[WSJ] Lucasfilm offers clips to fans

Rockets2K · May 25, 2007

Smart or not?

and does this point the way for other movie rights holders?

People are gonna do it anyway, at least get yourself into the process...afterall...publicity is publicity, no matter if its sanctioned by you or not.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117997273760812981.html

Make-It-Yourself 'Star Wars'
Lucasfilm Will Post Clips From Film Saga on the Web,
Inviting Fans to Edit at Will

By SARAH MCBRIDE

George Lucas, creator of "Star Wars," has never hesitated to protect his intellectual property, which is why some call him "Lucas the Litigator." But this week, his Lucasfilm plans to make clips of "Star Wars" available to fans on the Internet to mash up -- meaning to remix however they want -- at will.

The clips -- about 250 of them, from all six Star Wars movies -- will land on the Starwars.com Web site tomorrow, part of this week's 30th-anniversary celebrations of the release of his hit movie. Working with an easy-to-use editing program from Eyespot Corp. of San Diego, fans can cut, add to and retool the clips. Then they can post their creations to blogs or social-networking sites like MySpace. More clips will come out from time to time over coming months.
[A montage of 'Star Wars' characters. From left to right: Yoda, C3PO, Padme Amidala and R2D2. Lucasfilm hopes fans of the movie and its quirky ensemble will be drawn to edit clips on the Starwars.com Web site.]
'Star Wars' characters C-3PO and R2-D2. Lucasfilm hopes fans of the movie and its quirky ensemble will be drawn to edit clips on the Starwars.com Web site.

In essence, Lucasfilm is going to legitimize and streamline a pastime that has become increasingly popular on the Web. A search for "Star Wars" on YouTube, for example, turns up some 98,000 results, many of them videos drawing on original content from the movies. But on third-party video sites, Lucasfilm executives "can't control it, and they can't monetize it," says Jim Kaskade, Eyespot's chief executive officer.

While Lucasfilm could fight what amounts to the theft of its property, it has now decided to take the opposite tack. In doing so, it is tackling an issue that faces all media companies today: how to keep some semblance of control over intellectual property in the digital age.

"We see what's going on at YouTube," says Jeffrey Ulin, senior director for distribution and business affairs at Lucasfilm, who says the company began to think about allowing mash-ups last summer. "We see what's going on out there on the Web generally. And we wanted fans to come to Starwars.com as the center of fan activity." Currently, he estimates, the site attracts about two million unique monthly visitors; he anticipates the new content will boost traffic significantly.

The clips, which run up to 60 seconds long, will assemble memorable moments from the movies, grouped under categories like "Leia Confronts Vader" and "The Lost Limbs" -- the latter a collection of various characters' limbs getting the chop. One category devoted to a much-maligned lizard-like character from the three "Star Wars" prequels urges fans: "Don't be shy. Here's your chance to edit Jar Jar."

The mash-up project will come with rules, however. While it won't stop anybody from assailing characters or casting them in unexpected lights, Eyespot has set up a program to make sure none of the doctored clips contain nudity, p*rnography, and the like. As a backup, a team of screeners based in Costa Rica will watch each video before it goes live.

Working with Lucasfilm involved "a lot of delicacies, and a lot of attention to detail," says David Dudas, Eyespot's chief technology officer. "They're very sensitive." Lucasfilm says it sees the "Star Wars" movies as a cross between a big movie franchise and a brand like Disney, another company with child-friendly entertainment that zealously protects its image.

Lucasfilm has multiple motivations for allowing this. Now that no more "Star Wars" movies are coming out, the mash-ups are "part of keeping the love of 'Star Wars' and the franchise alive," says Mr. Ulin. "We're really trying to position ourselves for the next 30 years." Other parts of that effort include a videogame, The Force Unleashed, and an animated TV series, both scheduled for next year; a live-action TV series is coming later.

To draw in as many fans as possible, Lucasfilm also wants to make it easy to edit the footage. With many desktop programs, "you can spend hours, maybe days, trying to put together a five-minute story," says Mr. Kaskade. "We have made a significant attempt to keep it simple." The program relies on basic dragging, clicking and pasting.

Eyespot already works with various media companies. Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures has created promotions where fans can edit trailers for movies like the Mark Wahlberg thriller "Shooter."

SonyBMG makes some music videos and songs available for mixing. But the "Star Wars" project is the most ambitious yet, says Mr. Kaskade. The "Star Wars" team "understands social media and is embracing it," he says. "This is a way for Lucasfilm to bring YouTube to their backyard."

That notion may not resonate with fans who remember Mr. Lucas's reactions to other attempts to draw on his movies for inspiration. Last year, Lucasfilm sued a Maryland company that was making "Star Wars"-like light sabers without the proper trademarks. Previously, it sued rapper Dr. Dre for using the booming sound effect that begins Lucasfilm movies to kick off his album "2001." And it also sued to block distribution of an animated pornographic movie called "Starballz" that featured some "Star Wars"-like characters.

But the company says this situation is different. If fans are using "Star Wars" material for fun, that's one thing. "If someone tries to commercialize it, that's where we've drawn the line," says Mr. Ulin. He says the company has long supported activities like an annual contest for the best "Star Wars" movie submitted by a fan; Mr. Lucas will pick this year's winner on Sunday at the "Celebration IV" "Star Wars" convention in Los Angeles.

Previously, the contest allowed only parodies or documentaries. This year, for the first time, it allowed fiction that expands the "Star Wars" saga beyond the original storylines.

"In general, we have a bit more lighthearted attitude to the series than we did in the past," says Mr. Ulin. He points to commercials tied to the last release, 2005's "Revenge of the Sith," which showed Yoda hawking Pepsi and Chewbacca growling through voice tests at a Cingular recording studio. "It's a bit of a natural evolution as 'Star Wars' becomes a part of pop culture."

Eventually, the mash-ups will run with brief video advertising before them, with Lucasfilm and Eyespot splitting the proceeds. The efforts should bring refocused attention on all the "Star Wars" movies, helping to boost DVD and merchandise sales.

Write to Sarah McBride at sarah.mcbride@wsj.com
Click to expand...

Faos · May 25, 2007

It's a good thing. Here's one of the classics:

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