Final Cut: Toradora! Part 1 DVD
Keep It or Trade It?: Madden NFL 11 (PS3)
Keep It or Trade It?: Trinity Universe (PS3)
Read or Recycle? Gantz Vol. 1
Read or Recycle? Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol. 1
The Hero of Time is/was a feature-length, independent fan-film produced by BMB FINISHES in Atlanta, Georgia. It was directed and produced by Joel Musch. David Blane was also a producer of the film and starred as Link.
The Hero of Time had its WORLD PREMIERE on June 6th. Many people watched the film, loved it, and told their friends. So after being live for 6 months Nintendo sent a Christmas present to the BMB group.
Hey, everyone. We just wanted to let you know that Dec. 31 was the last day that The Hero of Time was available for viewing. We came to an agreement with Nintendo earlier this month to stop distributing the film. In the spirit of the holiday season they were good enough to let us keep the movie up for you to watch and enjoy through the end of 2009, but not past 2009. We understand Nintendo’s right to protect its characters and trademarks and understand how in order to keep their property unspoiled by fan’s interpretation of the franchise, Nintendo needs to protect itself — even from fan-works with good intentions.
I wish companies would embrace the fan culture instead of always sicking their lawyers on their fans. Learn from the RIAA. Going after your fans is a losing proposition.
Dan Furnas on 04 Jan 2010 at 12:39 pm #
Ugh. Again?
Why can’t we have the doujinshi-accepting culture that the Japanese do? I mean, look at ComiKet. People’s heads would explode if someone tried to organize a gigantic convention here that’s essentially based around selling fan-fiction.
Greg Barbe on 04 Jan 2010 at 4:32 pm #
Nintendo is from Japan but I think the situation comes down to a “can’t see the forest because of the trees” situation. The doujin companies have come to realize that the sales of the original product increase as the amount of fan fic increases. So unless you try and pass yourself off as the original artist your fine.
Other sectors, especially if they have a US base, can’t see the fan fic as the tribute it is by the people who love your product. Nintendo could have easily made a licensing deal with BMB. Learn from the Recording industry. Suing your fans does not increase profits.
They should have taken a youtube approach. You can claim DMCA and get a video taken down, or you can put a link in the vid on where to buy the music or movie clips that were used. Smart companies make money off the fans, dumb ones send DMCA take downs.
Dan Furnas on 04 Jan 2010 at 8:51 pm #
I was under the impression that the cease and desist came from the Nintendo of America office, not Japan. That might be my mistake, though.
Greg Barbe on 04 Jan 2010 at 10:17 pm #
It did but while Sony breaks its business into independent divisions (SCEA, SCEJ, SCEE), Nintendo does not. It has one office that makes these kinds of decisions. So the letter comes from the local office (American address) but the Japanese office makes the final decision.