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Author	Topic: Battle over Stormtroopers
JEDIMASTER_VIDAL Title: FanForce CR, Richmond, VA Registered: Jan '07	Date Posted: 4/9 12:01am Subject: Battle over Stormtroopers - Date Edited: 4/9 12:41am (4 edits total) Edited By: JEDIMASTER_VIDAL
	Lucas Sues Brit Over 'Star Wars' Outfits Tuesday April 8 1:46 PM ET It's a storm in a Stormtrooper's helmet. Lawyers for George Lucas' Lucasfilm Ltd. and a British prop designer faced off in London's High Court Tuesday over rights to the molded white Stormtrooper uniforms from the "Star Wars" films. Standing alongside the bewigged, black-robed lawyers in court was the object of their dispute a 6-foot tall, helmeted warrior of the evil Galactic Empire. Lucasfilm attorney Michael Bloch called the menacing figure "one of the most iconic images in modern culture." Lucasfilm claims violation of copyright and trademarks by prop designer Andrew Ainsworth, who sculpted the Stormtrooper helmets for the first "Star Wars" movie in 1977. London-based Ainsworth sells replicas of the helmets and armor, which he says are made from the original molds, on his Web site. Lucasfilm won a $20 million judgment against Ainsworth in a California court in 2006, and is seeking to have it enforced in Britain. Ainsworth is countersuing, claiming the copyright rests with him and seeking a share of merchandising revenue from the six "Star Wars" films, which his lawyers estimate at $24 billion. Lucasfilm and its lawyers claim the design of the Stormtroopers was created by Lucas and his artistic team, and was already in place by the time Ainsworth was hired to create the helmets. "The look to be created had been worked on by a large team of people for perhaps more than a year," Bloch said at the start of the 10-day hearing. Any extra security the Stormtroopers might provide wasn't sitting well with Judge Anthony Mann, who cast a glance at the silent props standing beside him. "Are they going to stay there for the entire trial?" he asked. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------By Mike Collett-White Tue Apr 8, 9:08 PM ET LONDON (Reuters) - A judge in a wig and gown gazed down on a Stormtrooper costume and nine masks from the "Star Wars" films at London's High Court on Tuesday at the start of a high-profile copyright case. George Lucas, creator of the blockbuster intergalactic sagas, and his billion-dollar merchandising arm are suing Andrew Ainsworth, a small-scale prop designer who sells replicas of the film characters from his southwest London studio. Lucasfilm and related parties have already won a 2006 court case against Ainsworth in California, where the judge awarded the firm $20 million (10.1 million pounds) in damages, and they are now seeking to have a similar ruling enforced here. According to a short summary of the case provided by Ainsworth's lawyers, he argues that the copyright on the items in the courtroom has expired, and even if it has not, that he owns it, and not Lucas. "Hence the defendants are counterclaiming in respect of unauthorized making and issue, distribution and sale of toys and costumes which are copies of the disputed items." Michael Bloch, lawyer for Lucasfilm Ltd, opened proceedings by arguing that the design for the Stormtroopers and other key characters from the films were well advanced by the time Ainsworth was asked to produce the costumes in 1976. "By the time Mr. Ainsworth was brought in to make the Stormtrooper helmet, the look to be created had been worked on by a large number of people for perhaps more than a year," he said. The designs "were pretty well fixed in 1975 and they involve the initial idea of George Lucas worked on then by Ralph McQuarrie and others." McQuarrie was the conceptual artist and design consultant for the original "Star Wars" trilogy. At stake are the rights to merchandise worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Total merchandising revenue since the first Star Wars movie in 1977 is estimated at around $12 billion, and total box office takings from the six movies is about $4 billion. As well as the full Stormtrooper costume, masks of characters including a TIE fighter pilot and Tusken Raider were arranged on the front bench of the court room. Ainsworth sells his replicas of the Stormtrooper helmet and armor, as well the masks for an array of other key characters, from Shepperton Design Studios. The full set of armor normally retails at 995 pounds ($2,000), although the company does not supply U.S. customers. Lucas' side is expected to argue that Ainsworth was working for the studio under an implied contract, whereas the prop designer counters that "no written contract was entered into and Andrew Ainsworth was not employed by Lucasfilm." There may also be legal debate over whether the uniforms were industrial design or works of art, which could affect the length of copyright protection. The case, expected to last for 10 days, continues. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- A legal clash pitching Star Wars director George Lucas, seen here in March 2008, against a prop designer who made the costumes for the 1977 movie's stormtroopers opened at London's High Court Tuesday. British movie prop designer Andrew Ainsworth, who created the design for the Star Wars' stormtrooper white battle suits, arrives at the Royal Courts of justice in London, Tuesday, April 8, 2008. The Lucasfilm company is suing Ainsworth for infringing upon their film company copyright, after allegedly reproducing the outfits from the original moulds and selling them for up to 1,800 pounds each (US$3,577 or 2,272 euro), but the designer says he created the outfits for the 1977 film, and owns the copyright. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 videos http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news?fr=sfp&ei=UTF-8&p=star+wars&c=av ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ well thats all i have on this
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JoeRichmondVA Registered: Aug '06	Date Posted: 4/9 4:47am Subject: RE: Battle over Stormtroopers
	Who would spend $3,577 on a stormtrooper costume anyway.... -----signature----- __________________________________________ JoeRichmondVA Richmond Fanforce New Republic Founder Grand Admiral - Electoral Academy ________ TI-9944 Garrison Tyranus __________
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TD6829 Registered: Dec '06	Date Posted: 4/9 9:55am Subject: RE: Battle over Stormtroopers
	This is old news, I thought Shepperson had been sued/closed before for doing this. Of course Lucas will win. THE EMPEROR HAS SUPREME POWER! -----signature----- John B. Mayes, TD/SL/TI-6829
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ItsThatGuy Registered: Oct '06	Date Posted: 4/10 6:59am Subject: RE: Battle over Stormtroopers
	TD6829 posted: This is old news, I thought Shepperson had been sued/closed before for doing this. Of course Lucas will win. THE EMPEROR HAS SUPREME POWER! It was closed, in the US. Now they need to make the suit stick in the UK. -----signature----- Tony M Garrison Tyranus TK-8669 JasperWindel (WoW Arygos server)
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Shaak_Ti_ Registered: Jan '07	Date Posted: 4/13 11:35pm Subject: RE: Battle over Stormtroopers
	Lol that's funny but I guess the guy who made the armor must feel cheated somehow. -----signature----- It is not the size of the Jedi, Nor is it the amount of power courseing through her blade, But the strength of her heart.
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