Making Movies with Video Games....Illegal?

Nathyn

Nathyn

Low Budget Ninja
There is a Halo series called Red Vs Blue. It's a youtube series that seems pretty well written and has a lot of fans. But I'm wondering, is this done with permission or how do they do this. I mean they also sale DVDs of the series so they are making money on it and in fact it's on it's 6th season respectively. It's also on iTunes.

-Nate

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Red vs Blue started that way I believe and then Bungie came on board.

from Wikipedia:

Red vs. Blue attracted interest immediately; the first episode had 20,000 downloads within a day.[39] Shortly after episode 2, Bungie Studios contacted Rooster Teeth. Although the crew had feared that any contact would be to force an end to the project, Bungie enjoyed the videos and was supportive;[40] one staff member called the production "kind of brilliant".[41] A deal was arranged to ensure that the series could continue to use Bungie's game properties[1] without license fees.[41] Red vs. Blue continued to attract more attention, and, by April 2004, Kevin J. Delaney of The Wall Street Journal estimated that weekly viewership was between 650,000 and 1,000,000.[1] In a 2006 interview, Strange Company founder Hugh Hancock called the series probably "the most successful machinima productions [sic]" and estimated that it was generating almost US$200,000 annually.[42
 
Yeah, Bungie (and by extension Microsoft) has actually used these guys to help promote Halo 3 and I think the upcoming Reach. Is it legal? Well, Bungie is cool about that sort of thing, but other IP owners may not be forgiving. It's kinda like all the Star Wars fan films. Technically, they're illegal, but Lucasfilm has said as long as it doesn't defame their IP (i.e. vulgarity, sex, that sort of thing) and you don't turn a profit, they view it as free advertising. Others are much more protective of their properties.
 
Red vs Blue is currently run in conjunction with 343 industries, the group that manages all of the Halo properties. I assume that's how they can get the custom animations in the new season.
 
Anyone know if DC comics is as lenient? I filmed a 18 minute superhero satire a few years ago that I've never posted anywhere due to the fact that Batman is 1 of the characters.
 
Nathyn, I believe it lies in content. A couple of scenes involving clips, as long as due credit is given, not so much an issue. But base the entire or majority of the "film" on clips from a copyrighted source...... well....it's called plagarism. AKA intellectual theft.

And they have bigger and better lawyers than a guy trying to make a name for themselves. (nobody targeted here, just general statement)
 
bwind22 said:
Anyone know if DC comics is as lenient? I filmed a 18 minute superhero satire a few years ago that I've never posted anywhere due to the fact that Batman is 1 of the characters.
Click to expand...

DC is really cool as long as you don't make any cash on it. I'm sure you've seen the fan film hit "Grayson". There was a petition to make it into a feature length film but I don't think it went anywhere. But this is one of the most talked about superhero fan films ever. I was awed when I first saw it considering it was a great take on the old school Batman, hence Grayson is Robin and not Nightwing. This but this is a totally "Earth 2" based movie, (Crisis on Infinite Earths for those who don't get the "Earth 2" thing) hence Superman with the grey hair and Dick Grayson (Robin) and Barbra Gordon (Batgirl) being married. The chick that played Wonder Woman is a star in her own right and she's not even in there much. Untamed Cinema even have a full length feature script for the movie.

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Doc Bernard said:
Nathyn, I believe it lies in content. A couple of scenes involving clips, as long as due credit is given, not so much an issue. But base the entire or majority of the "film" on clips from a copyrighted source...... well....it's called plagarism. AKA intellectual theft.

And they have bigger and better lawyers than a guy trying to make a name for themselves. (nobody targeted here, just general statement)
Click to expand...

Indeed. I was just taken aback because when I first saw it I was like, that's kinda cool. Then I saw it was a series and that really didn't do much either, but after seeing they were openly selling DVDs I was like "Did I miss a new copyright law or something." I mean people do sell their fan flicks at comic conventions. (Although illegal no one seems to mind). Wolverine vs Punisher was a big hit at Wizard World Chicago a few years ago and heck I think even some of the Marvel artist bought copies, LOL. And it wasn't all that good. But to have it out in the open just on their site and on Youtube I was shocked. But if the company is cool with it then it's certainly cool with me.

-Nate
 
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