NEW POLICY: Sharing / Cannabalizing Content

Agreed.

I saw people at a certain forum beg for the new Mindy Marvel and Aubrie films from ProjectSuperwoman and it bothers me that they're not willing to put down a relatively small amount of money for the content. It's not like Random is charging 20+ dollars for each download. And it's not like the person uploading it for them are getting anything out of it other than some made up currency. Very disappointing.

Good on ya Lfan

Models, costumes, locations, props. They all cost some money. To do it “right” the costs pile up fast.

Yes, there are models who like superheroes – but not enough to donate their time.
Yes, there are costumers who like super heroines – but most make stuff for only themselves.
Yes, I’ve been harassed by the police and property owners for filming.
No, I’ve not shop lifted at Home Depot to get the various products I use.

There are a few producers/writers/directors/editors/sfx supervisors/prop builders/photographers/etc/etc all rolled into single individuals who like heroines. There are even fewer that are honest. None of them even the dishonest ones like it enough to go broke producing material to give away.

I’m happy sharing some content, pictures, and previews. I’m going to do more of that shortly. I’ve written stories. I’ve done photos. I’ve even got some free stuff up on Youtube. I would like to be the one who decides what gets shared.

I know what videos have been shared – I can tell in my sales figures how bad it hurts. When a link goes up – there is ZERO rush to buy the video after – so the “if you like it buy it” line doesn’t fly with me.

Do I use other peoples ideas? Sure.
Do I take their exact creations and with no effort other than an upload distribute it? No.

People that share even take away the joy I could have if I was able to share it.

If there is no reward for value added – there will be no value added content created.

My significant other will not tolerate this costing the family money – but fully supports the hobby/business when it’s cash neutral. I do a good job of taking excess and driving it back into the next production. I’m not as rushed filming. I have better props, locations, actors effects. I have some big ideas for the future I’m trying to save up for.

I realize I’m probably wasting my breath – but I’m glad people are taking a bit of a stand.

…okay back to editing… :?

I have to echo what LFan and Random said. I couldn't have said it better.
I will add, that true fans of the Steeles, Projectsuperwoman, SuperSexy, and Heavenly Heroines... Well, SWM (Girl Power) fans.. (sigh)... Man I really suck at expressing my thoughts in text. Ok, this is my third draft and I'm sticking with this one, no matter how stupid it may make me sound.

SWM fans (In general) understand how little ( Girl Power ) content there is in this vast world wide web. I can't speak for the other site owners, but the most of the fans of our genre have been extremely supportive and loyal to our cause. The emails that Mandi and the other girls recieved over the years has been almost always clean, thoughtful, and encouraging.

But, every produce market has a few bad apples.
There are way more "Why pay for it, when you can get it somewhere for free" types out there. And, they've probably been stealing our content since week we launched.

I liked Random's comment "No, I’ve not shop lifted at Home Depot to get the various products I use"
And, most people wouldn't.

But this is the internet, and we deal in digital entertainment. Hell, these pirates don't even see what they're doing as wrong. They see themselves as sticking it to us, the ones who seek to profit. Oh yes, they are the true lovers of this genre, and we are the posers who profit from them. A couple of years back, an SWM member made that very claim.
He cried out ( or rather typed in ALL CAPS ) LET IT BE FREE... Then went on to make a few Don Quixote refrences. I stopped taking him seriously after he began quoting klingons, but his campaign stretched from ubergirls.org to the SWM.

To people like him, there is no calling to their sense of right and wrong.
To them, we are not fans, but merely profiteers.... "Windmills" as I recall.

If that's true... Then why oh why did I, Jonx, Random and CMT pick this (Girl Power) genre? Oh I remember why, cause it's not F__king true!
So, what can we do about it. ........ Make the sites free till we go broke?
I guess I can ask the other free Superheroine sites how they manage to update weekly and pay their models.. No wait a second.... They don't! They steal it from us!!!!!

So again, what can we do about it? The answer is sad but simple.... Nothing.
There is nothing we can do, but to keep doing what we're doing.

So I will.


bully_pup -- Kelly

It does all come down the respecting the producers and intent.

With the Fan Group I run for the Steeles the intent is to more or less advertise and allows discussion and polls about the sites, to help the sites. I went to Kelly before even starting it up to make sure he was fine with it, which is not what I suspect 95% of the yahoo group owners do.

Even with his support of the group I am careful to monitor the amount of pictures that go up on the site to assure someone does not start dumping photos in there. So far people have been good about it.

I've spoken with a number of producers over the years and most of them are great guys (and gal in one case) and to be honest I think most of them would say "sure, post it if you credit the source" if simply asked. It being one or a few pics not a portfolio. So just ask already!

On the plus side of the whole issue, having been around this genre since like 2000 I can say this issue seems to be less of a problem than it was even up to a few years ago. It seems there are far fewer people willing to spend money in order to give stuff away for free. I don't do peer to peer / torrent type sharing so I don't know how bad things are there.

My significant other will not tolerate this costing the family money – but fully supports the hobby/business when it’s cash neutral.

I realize I’m probably wasting my breath – but I’m glad people are taking a bit of a stand.

…okay back to editing… :?

God Bless understanding spouses



As far as what can be done the answer is not simply "nothing" but more nothing that is feasible with our operations, time, and money.

For those paying fans who realize these pirating practices are a threat to the community YOU can help and since there are many of you I suggest you do help.

While its time consuming and difficult for one producer to search the net for stolen content the true fans add hundreds or thousands of eyes to the operation.

If you see content that is not on a Producer supported site then record the URL and if possible and if you know how the ISP of the poster and email them to the victimized site owner. If that owner wants it off, many places like Yahoo Groups, Youtube, and MySpace etc are good at getting groups and content removed with one complaint of copyright violations from the producer. Youtube is is pretty good at this and Yahoo is good to a stupid degree.

Of course the producers still have to decide if they want to spend the time emailing the host services about the copyright violation but in the end its up to them.

So fans, do your part. Think of it as a neighborhood watch kind of thing.

If you see our stuff online without authorization, please let us know at contact @ accomics.net. We can't take action if we don't know it has occurred.

There's really no need to get lawyers involved...that's what the FBI is for. It may take time, but don't think that just because the site hasn't been shut down YET and that the culprits haven't been tracked down YET doesn't mean it won't happen. The anonymity that the internet provides dissolves quickly when you break the law.

That said... THANKS to everyone that SUPPORTS our efforts! We simply can't do it without you guys.

Pirates and thieves may want to read this:
www.kattenlaw.com/pirate-website-wwwhtml...blishers-05-05-2010/

Later,
AC

... and now this.
Producers suing 5000 BitTorrent users for copyright violation.


www.tgdaily.com/business-and-law-feature...00-bittorerent-users

Even Voltage doesn't know the names of the defendants, who have been identified only by their IP addresses. It plans to subpoena ISPs this week to get the users' names.

Yeah right, good luck with that. Sure, downloaded from a certain IP address, but by who? Its hard to sue an address. Which of the 6 people living there downloaded it? Maybe it was grandma, the babysitter, sons friend during a sleep over. Not sure how the laws work down there but up in Canada this would never make it to court unless they had a name to put on the suit. You can't just say "suing 120 West st."

Hurt Locker might consider it did so poorly because it actually was poor.

I always wonder how well the banishment worked. That account is shut down. So they make a new account with a different email address.

I totally understand and agree with the banishment, but it is easy to work around.

Cool.