The Dark Side Wins: Lucasfilm Shuts Down Star Wars Fan Movie Marathon
from the the-force-is-not-with-you dept
AdamR was the first of a few of you to send in this story of how lawyers for Lucasfilm sent a cease-and-desist letter to a group of Star Wars fans who had organized a (free, not for profit) Star Wars movie marathon (all 13-hours) at a bar in Brooklyn. It's the sort of fun thing that Star Wars fans might enjoy and which would increase their connection to the franchise. But Lucasfilm, of course, calls it copyright infringement, and says that there's a ban on public display of the film right now. Legally, there's no doubt that Lucasfilm is in the right here. But, practically speaking, why would the company do this? What good does it do? Would it have hurt Lucasfilm in any way to allow this to go on? Instead, you have about 200 annoyed (former?) fans. This is exactly how you don't connect with fans, but piss them off.
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Filed Under: copyright, fans, movie marathon, star wars
Companies: lucasfilm
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Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
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Han shot first
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Re: Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
Eh, it made as much sense as most of what ootb spouts.
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Where is the Death Star when you need it
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Re:
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Re: Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
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A perfect example...
Lucasfilms could have handled this SOOOO much better. They could have stepped up and sponsored the event, arranged an appearance or two, set up some booths of "Official Merchandise" and made some money off this free event, and whatever else to make it profitable for them and something truly special.
It's shameful how lawyers, greed, and bad law have completely ruined the world of entertainment and all the joy it SHOULD bring.
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Re: A perfect example...
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PRISM - Action/Scifi Film!
Although the acting is bad and the special effects although technically well done lack some creativity, the fact that a group of people could make that and put it on Youtube and people can watch it for free all over the world without geocraplocking or limitations is just blows the mind.
I don't know the copyright terms in that movie, but if they can do it so can other, fans of movies should band together and start forming groups to finance and produce their own free versions like it happened in music with.
Maybe something like PLORK but for movies.
It is time to move away from those stupid people.
Every single geek should find artists that are in favor of this and start making derivative works of them, and sending them whatever they could sell, every geek should be a salesman and representative authorized or not for free-artists and should help them flourish and speed the process up.
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Yay!
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Dollar Wars
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If we let the flood gates open...
So they have to ask people to cease and desist, otherwise it would be an open slather. Considering they are in the process of re-releating it in 3D at the movies in the near future, its in their best interests to now have it open to the public.
Good on them for protecting their god given rights! Its a shame for those wanting to see it, but you should be blaming those who would take advantage of other peoples work, not those trying to protect it.
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Re: If we let the flood gates open...
Well put;)
Good on them for protecting their god given rights!
If you believe the government is "god"... you're one to worry about.
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If they keep rewarding or forgiving bad behavior, it will not be seen as bad behavior.
If you were Lucas and could do whatever you wanted without consequence, would YOU change?
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The Copyright Evil Empire
Lucasfilm should heed their own words.
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Re: Re: If we let the flood gates open...
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Was this just meant to cover parts 1-3 to save us form the schlock that was built out of the carcass of the original films?
Or are you busily digitally changing JarJar into something non-threatening non-offensive, like a walkie talkie that shoots bullets?
In their defense, it was only 200 fans this time. If they had looked away the next time would have been 2000 fans and they would loose control of the entire Star Wars world!
The evil evil people who just wanted to share something they loved with others would have turned it into a orgy of murder as the movies were shown without paying Lucas!
Hopefully someday the fans will get tired of playing Tina to Lucasfilms Ike, and just walk away. Think you could get his attention if not a single one of the over priced licensed doohickeys sold for a year?
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Re: Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
Why would they not want to connect with fans? It's common sense in this interconnected two-way entertainment world we now live in.
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Re: Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
You're wrong the industry is just a bunch of douche-bags, shame on you for thinking any of those industry fucks care. Way to think rich people still have their humanity, fucking optimist.
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Re: Where is the Death Star when you need it
um Return of the Jedi is awesome. Sure its not Empire but its a good movie. Why just 1? Did you give up and not see 2 and 3? Bravo if you did, I sat through those pieces of nonsensical shit.
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Re: If we let the flood gates open...
Right, so who has taken advantage of whom?
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Re: Re: A perfect example...
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Re: Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
Reading comprehension failing you again. The argument is not that they *want* to connect with fans, but that they *should*. Here we have another example as to why they should - this has achieved nothing and saved no sales, but has pissed off a crowd of actual fans who may no longer be in line to buy their new product. When they lose money due to this failure, they don't get to scream "piracy" because the people they pissed off don't want their product any more.
Sadly, George Lucas should know this. He made his fortune by connecting with fans and made far more money from the merchandising rights (previously considered almost worthless) than the actual films. He seems to have forgotten how to service his audience in recent years.
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star wars
Stop reworking your old movies and do something original,you hyped up HACK.
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What profit are they missing out on, since these films are not in theatres right now? Does anyone think these 200 people wont rush off to purchase the blu-ray release on day one?
What the apolpgists need to get through their heads is that some things are worth more than today's profits.....that is next year's profits.
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The reason why...
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Seth Mcfarland...
McFarland tells Lucas that he loves his films and he has all of them on DVD. Lucas replies that he loves Family Guy and has all the episodes on Tivo... At that point Mcfarland maintained his grace but you can see his expression twist from awe to "WTF? Seriously? Tivo? I buy your movies and you copy my TV show? Lucas was totally shameless about this... A little continuity please Mr. Lucas.
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While they might have had the "right" to do what they did, in not looking for a way to keep it legal and make the fans happy they shot themselves in the foot.
Imagine if everyone checked a disc out of redbox and then invited the whole neighborhood over, no one there would ever rent that movie or go out and buy it ever! Movie theatres would collapse, the popcorn industry would fail, blood would rain from the skies!
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Thats "Poppa George" for Ya!
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Re: Re: Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
Unfortunately, today Lucas has found himself on the other side of the Hollywood line, looking at fans as a cynical source of revenue rather than a actual people to connect with. Indeed, Lucasfilm is pretty much worse than Hollywood at this point. And he's so heavily protected, so separated from reality and buffered with assistants and producers and lawyers, he probably doesn't even realize it.
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Not to mention
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Re: Re:
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Re: Considering they are fans, dont you think they all already own these movies on VHS, DVD and even got their handson the Star Wars Christmas Special?
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Have you never been to a fan screening of a popular or cult film? It cannot in any way be compared to watching the film at home, even with a small group. Plus it was at a bar!
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Re: If we let the flood gates open...
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So how does one show support for the craft?
Is there a communication channel lined up, publicly, to obtain consent?
How much does it cost?
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We know you're doing this. It's technically not legal. We'll let you get away with it this time, but we're not waiving our right to sue you if you do anything more than that.
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By not allowing this instead these 200 people went to 20 peoples houses and watched them there.
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> it's that they'll continue to swallow whatever
> Lucas shoves in their face
It would be equally true if you
* replace "Star Wars fans" with "Apple fans"
* replace "Lucas" with "Jobs"
if there's one thing I learned from Apple fans,
it's that they'll continue to swallow whatever
Jobs shoves in their face
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This doesn't apply if the movie is Sita Sings the Blues.
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Re: Re: Maybe you ought to re-examine your premise,
The Brooklyn bar thing is a perfect example. They were going to show all the movies in one sitting and not charge for the movies. Lucas gets nothing so he attempts to can it. Now 200 or so Brooklynites do not get to sit around talking about Star wars and whether jar jar blinks is a better character than wookie or not.
Now the article in the paper I read (NY POST) stated the C&D letter stated that the bar was charging admission and that was why they did not give permission. The C&D was received 2 days before the show date so the bar cancelled it. I wonder if they sent an email back saying since they were not charging they were going to show it, and make sure it arrived a day or two after the showing what the result would have been.
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Re: Re: If we let the flood gates open...
And where did government come into this? We are talking about a company that OWNS this enforcing their rights to hold onto that ownership.... I don't see how you even brought government into the equation.
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Re: A perfect example...
They definitely handled this wrong. They should have just offered them some sort of discounted fee so they could protect their copyright and still let it happen. It is events like this that keep the franchise going (and all kinds of scifi and comic conventions)...
M
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Re: Re: Re: If we let the flood gates open...
"Good on them for protecting their god given rights! Its a shame for those wanting to see it, but you should be blaming those who would take advantage of other peoples work, not those trying to protect it."
Copyright is a government granted right NOT a god given right.
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Once again, it is the copyright holder who decides how his or her work will be distributed, and how it will be advertised. No one else has that right.
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Re: Re: Where is the Death Star when you need it
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How to Piss of Star Wars Fans
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