Moving up in the world

[spark]

Why is it that suckyness always seems to come in clumps? I have nothing to post for months, and then I get a half dozen idiots of various flavors in a week. It's weird.

Anyway, this is a follow up to the brain burp I posted over here

"Do you take commissions"

"I do, yes."

"Well, could I commission you? *sillyface*"

"He he he. Sure! My pony plush price list is here: (link) My general price and policy page is here: (link) and you can e-mail me at (e-mail) with what you'd like to get and I'll give you a price quote."

"Well Well I would like somthing from the lion king 2. Her name is Vitani. I would like her as a adult and her standing around 30" long."

Congratulations, you have graduated from "derp" to "idiot." I said to e-mail me. You didn't e-mail me. I gave you my price list. You obviously didn't read it. You also obviously didn't read my policies, or you'd know the answer to your question is "hell no!"

"Ah. I don't do Disney characters, sorry."

"Can you try at least for me?"

Amazingly you have graduated once again from "idiot" to "drooling moron". That was fast! I do not know you. I have never seen your name before you popped up on my DA comment list mere minutes ago. Why on EARTH would I change my policies for you? I mean you ask this the way a very close (but jerk-ish) friend would ask. "Please, for me?" And I'd still tell them "hell no!" I'm certainly not going to do this for a total stranger!

"I don't like being sued. Disney sues people. Unless you're willing to pay me $10,000 or so to cover all possible legal fees, then no."

So far I haven't gotten a reply to this last message. I will keep you all updated on any further developments.

[spark]

Ah, there's the reply. "Really? But alot of people make lion king plushies and sell them. I never knew that thanks for telling me that."

What rock have you been hiding under, to not know that Disney is lawsuit happy? (Did you know that if you google "Disney copyright lawsuit" you get well over 4 million results?) And "alot" of people making plushies (I am now picturing the alot sewing plushes) doesn't mean it's legal. "Alot" of people speed on the highway, and most of them never get tickets. It's still not legal!

"Disney doesn't always notice, since they are not on DA/plush communities. But if they do notice they will sue you for it. I'm not willing to risk it."

"Omg I never knew that Will they sue me if I sculpt lion king guys? What if I say they belong to disney and I own none of disney?"

Ah the classic freak-out, paired with the even more classic "little disclaimer that legally just proves that I know perfectly well I don't own this stuff and haven't got any right to use it." (If you're using the "so-and-so owns this" as a courtesy, that's very nice. If you think it's legal protection, think again!)

"Doesn't matter, they *can* still sue you. They probably won't, they don't go actively looking for fan art, and if you're not making a living selling them, they probably won't care. But I DO make a living selling my plush, so for me it's a much bigger risk."

And here is the final end of our saga. "Oh ok sorry for that I never knew. Its better save then sorry."

Better save then sorry indeed.

[EricKei]

Quoth spark

(If you're using the "so-and-so owns this" as a courtesy, that's very nice. If you think it's legal protection, think again!)

I always love when I see stuff like that -- especially on youtube ~_~ On what planet is that protection from liability, rather than a confession of guilt?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Reminds me of the derpa derp from the ebay discussion boards from several years back who just couldn't figure out why ebay kept taking down her listings for t-shirts featuring likenesses of famous celebrities that were obviously ripped off web sites and printed to t-shirt transfers or screen-printed or something.

Ummm, hello? There's this thing called copyright and trademark law. We happen to believe in this country that people and companies ought to have some rights as to how their products are distributed, or how their likenesses or images are used to sell other products. You should be happy you're just having auction listings cancelled instead of talking to attorneys.

[sms001]

Quoth spark

What rock have you been hiding under, to not know that Disney is lawsuit happy?

It'd have to be Uluru! The Mouse is so well known for proactive protection that it's a running gag on 'The Simpsons' for heaven's sake!

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Ignorance may be bliss...but it can also be costly "Disney is suing me for sculpting and selling Simba figurines? bwuuuuuhhh??? whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?????????"

[Kanalah]

Part of me would almost not respond to any more messages after your business email is given. Because if you don't read and/or understand that - then they're probably just trouble.

[thansal]

Did some one say Plush Alot?

[LillFilly]

I heard of Disney suing a day care for painting pictures of the characters on the wall. You just DON'T want to mess with them!

[manybellsdown]

And "alot" of people making plushies (I am now picturing the alotsewing plushes

And all I could think is "Dang, I want an Alot plushie."

And then Thansal linked. And I am full of squee.