Comments on: And so it begins… heads up, CafePress people http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/ Geekstuff, for the discriminating geek Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=467 By: Miles Vorkosigan http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3319 Miles Vorkosigan Mon, 30 Oct 2006 20:39:36 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3319 Lefty, drop me an email. We need to talk. Miles Lefty, drop me an email. We need to talk.

Miles

]]> By: BarmyArmy http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3318 BarmyArmy Sun, 29 Oct 2006 15:18:48 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3318 Two by two with hands of blue come the corporate lawyers - worse than gorram reavers. Thank you for those of you with the talent and imagination to think of making these items for the fans in the first place that they have now become so popular that you aren't allowed to make them anymore ... Universal LLC apparently want $150,000 in damages from 11th hour. Which is just sick. Two by two with hands of blue come the corporate lawyers – worse than gorram reavers.

Thank you for those of you with the talent and imagination to think of making these items for the fans in the first place that they have now become so popular that you aren't allowed to make them anymore …

Universal LLC apparently want $150,000 in damages from 11th hour. Which is just sick.

]]> By: Angelina http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3317 Angelina Sat, 28 Oct 2006 20:19:01 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3317 I agree with pennausamike's posts. I mean, if Universal had done a good job of marketing the movie to begin with, I don't think they'd have the problem they have now. Instead of attacking the people who got the movie made in the first place, why not go through the fan-based designs and buy the "rights" from them? If the CREATOR (our master Joss Whedon) doesn't have a problem with it, why should the corporations??? I agree with pennausamike's posts. I mean, if Universal had done a good job of marketing the movie to begin with, I don't think they'd have the problem they have now. Instead of attacking the people who got the movie made in the first place, why not go through the fan-based designs and buy the "rights" from them? If the CREATOR (our master Joss Whedon) doesn't have a problem with it, why should the corporations???

]]> By: pennausamike http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3297 pennausamike Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:15:26 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3297 Yes Hot Topic IS mistaken. The point isn't whether the kanji on the shirts is Cantonese or Mandarin or Japanese. The point is these "official" licensees care so little for the 'verse that they don't even know that it is a Sino-American Alliance. They all just looked at the sales figures and wanted in on the action. Unkowing and uncaring that all the "action" is being generated by a devote core of fans who love the Firefly/Serenity 'verse like they live there themselves. If the fan support dries up, everything dries up and blows away. There are NO unthinking masses to drive this franchise without the hardcore fans. Think about Serenity's $25.4 million dollar box office in terms of Browncoats that saw it multiple times. Browncoats probably generated half of the movie's total take. Universal was on the right track in having the fans promote the movie. I firmly believe a Big Damn Sequel would have been commercially viable in another 2 to 5 years as the awareness builds momentum. But the tools of generating that awareness are being taken away by copyright lawyers. So the excitement will pass and the movement will stagnate unless someone in marketing wakes up to the reality of whats happening. Yes Hot Topic IS mistaken. The point isn't whether the kanji on the shirts is Cantonese or Mandarin or Japanese. The point is these "official" licensees care so little for the 'verse that they don't even know that it is a Sino-American Alliance. They all just looked at the sales figures and wanted in on the action. Unkowing and uncaring that all the "action" is being generated by a devote core of fans who love the Firefly/Serenity 'verse like they live there themselves. If the fan support dries up, everything dries up and blows away. There are NO unthinking masses to drive this franchise without the hardcore fans. Think about Serenity's $25.4 million dollar box office in terms of Browncoats that saw it multiple times. Browncoats probably generated half of the movie's total take. Universal was on the right track in having the fans promote the movie. I firmly believe a Big Damn Sequel would have been commercially viable in another 2 to 5 years as the awareness builds momentum. But the tools of generating that awareness are being taken away by copyright lawyers. So the excitement will pass and the movement will stagnate unless someone in marketing wakes up to the reality of whats happening.

]]> By: Lefty http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3298 Lefty Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:31:32 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3298 Hot Topic's mistaken, I think. The t-shirt shown at http://search.hottopic.com/clothing/Blue%20Sun doesn't have the Japanese kanji for blue (ao), so I assume it's either Chinese or just plain wrong. The t-shirt in the Cafe Press shop at http://www.cafepress.com/bluesunstuff2 _do_ have the Japanese kanji. (The character for "sun" is the same in both Chinese or Japanese...) Hot Topic's mistaken, I think. The t-shirt shown at

http://search.hottopic.com/clothing/Blue%20Sun

doesn't have the Japanese kanji for blue (ao), so I assume it's either Chinese or just plain wrong. The t-shirt in the Cafe Press shop at

http://www.cafepress.com/bluesunstuff2

_do_ have the Japanese kanji.

(The character for "sun" is the same in both Chinese or Japanese…)

]]> By: Lefty http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3299 Lefty Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:57:21 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3299 Blue Sun Shirts has shut down for precisely this reason... Check out the notice at http://www.bluesunshirts.com/... Sad, I wanted to get another "Fighting Dwarves" shirt. =( Blue Sun Shirts has shut down for precisely this reason… Check out the notice at http://www.bluesunshirts.com/...

Sad, I wanted to get another "Fighting Dwarves" shirt.

=(

]]> By: Whitefall http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3312 Whitefall Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:28:15 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3312 Any of you eBayers out there have any problems? Any of you eBayers out there have any problems?

]]> By: Chris http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3309 Chris Tue, 24 Oct 2006 18:05:13 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3309 So far it appears that T-shirt vendors are at the most risk right now, and then only if they use recognizable logos or likenesses from the movie. That's not a legal opinion, however. Tread carefully. So far it appears that T-shirt vendors are at the most risk right now, and then only if they use recognizable logos or likenesses from the movie. That's not a legal opinion, however. Tread carefully.

]]> By: Adam http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3316 Adam Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:39:24 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3316 "I’m thoroughly expecting a ‘Versal lawyer to show up at Flanvention and shut us all down." Oh, please don't say that! "I’m thoroughly expecting a ‘Versal lawyer to show up at Flanvention and shut us all down."

Oh, please don't say that!

]]> By: shinyhappyklin http://bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/comment-page-1/#comment-3315 shinyhappyklin Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:36:18 +0000 http://www.bashinginminds.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafepress-people/#comment-3315 Wow...I go off to do homework for a few days and look what I find when I come back... There was commentary on Whedonverse (which I can't post on, gorram it!), saying all us fan product vendors should get licensed - 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. There's no heart. I got a great compliment from another vendor today saying how I really understood the Browncoat aesthetic, and the product just "felt right". That made me SO happy, because that's exactly why I do this! I love this 'Verse as much as you; I understand the heart that drives it, and what kind of things make me happy to see, and I figure it will make other Browncoats happy too. I miss that care and heart in the commercial products, no matter how happy it makes me that they're getting made. I'd hate to see all the great fan-made stuff disappear, as it would be just incredibly sad to see our quirky fandom become Fox and 'Versal's afterthought when it comes to pumping out something to make a buck or two. We are unique, and cannot be well described. Our merchandise should be the same! I'm holding my breath. No C&D yet. I'll do what I can through the end of the year to keep flying, but I'm thoroughly expecting a 'Versal lawyer to show up at Flanvention and shut us all down. Bets, anyone? :-) Wow…I go off to do homework for a few days and look what I find when I come back…

There was commentary on Whedonverse (which I can't post on, gorram it!), saying all us fan product vendors should get licensed – 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.

There's no heart.

I got a great compliment from another vendor today saying how I really understood the Browncoat aesthetic, and the product just "felt right". That made me SO happy, because that's exactly why I do this! I love this 'Verse as much as you; I understand the heart that drives it, and what kind of things make me happy to see, and I figure it will make other Browncoats happy too.

I miss that care and heart in the commercial products, no matter how happy it makes me that they're getting made. I'd hate to see all the great fan-made stuff disappear, as it would be just incredibly sad to see our quirky fandom become Fox and 'Versal's afterthought when it comes to pumping out something to make a buck or two. We are unique, and cannot be well described. Our merchandise should be the same!

I'm holding my breath. No C&D yet. I'll do what I can through the end of the year to keep flying, but I'm thoroughly expecting a 'Versal lawyer to show up at Flanvention and shut us all down. Bets, anyone? :-)

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