Movie Poster "Homage" Copyright Infringement

[ImJustRickG]

I have a few pieces that border on this so I talked to a lawyer. Turns out I'm protected. Could I withstand a legal battle with a giant hollywood company? Probably not.

Have you been following the Robynne Raye lawsuit? It's effing DIRE, and she's 100% in the right.

[Jason Dean]

I would've thought that I could at least bring up an issue that affects artists without being called "high and mighty", but hey, I'll take my lumps. I'm a big boy. But I'll also continue to talk about these issues like a reasonable human being. I'm obviously not Kevin Tong or Aaron Horkey, but I would like to think that if I were, other artists would care about my being ripped off even though I'm making decent money.

[mikeage]

"high and mighty" was unnecessary. Sorry.
But how are people ripping you off? Are they using your artwork without your permission? Sorry, maybe I'm misunderstanding.

[Jason Dean]

It's ok...I should know that being so one-sided and cynical on an issue this controversial would catch me some shit. Thanks for the apology though. I just get worked up anytime I feel that artists are being taken advantage of. No, no one was using my artwork without my permission in this case (although I recently received an email from a guy who literally traced one of my posters and wanted my feedback on "his" design!!). I was saying that if I were one of the people being ripped off (in this case, movie studios and people like Tong, Horkey, etc. who do these for a living) I would want someone to at least bring up the issue and spread the word that this practice isn't cool. Yes, it's a very very fine line between legal and illegal intellectual property usage, but it's a line nonetheless and it does affect artists. I thought maybe if people knew that there were official, licensed screenprinted posters by amazing artists available, maybe they'd stop buying unofficial, unlicensed, inkjet posters by artists who don't care about legality or the welfare of other artists.

[mikeage]

So you have amc's permission to do the walking dead poster?

[zlandrum]

My 100% honest advice to all of this is to keep your nose to the grindstone, do what you think is best and ethical and work hard. Fuck what other people are doing, who's getting ripped, who's licensed, who's not. Work hard, focus on your own thing and go at it. Now if you're just a collector and are just looking out for your personal investments, then I'd just say fuck off entirely. I know what you're trying to do, and you're trying to make a stand and help out, but honestly what you say on blogs or forums is not going to keep people from "ripping off" the major labels and making a buck off of it. The artists you have mentioned are making the money they need to be making and have people buying the prints specifically because it's the artist, not because of the film or license issues.

I miss seeing ol' mikeage, he's not on the fbook and I'm not on the twitter. How's life been pal?

[mikeage]

Good now that I've found people that won't beat me mercilessly in words with friends!

[jackvega]

Jason and I have already spoken. I repeat, you can not compare Rocco Malatesta to Matt Needle. I personally love artist like Rocco. His work, man..this is what I call a pure artist's homage. It's quite obvious that they are not official. I think it's much more, and I like it. Fuck who's licensed, who's not. Love art baby.

Found a purpose in life please jeeez

[lil_tuffy]

Jason and I have already spoken. I repeat, you can not compare Rocco Malatesta to Matt Needle. I personally love artist like Rocco. His work, man..this is what I call a pure artist's homage. It's quite obvious that they are not official. I think it's much more, and I like it. Fuck who's licensed, who's not. Love art baby.

Found a purpose in life please jeeez

You're right! I can't compare Rocco and Matt because can't tell the difference between them.

They're all Olly Moss wannabes but they don't possess the technique or insight to pull it off. No matter how many grunge texture layers you put over amateur vectors it still looks like a first year design school project -- they lack any real depth of understanding of what makes something minimal effective. They are over-simplistic in concept and clumsy in execution.

[zlandrum]

Good now that I've found people that won't beat me mercilessly in words with friends!

Man I forgot I smeared you in that game. Glad you found some losers! I stopped playing shortly after that.