Wu promotes Star Wars screening - it's a fundraiser!

[stets]

Wu sent out a new e-mail this afternoon promoting the Star Wars screening. This answers the question of why she wants to rent out a movie theater - it's a fundraiser. I've never heard of someone renting out a theater as a fundraiser.

The legal aspect has come up. It's definitely no violation of election law, but others have raised questions on scalping/copyright grounds. I'd be curious if we had an intellectual property lawfag here that knew more about this aspect of film distribution.

Speaking of legal issues, I just noticed that Wu's e-mails have left out the legally-required "Paid for by ..." box. That's not terribly surprising since John is an amateur at this.

 

[Null]

"May the Force be with you" is copyrighted and "Force" is a trademark. Aside from the use of that language (which can be considered a copyright violation as it may imply that LucasArts or Disney has somehow endorsed Brianna, and by extension a one-way ticket to a galaxy far away and full of anal pain), I cannot imagine any complications that'd come from holding a fundraiser at a movie theater.

On an interesting note I just realized I don't get any her of emails anymore. I'm wondering if she's banned my address.

 

[He Sets Me On Fire]

Come See Star Wars The Last Jedi on Opening Weekend with Brianna Wu 2018

Why would I wait 'til 2018? It comes out in just a couple of months. Get with it, Brianna.

ETA: I don't even know what any of this is about, I'm no expert in the economics of movie theaters or fund raisers, but this really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Is she renting the theater on opening night? How ... how would she get any of the proceeds? Unless maybe she bought a big group of seats, or something. I mean, it costs $4k to rent the house (which the theater is going to allow her to do at the premier of one of the most anticipated movies of the year). In a broad sense, that's not beyond reason. But it's a fundraiser, right? She already needs the $4k ahead of time. Does she expect people to donate to rent the theater, then donate again once they come to see the movie?

Huh. I'unno. These people she's talking to must be made of money.

 

[AnOminous]

At the very least, it's a Lanham Act violation. I think Disney would be interested. Not in a long play-by-play of why Wu is shit, but simply "there's this political candidate using Star Wars in their campaign, are you interested?"

Luckily, Disney has an email address for reporting IP violations.

tips@disneyantipiracy.com

Or hey, maybe you want to get more fancy.

Email: tips@disneyantipiracy.com
Voice Mail: 818-560-3300
Mail: The Walt Disney Company Antipiracy Group
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, California 91521-0644

Sometimes sending something on paper has a little pizzazz to it.

The main points are

• political candidate
• public event
• associating Disney marks with the campaign

Using the actual logo is also likely to be super interesting to them. Make sure they know John is actually using their logo too.

Mention of ANYTHING else other than these things and other actually infringing activities is counterproductive. Shit like this is usually going to be read by interns. Ranting about John's troonishness or other shitty behaviors is pointless. "They're using our logo in a political campaign" is what you want to convey.

They weren't exactly happy with Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" either, but he didn't use their logo or exploit their intellectual property in his election campaigns.

 

[ToroidalBoat]

I'm kind of out of the loop with the Wu dama. Why does the latest Star Wars appeal to Wu?

Spoiler: nitpicking

"May the Force be with you" is copyrighted and "Force" is a trademark.

You can't copyright short phrases. Did you mean "registered trademark" there?

 

[Puppet Pal Clem]

which can be considered a copyright violation as it may imply that LucasArts or Disney has somehow endorsed Brianna, and by extension a one-way ticket to a galaxy far away and full of anal pain

Imagine if Disney even cared enough to sue. Somebody would have to notify them first of course, but it'd just be a cease and desist.

 

[Null]

Imagine if Disney even cared enough to sue. Somebody would have to notify them first of course, but it'd just be a cease and desist.

Disney will literally send Cease & Desist orders to independent birthday caterers who sometimes dress up as Disney characters for children's birthday parties.

 

[RP 520]

"May the Force be with you" is copyrighted and "Force" is a trademark. Aside from the use of that language (which can be considered a copyright violation as it may imply that LucasArts or Disney has somehow endorsed Brianna, and by extension a one-way ticket to a galaxy far away and full of anal pain), I cannot imagine any complications that'd come from holding a fundraiser at a movie theater.

On an interesting note I just realized I don't get any her of emails anymore. I'm wondering if she's banned my address.

Also even though he might have rented the theater, I'm pretty sure you have to pay to get the rights to show the movie to an audience. At my college whenever the Student Activities Dept. wanted to have a movie night they'd have to get the rights to show the movie, I'd imagine the same would be true here.

 

[Null]

Also even though he might have rented the theater, I'm pretty sure you have to pay to get the rights to show the movie to an audience. At my college whenever the Student Activities Dept. wanted to have a movie night they'd have to get the rights to show the movie, I'd imagine the same would be true here.

If it's an actual movie theater I believe they have the rights to do catering style events.

 

[Francis York Morgan]

I'm kind of out of the loop with the Wu dama. Why does the latest Star Wars appeal to Wu?

Spoiler: nitpicking

You can't copyright short phrases. Did you mean "registered trademark" there?

The main character is a bland, brown-haired woman with no discernible character traits or flaws who succeeds in every endeavor, kind of like a sci fi version of Bella from Twilight but less of a victim. Wu loves characters like that because he uses them as vehicles for his escapist fantasies.

 

[NQ 952]

"Politics doesn't have to be boring"

I would like to point out that politics isn't boring to a large number of people who have an interest in pressing issues they'd like to be addressed.

Just saying that maybe you shouldn't call something people use every day as both a way of life and a way of changing lives "boring"

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

I'm kind of out of the loop with the Wu dama. Why does the latest Star Wars appeal to Wu?

Spoiler: nitpicking

You can't copyright short phrases. Did you mean "registered trademark" there?

Star Wars is the current tentpole franchise of the #Resistance because Trump is literally a stormtrooper.

 

[Henry Bemis]

"Politics doesn't have to be boring"

I would like to point out that politics isn't boring to a large number of people who have an interest in pressing issues they'd like to be addressed.

Just saying that maybe you shouldn't call something people use every day as both a way of life and a way of changing lives "boring"

This is the root of the problem of the "everything is political" crowd.

To a degree, everything is political; politics, in its broadest definition, pertains to how people interact, and that includes everything from healthcare to deciding which movie is worthy of production. These guys just overwhelmingly want to be political in the latter quote-unquote fun sense.

 

[Norvic]

If you're going to complain to Disney at all, don't complain yet. For maximally funny, you need to time it such that she gets a cease and desist after she's put the deposit down.

Not that it'll matter, this event is never going to happen 'cos there's no way Wu can muster enough people to make it economically viable. It'll be quietly cancelled in a couple of weeks. We'll get a bit of a peek in to how much of a disaster it was in next month's FEC report.

 

[stets]

At the very least, it's a Lanham Act violation. I think Disney would be interested. Not in a long play-by-play of why Wu is shit, but simply "there's this political candidate using Star Wars in their campaign, are you interested?"

There was a gubernatorial candidate in Maryland a couple of years ago that pulled down a web ad that used Pinocchio without Disney’s permission, so there is some precedent. I don’t know if they received a C&D or any other context for the removal though.

I’ll shoot Disney an e-mail tomorrow just for the hell of it.

EDIT - I just sent them an e-mail. Thanks to @AnOminous for the info.

 

[DragoonSierra]

If you're going to complain to Disney at all, don't complain yet. For maximally funny, you need to time it such that she gets a cease and desist after she's put the deposit down.

Not that it'll matter, this event is never going to happen 'cos there's no way Wu can muster enough people to make it economically viable. It'll be quietly cancelled in a couple of weeks. We'll get a bit of a peek in to how much of a disaster it was in next month's FEC report.

She wouldnt be announcing it if it wasnt already paid would she?

 

[Norvic]

She wouldnt be announcing it if it wasnt already paid would she?

This is Brianna Wu we're talking about. Of course she's selling tickets to something that isn't totally guaranteed to happen. She said as much in the email, that she hasn't actually paid the deposit yet and the dates are only provisional.

 

[neverendingmidi]

My theater nearby has advertisements during the period between movies (before the previews and such) that offer the rental of the theater. Generally however it's marketed to schools, business, family reunions and so on. Not sure about the legality of fundraising by it though.

 

[MagneticTowels]

 

[Mariposa Electrique]

He should be promoting autism screening in male children.