Universal Licensing LLC closing Serenity/Firefly fan shops.
Fans getting C&D orders, Cafepress have removed all search results for Firefly and Serenity. 20th Century Fox closed another site earlier in the month. Edit: Chris says 'Some shopowners have gotten notices from Universal's legal people about infringement, with some serious language (not just Cease and Desist).' Edit: Black Market Beagles closing.
It is, of course, their legal right. Still sad, as there's a lot of great artwork fans have done out there.
October 24 2006
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RavenU | October 24, 07:11 CET
End of the day, I'm not saying Universal is bad at all. They're doing the corporate stuff that corporations do, and Serenifly is a corporate property. Still, like I said above, there's some really fantastic fan art out there and it's a shame to see it go.
gossi | October 24, 07:22 CET
billz | October 24, 07:30 CET
It's true they're just doing what corporations do gossi but didn't somebody once say that if corporations really were people they'd be jailed for what amounts to sociopathic behaviour ? Some truth there methinks (though i'm casting no specific aspersions Universal's - or even Fox's - way in this instance since they do have obligations to their licencees).
Saje | October 24, 07:40 CET
Okay, what was that disorder again? Fantasy prone Kevin disorder?
gossi | October 24, 07:47 CET
Couldn't it just be put online for free then? I know that fan art can be dubious when it comes to copyright but if people aren't charging it then the big boys are less likely to chase after you.
Simon | October 24, 08:32 CET
gossi | October 24, 08:45 CET
I didn't try to purchase anything, however.
[ edited by kitt on 2006-10-24 15:52 ]
kitt | October 24, 08:51 CET
Technically, corporations are considered as "people".
Thank your friendly lobbiests (and compliant lawmakers) for that.
(Check out the documentary "The Corporation". Perfect Halloween viewing.)
Guess I'd better seek out that Fighting Elves t-shirt while I can find it.
Yep. And that scheme is money. The Corporation is bound, by law, to make money. It can't not. It is designed to serve the shareholders. Period.
[ edited by AmazonGirl on 2006-10-24 16:06 ]
AmazonGirl | October 24, 09:03 CET
But hey, it's a good sign, right? That the bigwigs still think there is enough juice in the 'verse to either make money off themselves or to hurt them if other people make money. Or maybe they're just petty. I don't know.
Rogue Slayer | October 24, 09:20 CET
Basically, it doesn't matter who you are, but if money is involved there will be a line of people waiting to shit on you from up high or give you riches if you are financially successful.
Anyway, like I said, Angel season 5. It was deeply meaningful for me.
Rogue - I think it's more because if they fail to enforce their copyrights on material which is being sold to licensers, it can get really messy. I don't think it's anybody trying to be a dick or from an new material interest, but I'd love to be wrong.
[ edited by gossi on 2006-10-24 16:23 ]
gossi | October 24, 09:21 CET
proximityeffect | October 24, 09:37 CET
Fact is, alot of the fans who were selling these things were at the same time promoting the tv show and movie, we all did. This feels like a kick in the gut honestly. No matter how "justified" the companies are. It just feels like, that while yes rans can produce free stuff, its not cheap and not feasible for most of it! And I am not talking about Cafepress, there is alot of other great stuff out there. ETA: And if people think FOX and Universal won't stop at bluesunshirts and cafepress, well just look at whats going on.
ETA: Plus another reason why I am angry/sad I am sooo worried that they wont stop at Cafepress but may go after other sites, maybe FFF.net, serenitymovie.net itself, just like how Fox went after the sites in the Simpsons fandom.
[ edited by kurya on 2006-10-24 16:44 ]
[ edited by kurya on 2006-10-24 17:00 ]
kurya | October 24, 09:38 CET
Put it this way. If they go after fan sites, I'd judge that as a whole other kettle of wish as then I wouldn't be able to see any justification. I think that's a big if, though, at this point.
gossi | October 24, 10:20 CET
I want to add that I have no problem with corporations protecting their copyrighted property, but the amount of licensed stuff out there is woefully thin for the true fan. Original artwork inspired by something beloved has often been made and even legally sold in the past, and that gives fans an outlet for celebrating characters which are ignored by the 'official' stuff. Of course I wouldn't advise anyone to try to sell anything right now, during what is obviously a crack down.
[ edited by embers on 2006-10-24 20:01 ]
embers | October 24, 11:28 CET
zz9 | October 24, 12:01 CET
QuoterGal | October 24, 12:43 CET
[ edited by C. A. Bridges on 2006-10-24 19:57 ]
C. A. Bridges | October 24, 12:45 CET
"YES! Yes, most of us would love to! But, they’re not giving us any opportunity to. They keep giving licenses to the big companies (QMx and Jason Palmer are exceptions) who they’ve done work with in the past and know well. It costs more than just a taxpayer ID and corporate standing to be a licenced vendor…I HAVE those things; it takes a substantial amount of cash upfront for the licensing, IF they even will consider using you.
"The problem that generally happens and that makes me so sad about this is that they give rights to those who don’t have a ruttin’ clue about the fandom and could care less."
C. A. Bridges | October 24, 12:50 CET
The Buffy fandom has been confuzzled for a long time by 20th Century Fox's licensing decisions. But then money is king and always will be.
Simon | October 24, 13:06 CET
I have some wonderful, creative shirts (not just the Serenity logo with Universal stamped somewhere on it - but actual fan artwork), that I never would have had if whomever is in charge was left to their own devices.
Beyond semi-marketing the dvds, they just don't seem to care.
Willowy | October 24, 13:12 CET
That's what a licensing department is not only supposed to do, it's what people's jobs depend on in that department.
gossi | October 24, 13:35 CET
Why don't they initiate the production of shirts, hats, action figures, etc... on their own, first? And if perchance they do, why are they always so lame? Any movie logo, as an example. Gee, how creative.
I prefer the fan stuff over the corporate slap-dash any day of the week. Why can't they use their powers for good? :)
Willowy | October 24, 13:51 CET
Anyone in the verse conversant with intellectual property law? Now would be a good time to step up.
C. A. Bridges | October 24, 13:51 CET
A brain can believe without reason, right?
@theonetruebix | October 24, 14:01 CET
Yes gossi, I know that. But it seems to me that they don't use their licenses to make anything unless and until they see someone else profiting.
Why don't they initiate the production of shirts, hats, action figures, etc... on their own, first? And if perchance they do, why are they always so lame? Any movie logo, as an example. Gee, how creative.
Willowy, the thing is, Universal's licensing department don't make tshirts. Either do Universal. Universal also don't go out and force companies to make them when they want, either.
What's happening in this case is that people (not 'versal) have come along and paid for the t-shirt license. However, they presumably think they aren't getting a proper return on investment as other parties are producing and profiting from tshirts without buying the license. So, it'll get clamped down on.
Cafepress also filter the term 'Superman', and I'm willing to bet a tenner that somebody owns tshirt related rights to Superman, also.
gossi | October 24, 14:09 CET
Then why even hoard and protect the licenses (which allows them legally to produce swag) in the first place? I appreciate your business acumen here gossi, as well as you taking the time to point out those things, but that really isn't what I'm talking about.
Willowy | October 24, 14:19 CET
Because they _sell_ the licenses for a lot of money, AND usually get a profit on each t-shirt sold by licensed people.
That said, I'm not going to defend Universal after seeing 11th legal threat. It's well out of order.
gossi | October 24, 14:24 CET
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/firefly-serenity
It's full of Firefly and Serenity stuff. It's still live. Cafepress are playing with fire : it becomes hard to argue they can't police it when they're paying to advertise the content.
gossi | October 24, 15:02 CET
Such huge changes have come in how users get ahold of and experience their media that traditional revenue streams are changing abruptly, and all income possibilities are, I'm sure, being reviewed, protected and mined. (Costs -- including personnel -- are also being cut.) And muscles are being publicly flexed.
I don't think this is the smartest or most effective way to deal with these huge changes -- and it's certainly not humanitarian, or even good PR -- but many large entities, such as corporations, thrash around resisting the larger adaptations and innovations required, and this thrashing, in my opinion, is apt to injure folks. My best to 11th hour & others who are feeling the pain from this resistance...
Whistler: "No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does... So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are." -- Joss, BUFFY, "Becoming: Part 1"
QuoterGal | October 24, 15:18 CET
whedonite37 | October 24, 15:18 CET
The Hey | October 24, 15:19 CET
It is with great regret that I will be closing the virtual doors to BlackMarketBeagles.com this Friday, October 27. I believe that I have been careful enough in my artwork to avoid violating copyright, but Universal’s recent crusade to eliminate all fan-based merchandise (and to impose hefty fines against violaters) has made it far too risky for me to continue operating online. This is a crushing blow, which fills me with an aching sadness. This was, as many of you know, my way of giving back to the browncoat community that has given so much to me.
I will continue running my blog on the site, to talk about various browncoat-related goodness (it’s still out there, I know it is), but after Friday, the Black Market Beagle merch will no longer be available online.
I’d love to hear from some of you who have bought my products over the last year. Please feel free to e-mail me at adam@blackmarketbeagles.com. I hope to see you all in December.
Hopefully things will change in the future. Until then, fellow passengers …
Stay Shiny,
Adam
lexigeek | October 24, 15:58 CET
Ocular | October 24, 16:04 CET
Willowy | October 24, 16:07 CET
[ edited by the Groosalugg on 2006-10-24 23:27 ]
the Groosalugg | October 24, 16:26 CET
While I understand the corporate position on all of this, it still makes me very very sad.
RigbyMel | October 25, 09:56 CET