My New Project

[Spectrum]

Okay I don't normally post about projects before they're done, but I am super-stoked about this.

Its no secret here that I love transforming people into supernatural/superhero characters, but I've just confirmed a shoot coming up in Jan next year which I have been wanting to do for years.

This is also my most complicated and ambitious project ever. A friend of mine who is a great photographer has agreed to be part of it, but most importantly, I've also convinced the current Mr Universe, Lee Priest, to model for it too after speaking with him via Facebook and then on the phone.

After the shots are done, I will be spending a lot of time editing to transform Lee into The Incredible Hulk.

This won't be any slap-some-green-on-and-make-him-look-angry deal, it will be a full transformation of facial structure and body proportions. There will be other characters, which is why we are sourcing a costume designer so it all looks really authentic. Before the shoot, the photographer and I will be getting some background shots to composite with, and then matching the light angles and intensity in the studio.

Can't wait. Woop woop!

 

[Paul]

We can't wait, would be nice if you did a full break down tutorial so that we could learn from it, if that's at all possible?

 

[Spectrum]

We can't wait, would be nice if you did a full break down tutorial so that we could learn from it, if that's at all possible?

I could give pointers, but a full tutorial would take a long time for this project. Just depends on what else I have on at the time, but its months away so we'll see.

 

[iDad]

Pretty cool!

Wouldn't marvel comics have the final say whether you could show the tutorial on how one of the characters (copyrighted characters)is being developed? I think it's Marvel?

 

[Spectrum]

Pretty cool!

Wouldn't marvel comics have the final say whether you could show the tutorial on how one of the characters (copyrighted characters)is being developed? I think it's Marvel?

No. Copyright doesn't extend to skills. I create the shots, and my skills edit them so all the content is owned by me. If I were to set up a site selling the shots as posters and had "The Incredible Hulk" on it, and it sold thousands of copies, then yeah, I would get a letter from their lawyers, but since no money is involved here, they won't care.

 

[IamSam]

No. Copyright doesn't extend to skills. I create the shots, and my skills edit them so all the content is owned by me. If I were to set up a site selling the shots as posters and had "The Incredible Hulk" on it, and it sold thousands of copies, then yeah, I would get a letter from their lawyers, but since no money is involved here, they won't care.

Honest question here. Wouldn't copyright apply if you were using those skills to simulate/approximate/suggest a copyrighted character?

 

[Spectrum]

Honest question here. Wouldn't copyright apply if you were using those skills to simulate/approximate/suggest a copyrighted character?

It almost always comes down to money. If no money is being made, then you aren't benefiting from using the likeness of the copyright. In cases where companies file copyright violation notices, it is usually because something THEY created (image, illustration etc) is being used in a manner which associated the product or intellectual property with something they don't like (if you put Donald Duck on your porn site for example), they will send you a take down notice.

There are a lot of variables for different situations, but I have NEVER heard of someone being sued for creating fan art just for the enjoyment of it. The reason they get in trouble 99.99% of the time is if they are making money from someone else's copyright.

 

[IamSam]

There are a lot of variables for different situations, but I have NEVER heard of someone being sued for creating fan art just for the enjoyment of it. The reason they get in trouble 99.99% of the time is if they are making money from someone else's copyright.

So it is copyright infringement.

Another honest question. If you posted the copyrighted image without the intent of making money, can you be held liable if the image is stolen from you and used by others to make money?

 

[iDad]

Fan art? It sounded like this project was gonna be of substantial income, with collaboration of professional photographer, sourcing costume designers and Mr. universe they are going to do this for free??

 

[Spectrum]

Fan art? It sounded like this project was gonna be of substantial income, with collaboration of professional photographer, sourcing costume designers and Mr. universe they are going to do this for free??

Nope, just a super-serious fan art project. I would make money off it if I could, and at one stage I was considering options for getting a licence deal with Marvel to create posters of this nature (they would get a portion of the profits) but after doing some research, I found out it was going to be a massive and almost impossible headache, as Disney currently owns the rights to a lot of Marvel characters on a temporary basis while all the Marvel films are being made. Once the films are done, the copyright reverts back to Marvel.

Essentially, it would be really easy for them to sue me. I would rather just keep it as a fan project, and do it for the love of it. Either way, its going to make one hell of a portfolio piece, so its a win win.

Mr Universe (Lee Priest) is a huge comic fan, so he's right into it, and the photographer is getting the chance to add Mr Universe to his portfolio, so yeah, everyone is doing it for free for their own reasons, but all are benefiting from it.