July 22 2010
20th Century Fox not paying artists or writers for using their work in Buffy Motion Comic?
Well that's what Bleeding Cool claims.
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Winchester | July 22, 13:35 CET
Riker | July 22, 13:35 CET
SharkyBoredNow | July 22, 13:42 CET
But after reading that, not so much. So it would be nice if someone from 20th Century Fox officially clarified the situation sooner rather than later. Because if this story is true, then it's shameless behaviour.
Simon | July 22, 13:43 CET
Even if they're against it, I can believe that they would see how promoting the motion comic is in their own self-interest (i.e. by getting people interested in the comics). But yeah, this is pretty crappy behavior if true.
sumogrip | July 22, 13:50 CET
Jackal | July 22, 14:02 CET
Numfar PTB | July 22, 14:07 CET
Anyway, if true that saves me some cash. Silver lining, half-full etc.
Saje | July 22, 14:17 CET
The keyword might really be loophole.
Silver-linings are definitely a curious thing.
Numfar PTB | July 22, 14:28 CET
But re: the comic's writers & artists - first, I'd like to hear from FOX that it's true, and if so, then I'd like to hear the bogus rationalization. I collect them.
Soon I may have the whole set.
QuoterGal | July 22, 14:32 CET
Craig Oxbrow | July 22, 14:52 CET
ETA: Will happliy remove or revise the review if this is proven false, just want people to hold thier money just in case.
[ edited by chance on 2010-07-23 00:10 ]
chance | July 22, 14:55 CET
Jackal | July 22, 15:01 CET
will.bueche | July 22, 15:26 CET
Is that Buffy and Kennedy workign directly together????
DaddyCatALSO | July 22, 15:34 CET
How is it only true for online distribution, but it'll be fine with DVD/BluRay sales?
The problem seems to hinge upon the "new media" of a work. So a comic that is transformed into a motion comic distributed on DVD would still be new media; that means FOX doesn't have to pay royalties.
These articles appear to be saying that it's motion comics, period, that are not paying the artist and writers. Not that it's motion comics released through iTunes and Amazon. So I don't see how the DVD release will be okay--it all seems steeped in badness.
FOX really lives up to its corporate image. Wolfram & Hart much?
Yes, it's still a rumor, but this situation stinks and this explanation sounds like the truth to me. It would explain Dark Horse's discomfort with the project. Allie's been fairly vocal about Dark Horse being cut out of the process.
[ edited by Emmie on 2010-07-23 00:55 ]
Emmie | July 22, 15:48 CET
It may be that 2CF bought the rights to do this lock and stock from Dark Horse - but then Dark Horse surely has a responsibility to pass on some of that to the creators? Or perhaps their contracts ruled this sort of thing out?
daylight | July 22, 16:24 CET
IrrationaliTV | July 22, 16:29 CET
Yeah, I don't see a problem either. If they didn't like it, they shouldn't have agreed to it. And using non-union actors can only be considered a plus: it allows actors who haven't sold their souls to the actors' guilds to participate, at rates that they are able to set.
Invisible Green | July 22, 16:33 CET
Jackal | July 22, 16:47 CET
Skytteflickan88 | July 22, 16:48 CET
Thus kinda skipping over the whole point of the power of unions and collective bargaining. Most of my actor friends are gladly in the unions to get a little of that group mojo in an industry where they tend to be treated like interchangeable cogs, or, you know, cattle. Unless they're Angelina Jolie or somebody.
QuoterGal | July 22, 17:02 CET
Okay, there was no point in me saying that, but it rhymed, so I said it anyway.
kumarhk | July 22, 17:54 CET
Dana5140 | July 22, 18:21 CET
Riker | July 22, 18:50 CET
But yeah, seems a bit sketchy until someone verifies.
BrownCoat_Tabz | July 22, 21:48 CET
I don't think so. "New Media" referred to online content during those strikes. But I wasn't there. I didn't get any splinters from holding picket signs.
All I can say is we've seen how some original online content doesn't end up on discs because the studios don't want to have to pay the actors as they would have to if they sold it on dvd. (I'm thinking of the Battlestar Galactica webisodes).
But we all appreciate that all of this is beyond our knowing. It's all conjecture. Which I love, but, it isn't Whedonesque worthy yet.
will.bueche | July 22, 21:52 CET
You must be new here ;).
(definitely the /. meme that fits most often. Dunno what that says)
Saje | July 22, 22:10 CET
Because saying that this would be a very awful thing if true, typing such words on the internet is really indicative of being out of control?
This is the virtual world where you use CAPSLOCK and call your friends insulting names to show affection. I think you're overreacting a bit to tone on the internet (where extremes are used to express a moderate reaction). No one's sitting in front of their computer foaming at the mouth or sending threatening letters to FOX (well, at least, I'm not and I'm someone who's bothered by this rumor and glad I haven't put down money on the product yet).
As for the situation, this sounds like the sort of thing FOX is legally entitled to do with a licensed property. Is it really that shocking to consider this true? And if true, to find it dishonorable? There's a whole lot of things corporations can do that are perfectly legal that are downright despicable. And the bottom line is almost always money, an attitude this project is already steeped in with it's pursuance of non-union actors and taking the route of motion comics when a quality work could be made easily with animation (ah, but that would take more effort and more investment of money).
will.beuche, I still don't see how you've gleaned the specifics of how "Fox won’t pay any of the creators any royalties" means that Georges Jeanty, Karl Moline, Jane Espenson, Drew Goddard, and all the other creators are going to be paid for the DVDs. I imagine when these folks were hired, their contracts didn't include any in-depth discussion of being compensated for DVD sales when they're working on a comic. I imagine FOX would have reserved the right to refranchise their work for their own profit. And sure, that's speculation, but no more so than you asserting that the creators will no doubt be compensated by DVD sales.
[ edited by Emmie on 2010-07-23 16:33 ]
Emmie | July 23, 07:29 CET