Popular movie franchisee owners jealously guard their works; they fear that their works might be distorted or presented in a bad light by unauthorized parties thereby affecting their value and success. While it is true that studio houses should protect their works, it is at the same time worth discussing how much of the goodwill is retained by such franchisee owners when they act against their own fans.
Last year, the owners of Pokémon Company International Inc. slapped a copyright infringement suit against fans organizing a Pokémon themed party; following its footsteps this year are the owners of the Star Trek franchise who have alleged copyright infringement against the fan-made film 'Axanar'. The copyright owners have claimed that the fan movie is heavily derived from the original series thereby infringing the copyright over the characters, the look of characters (pointy ears, clothes), and use of Klingon language etc. This action by the copyright owners has disappointed the fans considering that the movie 'Axanar' is a film funded by various fans.
A major reason for success of franchisee films/T.V. series can be accorded to fan-fictions, open forum discussions and may be through videos or films dedicated to their favorite work. It is because of this reason that there are movie houses that are now contemplating the idea of connecting more with their fans by supporting their works, doing so is another way of adding to the reputation and goodwill associated with the studio and the franchise. A recent example can be seen close home, in India, where a fan of a popular Bollywood actor, juxtaposed himself in the trailer of the actor's upcoming movie; instead of claiming it to be an act of infringement, the actor invited the fan to work for him. It is worth noting that while the movie owners can be successful in their infringement claims, because they own the copyrights, it is also possible that their goodwill among the fans might get affected.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
