Final Fantasy Fan Film Kickstarter Project, Apparently With Square Enix's Tacit Approval

from the good-signs dept

Tue, Jul 23rd 2013 10:57pm — Timothy Geigner

Video game giant Square Enix has never had a great track record when it comes to opting for lawyers over any kind of fan-created works built off of its properties. In fact, far from even making any attempt to encourage its fans, Square instead seems to enjoy the sledgehammer approach. Whether it was shutting down a fan-game set in the enormously popular Chronno Trigger universe, or a similar effort to create an OpenCarmageddon, the trend you'll notice is that these legal moves are made against some of the most rabid fans of some of the most beloved game franchises around.

So what would Square do if someone wanted to build off of what is almost certainly its most beloved franchise, the Final Fantasy games? Well, apparently the company will quietly okay it. At least, that's the case with the Kickstarter project for Final Fantasy 7: The Web Series, which has reportedly secured some of the necessary rights from Square Enix to move forward.

Today the team launched a Kickstarter to raise $400,000 for the project, which is now a 5-6-episode webseries based on Square's popular role-playing game. They say they've got the blessing of series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi—and the rights to use music from Final Fantasy VII.

"We have been in contact with SE for several months, and have attained full music rights," producer Dan Purcell told me in an e-mail today. "We have not however been endorsed or backed by SE. We have passed all necessary steps, including Kickstarter's review process."

Now, this doesn't explicitly say that the company, Square Enix, has given everyone involved the go-ahead for the project, but it's hard to imagine the film creators going through the steps of securing music rights, contacting Sakaguchi, and then leaving it all to risk of the game developer's lawyers. In addition, the Q&A on Kickstarter indicates that the filmmakers have been reaching out to Square, that Square's general counsel is definitely aware of the project, and that the trailer for the series has even appeared on Square's website. I would guess that there has been at least some assurance made that nobody is going to get sued over this and, before anyone rushes to point out that the fans went the route of securing rights, that's only true of the music and no project of this kind is going to be able pay the kind of massive costs rights-holders have previously required. From all appearences, it looks like Square is playing nice.

And if that has indeed happened, it's a huge step forward for Square, and a step that might just be becoming a trend. The company recently went a little more lax when OCRemix, famed video game music organization, wanted to pay tribute to Final Fantasy 6, and Square gave its blessing. If it was now to give a muted nod to this fan film project building off of one of its most popular games ever, it might just be an indication that the company is rethinking its legalistic ways. And that'd be good for all fans of the game, because the web series looks fantastic. If the films are as good as the trailer, they're a big old kick in the crotch to all those that decry fan-generated content. Not to mention a boon to those of us that go all teen-girl-at-a-Bieber-concert for anything related to Final Fantasy 7. I'll be keeping an eye on this to make sure Square doesn't poop the bed, but so far it looks like the company is probably going to play nice.

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Filed Under: fan films, final fantasy, support
Companies: square enix

22 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 12:16am

But if they allow fan made films to take off and start a� trend how will the corporate bigwigs tie in the product placements and exclusive brand partnering with the fast food joints?
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- PaulT (profile), 24 Jul 2013 @ 12:44am
  
  Re:
  I suspect that any attempt to do this with a product that's currently in development would be met with lawyers. You'd be unlikely to see an Assassins Creed fan movie met with such open arms, for example (not least because there's an official movie in the works).
  
  But, a 15 year old product with a rabid fanbase but expensive official spin-offs that haven't made huge amounts of money (IIRC, anyway)? Why not, palm off the risk, gain the reward...
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 12:51am

correction: Chrono Trigger
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 1:02am

Remember that one time Square Enix was like "It's perfectly okay for you to go ahead with Chrono Resurrection" but then when they were six months away from the release date, they immediately sicked the lawyer-dogs on them?

Yeah, Square Enix is like a Hippo. It looks cute and unsuspecting in pictures or when you see it at the zoo, but it is extremely prone to suddenly going berserk and murdering tourists.
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WeChat for PC, 24 Jul 2013 @ 2:11am

Insane
It is really insane
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Lurker Keith, 24 Jul 2013 @ 3:28am

Yay!
I hope I get to see this one. I missed the Zelda fanfilm that Nintendo let be shown, then pulled by the end of that year, by just a few days. v_v
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Mega1987 (profile), 24 Jul 2013 @ 4:17am

FFVII series!?
Seriously?
Am I expecting the story of the main FFVII game, from disc one to three?

SHUT UP YOU CRITICS AND TAKE MY MONEY, BODY AND SOUL!!!!

MAKE THIS A REALITY!!!!
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- Rikuo (profile), 24 Jul 2013 @ 4:37am
  
  Re: FFVII series!?
  I want to see the infamous Cloud cross-dressing scene, that part was hilarious.
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  - Mega1987 (profile), 24 Jul 2013 @ 4:40am
    
    Re: Re: FFVII series!?
    don't forget the sidequest he must do to get to that part... hehehe.
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    - Rikuo (profile), 24 Jul 2013 @ 4:47am
      
      Re: Re: Re: FFVII series!?
      Like the part where he ends up in a hot tub full of muscular porn-stached wrestlers and says something along the lines that he was gangbanged? Oh yeah, totally didn't understand it when I saw it as a kid.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 5:52am
      
      Re: Re: Re: FFVII series!?
      Don't forget the chocobo races
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      - Mega1987 (profile), 24 Jul 2013 @ 6:33am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: FFVII series!?
        and near the final chapter of Disc one... the dates man.
        
        I who's gonna be Cloud's date?
        
        Aerith?
        Tifa?
        Yuffie?
        
        Barret...!? XD (to those who are new to the series... yes, you can date Barret... :P)
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        [citation needed or GTFO], 24 Jul 2013 @ 8:29pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: FFVII series!?
        Maybe Cloud can go the harem route and try to juggle all four dates at the same time. ;)
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 7:05am

OCRemix
The company recently went a little more lax when OCRemix, famed video game music organization, wanted to pay tribute to Final Fantasy 6, and Square gave its blessing.
Only after first shutting down the project. (OCR is bound by NDA now, so there aren't a lot of details available.)
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horse with no name, 24 Jul 2013 @ 7:14am

difference
It would appear to be the difference between asking permission and begging forgiveness - and doing the begging in front of well paid lawyers.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 7:25am

Like to point out that the FF6 ocremix project was initially c&d'ed by square off kickstarter. Ocremix apparently did not seek permission initially. After negotiations the project was allowed to continue.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 7:26am

The point is you still need to ask for permission regardless of legal standing. You will get lawyers otherwise.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2013 @ 10:34am

So these fan artists are being allowed to raise money, but will they be allowed to make money from their work once it is complete? Oh no. That would be illegal. Hooray for copyright! It helps artists make money!

(Forgive me. I'm a little bitter that I can't sell my fanfiction.)
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Anonymous, 24 Jul 2013 @ 2:43pm

Well, they certainly couldn't do any worse than Hollywood did with "The Spirits Within".
"Advent Children" wasn't too bad, but "Spirits Within" SUCKED.
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Swappers, 13 Aug 2013 @ 3:51pm

Final Fantasy
I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Final Fantasy XV to come out! I have been waiting for that game because I think it will go back to classic game play like what we want.
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Mary, 13 Aug 2014 @ 2:57am

Final Fantasy
I am a big fan of whole final fantasy series and waiting eagerly for its next part.
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Dev, 13 Aug 2014 @ 3:00am

Awesome film
I did not find another movie series in Hollywood which can increase your heart beat. I am really very excited for up coming film of Final fantasy series.
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