Jᴀᴄᴜʀᴜᴛᴜ - Tʜᴇ Cᴀsᴛ Oᴜᴛ

Hello everybody. Some of you already know me, but for that not, I am one of the guys most disappointed with the HLP of the planet. My friends and I (spanish college students) devote ourselves to make three non-profit-making fan films based on the DUNE first book for almost 8 years. We did a trailer and decided to share it with other Dune fans of the whole world for free (many of you you could see it in youtube) while we were finishing the movies. The HLP (the herberts) prohibited us the trailer (and fan films) and withdrew it by means of attorneys. So I can say that I am the director of DUNE: THE FORBIDDEN MOVIE.

Welcome!

I still have to ask, maybe Omph can explain it to me- how come the HLP can even do anything if it's non-profit? How do these cease and desist warnings work?

Welcome! You guys got fraked over good, a shame, you were doing some really good work.

Rob

When there is no spirit of profit the owners of the copyright can stop the distribution if they believe that it damages their property. It is possible to resort to courts and sometimes the judgment is favorable and others it is in opposition to the makers of the fan film. The normal thing is that the owner of the copyright takes advantage of the free advertising, but already you know ... it is the HLP. It seems to be that our low-budget-home-movie done in Spain by students was obstructing the multimillionaire super production of Hollywood deals and we did not like to fight us with the Herbert's attorneys at Manhattan, the truth is that we have more important things to do that to spend our money in this kind of people.

EDIT: I must say that from the HLP, Byron Merritt was the only one that showed interest for our fan film.

Yes, this is correct.

Orald, the issue is not whether or not the movie makes money. The issue is whether or not producing it and selling tickets causes damages to the HLP. Profits earned with someone else's property are only one measure of damages. But the HLP could, and did I believe, argue that the release of a fan movie would hurt their chances of signing a contract for the major release Dune movie that is coming in 2009 or 2010.

The way it works is this: The HLP sends a "cease and desist" letter to Mediteatro. If Mediteatro does not distribute the film, then the issue is closed. If they keep working on it and were intending to distribute it, then the HLP would file a claim with a court asking for a temporary restraining order, then an injunction ordering Mediteatro to stop. If Mediteatro violated that, then the HLP could file a lawsuit for damages.

And if P&B were to die in a totally natural yet timely explosion of their office and someone more managable were to inherit them? I'm just saying...

orald wrote:And if P&B were to die in a totally natural yet timely explosion of their office and someone more managable were to inherit them? I'm just saying...

Despite what some others say, there are no other "more manageable" people over there.

Omphalos wrote:

orald wrote:And if P&B were to die in a totally natural yet timely explosion of their office and someone more managable were to inherit them? I'm just saying...

Despite what some others say, there are no other "more manageable" people over there.

That is a truly scary thought.

We're glad you made it here. We have been trying to get hold of you and were afraid we would never get access to any of the film shots again. Welcome aboard!

Welcome and again welcome.

Welcome, and glad to meet you. The few pictures I managed to see looked great. Wish I had the chance to see the trailer before it was pulled from YouTube.

Thank you Mediteatro!

Frak, this still pisses me off. There's got to be a way to let people at least see the trailer.

I know one day this film will get seen.

Wretched HLP. How much longer before the copyright on Dune expires and it enters the public domain? Is it 70 years after the death of the author in the US?

I asked that, Omph says more likely 2060(which seems about right, 74 years after FH's murder at the hand of Brian) and even then they'll probably get an extention.

Welcome Mediteatro. Suerte y animo.

leto247 wrote:Welcome Mediteatro. Suerte y animo.

Freakzilla wrote:5. English only. Non-English posts will be deleted. (Exceptions: Galach and Chakobsa)

OMG, ban him! Ban him good!

Well, I had to, I mentioned just such a case...though I expected French.

Ooops. My fault, sorry. Won´t happen again.

He's trying to run away! Ban him!

If this was UT I'd say "Boom! Banshot!"

Welcome Mediteatro from another one who would have truly liked to see your movie and I am too still pissed off by that bunch of wankers that call themselves HLP.



My advice would be to finish the movie ( quietly ) and distribute it ( also quietly ) via the internet. Once released online it will be an integrated part of the www forever and fame will be yours.

Fame...and some nice guy named Bubba in his jail cell.

orald wrote:...and some nice guy named Bubba in his jail cell.

That is just a "minor" inconvenience ( not to mention its not me having to suffer it ).

Thank you all... and Bubba is not an option

mediteatro wrote:When there is no spirit of profit the owners of the copyright can stop the distribution if they believe that it damages their property.

LOL and they have KJA writting for them...now thats damaged property