Re: A humble request

Posted by Greg from 4502-1a-196-83.me.loa.com on July 09, 2001 at 21:21:51:

In Reply to: Re: A humble request posted by IndianaKevin on July 09, 2001 at 11:45:37:

: Your right. It's just bad for LucasFilm to do this to an avid Star Wars fan.

Well, remember that in 1999, LFL issued a letter to Follano and demanded that he cease all of his activity. He then continued, deliberately disregarding this. It does seem a little harsh of LFL to refuse to settle but seek full retribution, but then, if it were me, if the person deliberately disregarded my demand for over 2 years, I probably would be upset enough to seek full retribution too. Now don't get me wrong. I would have loved to buy a set of stormtrooper armor, and since demand drives supply, it is the buyers who probably contribute to the crime, but I don't think I'd find myself selling such items, as I would be afraid of such retribution. The problem with the armor is that it is so Star Wars specific (the looks of it exist no where else), that even if he was selling it under a different name, LFL could probably successfully sue him, whereas pants, boots, jedi-like robes, etc. all can resemble other costume items that aren't specific to Star Wars. At any rate, the biggest sadness to this whole affair is that they are stopping someone from creating (wonderfully, I might add) cool collectibles that they themselves do not produce or sell, thus making it impossible for fans to buy them. If LFL licensed him and took part of the profit, that would be cool. I'm not really sure why LFL doesn't take notice to people collecting movie-realistic props and costumes and start producing a line of it. As long as it was as well-made and accurate as the fan-made stuff, I am sure it would sell (and I myself would buy it). I've never heard of anyone owning the armor he sells and making money from wearing it. However, as has been pointed out elsewhere, people wearing his armor have performed benefit work at children's hospitals and the like, as well as making the openings of their films more colorful as fans stand in line wearing it. Oh well, my two cents...

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: : Your right. It's just bad for LucasFilm to do this to an avid Star Wars fan.

: Well, remember that in 1999, LFL issued a letter to Follano and demanded that he cease all of his activity.  He then continued, deliberately disregarding this.  It does seem a little harsh of LFL to refuse to settle but seek full retribution, but then, if it were me, if the person deliberately disregarded my demand for over 2 years, I probably would be upset enough to seek full retribution too.  Now don't get me wrong. I would have loved to buy a set of stormtrooper armor, and since demand drives supply, it is the buyers who probably contribute to the crime, but I don't think I'd find myself selling such items, as I would be afraid of such retribution.  The problem with the armor is that it is so Star Wars specific (the looks of it exist no where else), that even if he was selling it under a different name, LFL could probably successfully sue him, whereas pants, boots, jedi-like robes, etc. all can resemble other costume items that aren't specific to Star Wars.  At any rate, the biggest sadness to this whole affair is that they are stopping someone from creating (wonderfully, I might add) cool collectibles that they themselves do not produce or sell, thus making it impossible for fans to buy them.  If LFL licensed him and took part of the profit, that would be cool.  I'm not really sure why LFL doesn't take notice to people collecting movie-realistic props and costumes and start producing a line of it.  As long as it was as well-made and accurate as the fan-made stuff, I am sure it would sell (and I myself would buy it).  I've never heard of anyone owning the armor he sells and making money from wearing it.  However, as has been pointed out elsewhere, people wearing his armor have performed benefit work at children's hospitals and the like, as well as making the openings of their films more colorful as fans stand in line wearing it.  Oh well, my two cents...

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