Slashdot Mirror
Lucasfilm Sanctions Star Wars Fan Films
BigBragger sent us a story that talks about a deal between Lucas and Atom Films to allow Star Wars parodies to be distributed legally. It's a mixed bag: Lucasfilm gets a piece of the pie, and gets to choose what goes online at the site. But it does create an official place to get those vid clips like Troops which are just awesome but somewhat underground. I guess as long as they don't go after other parodies I'm cool with it, but there's something that I can't describe about this leaving a funny taste in my mouth. It's probably just paranoia.
And if LucasFilm doesn't like the UNOFFICIAL homes, they can go to hell. Parody is specifically outlined in Fair Use.
http://www-tech.mit.edu/V114/N 12/ briefs1.12w.html
So all you Star Wars fans out there who have a great idea for a parody, put it out there. To hell with LucasFilm and their lawyers. George Lucas isn't motivated by anything but money. Take an excerpt from the article:
The two companies will bow the Star Wars Fan Film Network at the end of the month on AtomFilms' site, which will not only showcase the projects from unknowns but split any royalty payments based on the advertising and sponsorship revenues generated from the selected films.
The only reason LucasFilm is buddying up with them, is because it pops a little cash into their pocket. They're profiting from works they didn't create.
AtomFilms is accepting submissions, and a team of Lucasfilm judges will determine which shorts are placed online.
If a submission is rejected OR accepted, put it up elsewhere! Don't give LucasFilm money they don't deserve! I'm willing to bet the creators of the parodies and/or documentaries won't see a dime of that ad revenue. Sure, their work is online, but you don't need AtomFilms/LucasFilm for that.
-- Give him Head? Be a Beacon?
-- Give him Head? Be a Beacon? :P)
(If you can't figure out how to E-Mail me, Don't.
Yes, non-sanctioned parodies are still legal. What's happening here is that Atom Films makes some revenues from films on their site (banner ads, etc), and Lucasfilm wants a cut of that. Since they'd be getting revenue partly from the Star Wars name. It's mutually beneficial to both of them; Lucasfilm gets $$, AtomFilms gets to use the Star Wars name. So, if you want to create a parody and put it up on your own site, or some other site, that's fine. Go ahead. But if you want to put it on AtomFilms, Lucasfilm gets their share of the $$, and some control over what gets to use the official "seal of approval".
"This message is composed of 100% recycled electrons."
Check it out online at TheForce.net here. Basically, it is a parody of stormtroopers on the job, done in the style of COPS (the TV show).
.plan.
Some day I hope to have a
Portable versions of Firefox, GIMP, LibreOffice, etc
> Of course there is something Lando-ish about .. were the parodists just invited in for
> this
> dinner with the Dark Lord himself?
I can just hear Lucas in a few months:
"I am altering the bargain. Pray I do not alter
it further..."
Chris Mattern
I was under the impression that Lucas had always allowed people to make and distribute fan artwork, games, models video clips etc as long as they didn't charge for them? There was never a question of legality with troops, as far as I konw. Lucas just happend to love that one clip (hell who didn't??) so he contacted them to thank them. It would be frightening to think this may have set his precedent for "allowed" parodies. I just hope he doesn't become kindof like Disney, who constantly goes after parodies that should be legaly protected under fair use.
You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.
...it leaves a funny taste in your mouth. Lucasfilm would like everyone (including our government) to believe that we need their permission to use the words "Star" and "Wars" in the same sentence. In reality, parody is a protected form of speech, which people can engage in without the permission of those being parodied. Just ask Weird Al Yankovik. After that, you can ask him how many times he's had to legally defend himself from jealous or offended pop stars and their rabid attorneys, and how many times he has kept his right to parody.
If Lucasfilm controls what parodies are allowed, do you think that anything beyond delicately poking fun would be permitted? What if you have another "Star Wars meets South Park" type of idea and you want to distribute it. Do you think Lucasfilm will give their blessing, no matter how funny it is?
It's time for Hollywood and Lucasfilm in particular to be reminded that we live in a country in which personal freedom is more important that a corporation's ability to make money. Actually, it's about time for a lot of people to be reminded of that.
Dave
If you build a man a fire he's warm for a day,
If you set a man on fire he's warm for a lifetime.
-- Unknown
The way I read it, this will be the "official" SW parody site. LucasFilms cannot restrict parody, that fair use right has been upheld by the supreme court. What they can do is work with parodyists whom they like in order to make the "official" website.
LucasFilms gets some advertising money from the deal, so does Atom Films. The parodyists get exposure. No unauthorized or unapproved parodies will be restricted, they just won't be hosted on the "official" site. They are actually throwing their support behind the people who make good parodies. That sounds great to me.
Don't forget that Friday is Hawaiian shirt day.
We now return you to your scheduled paranoid ranting.