I guess that's one way to look at it.
Another way to look at is don't release your models.
Paramount+ 60th Anniversary Intro
- Thread starter Tallguy
- Start date
Another way to look at is don't release your models.
One assumes CBS Paramount farmed out the job of doing the intro to someone else, like how the SNW season 3 opening sequence features ships which never appear in the season proper because it was done by a different team who never told the main team. Apparently that is just how sci-fi TV production works.Looks like someone over att Paramount has some explaining to do.
Oh I remember that. "Ignore those scenes - they never happened!!!" If it's on-screen, it's canon, friend!
There was a similar kerfuffle, IIRC, over the faux-Crossfield kitbash, supposedly built by the Klingons and also appearing upside-down at Starbase 1. Ugh... Aggregate your fecal matter, people...
There was a similar kerfuffle, IIRC, over the faux-Crossfield kitbash, supposedly built by the Klingons and also appearing upside-down at Starbase 1. Ugh... Aggregate your fecal matter, people...
I believe Marc Bell is telling the truth.
I also believe that it would have been super nice if CBS/Paramount acknowledged that they were his models and gave him some sort of recognition for using them, even if it wasn't financial compensation (which he wasn't interested in anyway.)
But the sad fact is that they are not obligated to do any of that, because Bell's models are still CBS/Paramount's IP.
I also believe that it would have been super nice if CBS/Paramount acknowledged that they were his models and gave him some sort of recognition for using them, even if it wasn't financial compensation (which he wasn't interested in anyway.)
But the sad fact is that they are not obligated to do any of that, because Bell's models are still CBS/Paramount's IP.
Forget nice. They could have spent the money to make their own models.
I honestly don't know the legalities. Like if you had built a physical model of a totally pirated hobby kit bought at a convention: Paramount couldn't take the model for a show and say "We own the IP"! This only works because these are 1s and 0s.
They also can't buy fan art at a convention and then just use it for a book cover. (For example.) (Even though Lucasfilm has tried.)
Yes, they could have. They could also have used the STO and Eaglemoss assets they already owned. But they took someone else’s art who was freely giving it away online, and had the right to because the model designs were their IP. I’m not being an apologist for them; I’m just saying that they had the right to do it. Even Bell saying that he 'made explicit notes prohibiting commercial usage or distribution' is not a legal leg he can stand on, because his models were not copyrighted and he doesn't own the designs.
The “totally pirated model kit bought at a convention” is someone else making a profit off of someone else’s official model kit sales, which is just like the claim you’re making that the VFX guy made a profit off of Bell’s model, the only difference being that Bell didn’t lose any money because he was giving away his model for free.
I’m pretty sure they can do exactly that, since the fan art wouldn’t have been copyrighted. There’s no difference between that example and what they did with Bell’s art. It was just art in a different form.
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So is a script and the can't do that.
Did somebody copyright a Star Trek script that wasn’t CBS/Paramount?
Like Prince using Dave Chapelle dressed as Prince on one of his actual album covers.
"What am I supposed to do, sue him? Checkmate right there".
Honestly Marc Bell's models are great. His reaction here? Not so much.
He should be bumping his chest "look two of my fan models made it into the official work"-kinda' way.
I don't agree. All he is asking is that Paramount give him credit for making the models, just like how end credits show things like VFX personnel. They used his models without so much as a 'please,' and while I have stated above that they can rightfully do that, they probably did not know that Bell made them and not their VFX guys. Giving the guy credit doesn't cost them anything and makes them look good. Not doing that makes them look bad. Whether they actually care about that or not, I have no idea.
something something something "for exposure"....
He built a replica of a copyright protected design. He didn't make an alternate version or something - like Bill Krause's starship designs. If they'd use one of Bill's models without permission, it would be something different.
But this is more like the case where a toy company built phaser toys, and because they looked so good were later used on the actual show (ENT).
But this is more like the case where a toy company built phaser toys, and because they looked so good were later used on the actual show (ENT).
That doesn’t change the fact that they used his art without giving him credit.
But that's the whole point: it's not "his art". It's a replica.
Take the 15 min of fame, because it's a good one. But he isn't entitled to anything.
I fail to see the difference.
No, by law he is not entitled to anything. With that said, CBS still used his art. He just wants credit. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. But apparently you and CBS do.
I absolutely respect him wanting his credit. But I also have to agree that this is a situation where he is technically trying to say that he has a creative license for something that is really at the end of the day not his intellectual property. He’s stating that it can’t be used for commercial use. But it’s not his design, so he does not have that right. Like, at all. It wouldn’t stand up in court which is probably why Paramount thought it wouldn’t be a problem to use the model.
Yup, it's an ethically shitty situation, but Paramount is well within their rights to use derivative fan works of their IP however they wish.
