, busy man. When he isn’t creating Shawnimal greatness with his wife and business partner Jennifer Brody, he’s been busy creating a Ninjatown game for Nintendo DS (due out probably in October 2008), partnering with Squibbles Ink on the recently debuted Plushform DIY Plush and pretty much just taking over the world. We hunted Shawn down and asked him about all the yummy projects on his plate.
First off, we can’t wait for the Ninjatown coming to life in a game format! How did the whole Ninjatown for Nintendo DS come about?
A long time ago I worked as a game reviewer/editor for Electronic Gaming Monthly, and, of course, before that played games constantly. After starting Shawnimals the idea of making a game based around our world inhabited by our characters, was always in the back of my mind. Since I had some friends in the industry, we would talk now and again generally about the idea of a Shawnimals game, but it wasn’t until late 2006 that we started talking seriously. Fast forward to Summer 2007, and the project was green lit and the contract was signed. The whole experience has been amazing and surreal.
(screen shots of Ninjatown)
What the skinny on the game? What do the Ninjas do in their game world? Are some of their secret weapons Stealth Hug, Sneak Snuggle and Fist of Tickle Fury included?
The basic idea is good versus evil. Mr. Demon and the Wee Devils want desperately to control Ninjatown for their own selfish, Shawnimaland-dominating reasons. Your job is to stop that from happening. As for specifics, still a bit early to talk about that, but the Ninjas do have a variety of special moves, including some of those. 
Did your work with the game industry (Electronic Gaming Monthly) hook you up with the right people to say “Hey I have a ninja doll, let make a game?”.
Yeah, somewhat, but truth be told I was really out of the game industry loop for the most part. I don’t have any of the new systems, except for DS. While I know it helped to have worked at EGM, I would like to think our little Ninjas had a compelling enough look, so SouthPeak the game publisher looked at them and said, “Hey I think we might be onto something here…”
What games are you playing right now?
Ninjatown… early build. 
When you guys handcrafted your first plushy did you have ANY inkling that it would become what it has?
Not at all. We didn’t start Shawnimals as a business. It started as a hobby — basically an art project — and developed from there. In fact, it’s really fun, if not therapeutic, to go back to those old drawings and photos and see where we came from. I love what we do now, and am thrilled about all of the recent successes, but of course there’s that part of me that misses the simplicity of those times, when I could make something directly, take photos for our site, and interact with our friends and fans immediately. But I’m definitely NOT complaining.
How often are you guys producing handsewn plushes? And does that mean when you and Jennifer are sitting around watching movies, both with needle and thread in hand?
Me personally? Not as often as I’d like. When we make a piece for an art show, for instance, 95% of the time I’m making it from start to finish. Some of the time Jen and I collaborate. Other times we have our staff (2 part timers and an intern) help us, especially if it’s higher quantity stuff. Of course, we have our handmade line as well, which keeps us very busy. Jen and our staff work on those in-house, and I focus on the design side, including tags, getting our felt pieces cut, promo materials, illustrations, etc. These days we try not to take work home. Easier to keep it at our office and workshop, and pick it up the next day.
Recently, you’ve been busy with the worldwide Plushform release and custom exhibition that’s happening in June at Rotofugi in Chicago (the show opens June 27th here). Will these be the same customs that were on display at NYCC or will there be mostly new ones?
A few of them, yes, but by and large my partner on Plushform (Joe from Squibblies Ink) and I have been focused on putting together a really amazing line-up for the PF release / custom exhibition on June 27th. Just to name a few: APAK, Steff Bomb, My Paper Crane, Jesse Hernandez, Anna Chambers, Jenny Harada, Jen Rarey, Brian Flynn, Bloo Empire, MCA, Cameron Tiede, Little Friends of Printmaking, Travis Lampe, Jeremy Tinder, Jose Garibaldi, Cupco, Peskimo, Sichi, Playskewl, Jasper Wong, Dacosta, and Julie West, to name a few. We’re very pleased with the response, and are confident all of the pieces on display will show you just what’s possible with Plushform. The full list of artists is here:
(above from left to right: blUtt, My Paper Crane, fathom
How did you hook up with all these artists, the list you have is pretty long!
We knew going into this exhibition we wanted to go big, and really show off this new medium. Nobody else out there has done a DIY plush like this in a designer toy context, and we’ve seen from the NYCC customs that people can really go to town on the PF blanks. After working on a long list and seeing who would be good to include, I just hit up people I’ve met over the years, or at least have shown with, and gave them the run-down on Plushform and graciously asked if they would do one for the show. Some were able, some weren’t, but the response was really positive either way, and I really have to send a huge THANK YOU to those who are doing one.
I’m sure you’re looking forward to seeing them all, but are there a couple that you’re really antsy to get your paws on?
I hate to use the canned response: “There’s no way for me to choose…” But I’m gonna. I mean, look at that list! APAK? Anna Chambers? Cupco? Little Friends? Jasper Wong? How could I possibly pick one or two? I want all of them.
And if you could have any artist living or dead customize a Plushform, who would that be?
Philip Guston. I’d like to think he would’ve been into it, too. But that’s probably wishful thinking.
What other shapes and sizes will you be doing? And when will those be coming out?
We’ll definitely be doing new Plushform shapes, but we don’t have anything written in stone yet. Chances are PF002 will not be based on a Shawnimal shape, and will, instead, be something all new. But like I said, we’re still looking at several options. As for when, let’s see how the first one does, and we’ll take it from there.
It looks like you have a lot on your plate, any other projects in the hooper?
We recently partnered with Devil’s Due Publishing to create a Ninjatown comic, journal and special edition plush. Look for those late June, and throughout the Summer. Dumpling vinyl with adFunture! 6 different designs, no blind-boxed, available this summer. (see below)
Find out more about Shawnimals here!
May 9th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
uh-oh. i think i’m going to have to buy a Nintendo DS. that game looks like so much fun. i want it!
awesome interview! i can’t wait to see those custom Plushforms.