An exclusive look at the Rising Solana Community
Depending on what your Twitter timeline looks like, you can may have seen your favorite influencer or trader talking about Claynosaurz, the cute 3D dinosaurs on Solana that are taking the NFT world by storm. Despite the fact that the SOL and ETH communities are relatively independent from each other, this project has brought them together, attracting Ethereum enthusiasts to SOL.
These days chainsaws 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 more blurred and integrated. As a result, users can now easily access and use these digital assets without facing so much friction or complexity.
While there are dozens of extensive Twitter threads on Claynosaurz they often get buried and fall into obscurity with the constant flow of new content. To make sure that’s not the case, we spoke to the project’s CEO, Andrew Pelekisand co-founder Nice Cabana (Cabanimation) to bring you a comprehensive guide on 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 its wildly popular IRL booster pack activations, and some exclusive photos.
What are Claynosaurz?
Claynosaurz is a 3D production studio focused on developing quality entertainment IP in the Web3 with an emphasis on continuous community engagement. The team is built by artists from Sony, Disney, Dreamworks, Ubisoft, Netflix, Warner Bros, Marvel, Industrial Light & Magic and more.
The idea started in late 2021 when Nic and his partner Dan Cabral, both experienced professionals in the animation industry, began to conceptualize Claynosaurz’s intellectual property rights. With the meteoric rise of NFTs, Nic’s brother Phil Cabana suggested bringing the idea into the Web3 world and developing it as an NFT project.
In November 2022, the team transformed the idea into a collection of 10,000 animated 3D NFTs. This origin collection included six species of Clayno: Rex, Trice, Stego, Ankylo, Bronto and Raptor. The initial release was met with great success, reaching more than 130k in trading volume after just a few hours and 600k after just two weeks. The floor is 63.26 SOL ($1,355.64) at the time of writing.
Pelekis, who had served as an advisor, officially joined the team as CEO shortly after. Alongside the founders, the team also includes 11 additional artists.
The lore of the Claynosaurz
The origin story of Claynosaurz follows a young boy who spends the summer at his grandparents’ house. While rummaging through his grandfather’s attic, he uncovers toys, clay and maps, 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 celebrates the limitless imagination of a child, where a world exists inside their mind with no end in sight.
“While we have a big picture of what anymore [story] arc is, the rest we will pick up [from] our society. Our view is that this makes the brand more relatable and creative.”
Andrew Pelekis
But this is only the beginning of the story. Pelekins explained that the teachings are purposefully unfinished.
“We have a foundation of history and we know where our North Star is,” Pelekis said. “Even if we have a big picture of what the longer arc is, we’ll pick up the rest [from] our society. Our view is that this makes the brand more relatable and creative.”
This idea prevails throughout Web3. Many filmmakers, artists and storytellers have embraced the power of NFTs to bring audiences into the creative process earlier and more often. This results in a much more meaningful connection between the consumer and the product, among other benefits.
“Traditionally, IP development meant large upfront investments over a long period of time, like making a movie, game or TV show,” Pelekis said, citing the differences between building in Web2 and Web3. “But you only get real feedback on the release, and it’s hit or miss. In Web3, you can monetize early in the product development cycle, build a community that provides ongoing feedback, and [create] unparalleled brand loyalty through a sense of ownership and being part of the journey.”
Clay makers, clay, croissants and more
Creating 10,000 3D animated NFTs may seem like an impressive feat, but the Clayno ecosystem is actually a lot, a lot bigger. Since their launch, they have released several collections including Claymakers, Clays, Sardinhas, Croissants, Tacos and Pizzas.
Early NFT holders were airdropped Claymakers and Clay, but new holders can still purchase these items in a Solana Marketplace. In total, there are 10,000 Claymakers and 31,000 Clay NFTs. “The Claymaker acts as a transmuter. It’s basically an in-game tool for crafting items,” Pelekis explained. “Like a bit like how the child who plays with clay has his tool to create new things.”
There are three types of Claymakers: First (single use), Deluxe (five uses) and Limited (unlimited use). Furthermore, there are six colors of disposable clay (black, blue, red, green, white and yellow) and one clay for unlimited use (gold).
Down the line, Clay can be used to forge armor for Claynos, who will then take on different classes as a result.
The Claymaker can also be used with the items obtained from IRL events to serve as a burning or imprinting experience called “molding” to create new items in the story. At each in-person event, exclusive digital items are released to the community in the form of booster packs depending on location.
“The team handed out NFTs with art representing sardine cans in Lisbon, croissants in Paris and pizza slices at NFT NYC,” said Pelekis. “Each item is a tribute to the place where it was handed out, a nod to what they are best known for.”
Using the Claymaker, the croissants from Paris can be molded into medieval-themed gear in the future, and the Tacos will be able to be molded into City of Angels-themed gear for the dinos. For now, Sardinhas can be molded into eggs. The eggs will later hatch into a new species of Clayno – but more on that later.
IRL as a guerilla activation for boarding
Among the usual offerings of Web3 IRL events, such as open bars, DJs, and lavish art installations, Claynosaurz has gained notable recognition for its booster packs that diverge from the norm.
By incorporating the excitement and nostalgia of opening a beloved childhood Pokémon card pack, they have succeeded in seamlessly blending the digital and in-person experiences for participants. In a video by content creator Minhxdynasty, participants (who receive 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 using communication technology (NFC) on mobile devices through 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 being there at these 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 which is extremely accessible to a new demographic, says Nic.
This increases the likelihood that friends of Web3 natives, who may not be familiar with Web3, will be onboarded and introduced to the platform.
“There are people who don’t know anything about NFTs and say it’s like Pokemon cards but with a lot of extra use cases because it’s digital,” Nic said. They tap it on their phone and get a free digital collectible. And the digital collectible is worth something.”
What’s next in Claynotopia
There is much to enjoy for fans of Claynotopia. In the short term, the community will see the release of new items that can be constructed through Claymaker, including companions for the dinosaurs. Soon a new species of Clayno will be available: Pterodactyl. By using the Claymaker, Sardinhas holders will be able to burn NFT for an egg that will hatch into a clay Dactyl.
On a broader scale, the team’s efforts are aimed at expanding the reach of their IP and integrating it into the mainstream. They are currently developing a game and exploring various other avenues.
“Our initial focus is on short-form videos, and eventually we plan to explore longer formats through a TV show, YouTube series or even a movie,” Pelekis explained. He also mentioned that the upcoming game will offer a fresh and unique way to engage with collectibles, with a gameplay experience similar to Dungeons and Dragons.
Overall, the Claynosaurz team wants to prove that high-quality, studio-level entertainment IP can be successfully built on Web3, and show that it’s not limited to Web2 alone.
“The opportunity is to expand the Claynosaurz brand through content production, not only for Web3, but also across traditional distribution channels,” said Pelekis. “Beyond that, another long-term goal is to build a character studio that can effectively develop IP that begins in Web3 but can penetrate other avenues.”
