Depending on what your Twitter timeline looks like, you maybe you’ve seen your favorite influencer or a trader talking about Claynosaurz, the adorable 3D dinosaurs on Solana taking the NFT world by storm. Despite the SOL and ETH communities being relatively independent of each other, this project has brought them together, drawing Ethereum enthusiasts to SOL.
Today, chain transitions are not rare. Most recently, top Solana projects DeGods and y00ts have also migrated chains to Ethereum and Polygon respectively. As NFTs become increasingly chain-agnostic, the boundaries between different blockchain worlds become increasingly blurred and integrated. As a result, users can now easily access and use these digital assets without too much friction or complexity.
While there are dozens extensive Twitter threads on Claynosaurz, they are often buried and forgotten with the constant stream of new content. To make sure this is not the case, we spoke to the CEO of the project, Andrew Pelekisand co-founder Nick Cabana (Cabanimation) to give you a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about the world of Claynosaurz. Dive in for the story of how Claynosaurz got started, their plans to build the brand’s IP, a look behind the wildly popular IRL booster pack activations, and some exclusive footage.
What is Claynosaurs?
Claynosaurz is a 3D production studio focused on developing high-quality entertainment IP in Web3 with an emphasis on ongoing community involvement. The team is composed of artists from Sony, Disney, Dreamworks, Ubisoft, Netflix, Warner Bros, Marvel, Industrial Light & Magic and more.
The idea came about in late 2021 when Nic and his partner Dan Cabral, both seasoned animation industry professionals, began conceptualizing the Claynosaurz intellectual property. With the proliferation of NFTs, Nic’s brother Phil Cabana suggested taking the idea into the Web3 world and developing it as an NFT project.
In November 2022, the team turned the idea into a collection of 10,000 animated 3D NFTs. This genesis collection included six types of Clayno: Rex, Trice, Stego, Ankylo, Bronto, and Raptor. The first release was a huge success, with a trading volume of over 130,000 in just a few hours and 600,000 in just two weeks. The floor is at 63.26 SOL ($1,355.64) at the time of writing.
Pelekis, who had served as an advisor, officially joined the team as CEO soon after. In addition to the founding members, the team also includes 11 additional artists.
Claynosaurz lore
The Claynosaurz origin story follows a young boy who spends his summer at his grandparents’ house. While rummaging through his grandpa’s attic, he discovers toys, clay, and cards, which he uses to create dinosaurs that roam an area called Claynotopia. Claynosaurz is a figment of his colorful and curious imagination. Despite the fleeting nature of summer, this story pays homage to a child’s boundless imagination, where a world exists in their mind with no end in sight.
“While we have a big picture of what will take longer [story] bow is, the rest we will buy [from] our community. We believe this makes the brand more recognizable and creative.”
Andrew Pelekis
But this is just the beginning of the story. Pelekins explained that the lore is left unfinished on purpose.
“We have a base of the story and we know where our North Star is,” Pelekis said. “While we have a good idea of what the longer arch is, we will buy the rest [from] our community. We believe this makes the brand more recognizable and creative.”
This idea is prevalent throughout Web3. Many filmmakers, artists and storytellers have embraced the power of NFTs to engage audiences earlier and more often in the creative process. This results, among other things, in a much more meaningful connection between the consumer and the product.
“Traditionally, IP development has meant large upfront investments over a long period of time, such as making a movie, game or TV show,” Pelekis said, referring to the differences between building in Web2 and Web3. “But you don’t get real feedback until release, and it hits the mark. In Web3 you can make money early in the product development cycle, build a community that offers ongoing feedback, and [create] unparalleled brand loyalty through a sense of ownership and being part of the journey.”
Clay makers, clay, croissants and more
Making 10,000 3D animated NFTs may seem like an impressive feat, but the Clayno ecosystem is actually a lot, a lot of taller. Since launching, they have released additional collections including Claymakers, Clays, Sardinhas, Croissants, Tacos and Pizzas.
Early NFT holders were Claymakers and Clay dropped, but new holders can still purchase these items from a Solana marketplace. In total there are 10,000 Claymakers and 31,000 Clay NFTs. “The Claymaker acts as a transmuter. It’s actually a tool in the game to craft items,” Pelekis explained. “A bit like how the kid who plays with clay has his tools to create new things.”
There are three types of Claymakers: First (one use), Deluxe (five uses), and Limited (unlimited use). There are also six colors of single use clay (black, blue, red, green, white and yellow) and one clay for unlimited use (gold).
Gradually, Clay can be used to forge armor for the Claynos, who will then take on different classes.
The Claymaker can also be used with the items obtained from IRL events to serve as a burning or smashing experience called “molding” to create new items in the story. At each in-person event, exclusive digital items will be distributed to the community in the form of booster packs, depending on the location.
“The team handed out NFTs depicting sardine cans in Lisbon, croissants in Paris and pizza slices at NFT NYC,” Pelekis said. “Each item pays homage to the location where it was handed out, a nod to what they are best known for.”
Using the Claymaker, the croissants from Paris in the future can be fashioned into medieval themed gear, and tacos can be fashioned into City of Angels themed gear for the dinos. Currently, the Sardinhas can be formed into eggs. The eggs will later emerge in a new strain of Clayno – but more on that later.
IRL as guerrilla activation for onboarding
Among the usual offerings of Web3 IRL events, such as open bars, DJs, and over-the-top art installations, Claynosaurz has received notable acclaim for its booster packs that stand out from the norm.
By incorporating the thrill and nostalgia of opening a beloved childhood Pokémon card pack, they’ve managed to seamlessly blend the digital and personal experiences for attendees. In a video by content creator Minhxdynasty, attendees (who get a free booster pack for attending a Claynosaurz event) can be seen united in their eagerness and anticipation to open a coveted “rare” card. The value of both common and rare cards can range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars.
Nic says this has been a great way to recruit new people into the ecosystem. Claynosaurz works with Cupcake Protocol to use communication technology (NFC) on mobile devices via secure NFC tags on each card, which are linked to smart contracts.
“What we’re doing with Cupcake gives us the opportunity to reward people for attending those events. It has an element of fun, which is what we’re all about. And adds an element of mystery. It also presents NFTs in a way that is extremely approachable to a new demographic,” says Nic.
This increases the chance that the friends of Web3 natives, who may not be familiar with Web3, will come on board and get to know the platform.
“There are people who don’t know about NFTs and say they’re like Pokémon cards, but with a lot of added uses because it’s digital,” Nic said. They tap it on their phone and get a free digital collectible. And that digital collector’s item is worth something.”
What’s next in Claynotopia
There’s a lot to be excited about for Claynotopia fans. In the short term, the community will release new items that can be built through the Claymaker, including companions for the dinosaurs. A new species of Clayno will soon be available: the Pterodactylus. Using the Claymaker, Sardinhas keepers can burn their NFT for an egg that will hatch into a clay Dactyl.
On a larger scale, the team’s efforts are focused on expanding the reach of their IP and integrating it into the mainstream. They are currently developing a game and exploring several other avenues.
“Our initial focus is on short videos and eventually we plan to explore longer formats through a TV show, YouTube series or even a movie,” explained Pelekis. He also said the upcoming game will offer a fresh and unique way to interact with collectibles, with a gameplay experience similar to Dungeons and Dragons.
Overall, the Claynosaurz team aims to prove that high-quality studio-level entertainment IP can be successfully built on Web3, demonstrating that it is not limited to just Web2.
“The opportunity is to expand the Claynosaurz brand through content production, not just for Web3, but also through traditional distribution channels,” said Pelekis. “In addition, building a character studio that can efficiently develop IP that starts in Web3 but can penetrate other avenues is another long-term goal.”