That is a really nice thing for WB to do, props to them for seeing the positive of the film being available for fans.

onthetrail wrote:

That is a really nice thing for WB to do, props to them for seeing the positive of the film being available for fans.

You mean seeing the fan film as a potential tool in drumming up interest in their own film?

Mr. Underhill wrote:

onthetrail wrote:

That is a really nice thing for WB to do, props to them for seeing the positive of the film being available for fans.

You mean seeing the fan film as a potential tool in drumming up interest in their own film?

I am seeing the positive

Well, there's a report from the BBC in 2009 with a quote from one of the makers:

We got in touch with Tolkien Enterprises and reached an understanding with them that as long as we are completely non-profit then we're okay. We have to be careful not to disrespect their ownership of the intellectual property. They are supportive of the way fans wish to express their enthusiasm.

Clearly the details of this (gentleman's?) agreement are not public, but if the now Middle-Earth Enterprises & Friends already gave permission for the film to be available non-commercially, then I don't see how WB, merely the licensee, can object. I presume it was WB lawyers and YT's automated copyright machine that resulted in the film being taken down.

Recently I have been thinking of writing that The Curse of Peter Jackson's Legacy for Middle-earth post but then it would not really change a thing - so why bother?

War of the Rohirrim is written by Philippa Boyens' daughter and her partner and Boyens is the face of it right now for the press; Hunt for Gollum is just the same thing, even if you have Serkis as the director. It's all being done by the same people which means we will - in all probability - never get anything new and interesting ever again

The one good thing I appreciate about this is that - given the fact how Amazon left NZ in the lurch - that Weta Workshop et al. are getting a production hub for the work they are doing in New Zealand which will massively benefit the local economy. And to me that sounds way nicer than making the coffers of WB or Embracer ring...

Which will happen anyway.