Pop Critics » intellectual property cops http://popcritics.com Reviewing popular culture so you don't have to Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:48:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 FOX decides not to promote ‘The Happening’ http://popcritics.com/2008/02/06/fox-decides-not-to-promote-the-happening http://popcritics.com/2008/02/06/fox-decides-not-to-promote-the-happening#comments Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:38:55 +0000 Mike http://www.popcritics.com/2008/02/fox-decides-not-to-promote-the-happening/ Interesting headline I used, it’s not entirely accurate, but what else can one think?

I love quotes as you guys know, and a line from one of my favorite shows ever, Sports Night, popped into my head after an email I got today:

Dan: I’ve got the intellectual property cops crawling up my butt.
Isaac: The intellectual property cops?
Dan: Yeah.
Isaac: Are crawling up your butt?
Dan: The heat’s all over me.
Isaac: What the hell are you talkin’ about, Dan?
Dan: I sang happy birthday to Casey on air.
Isaac: When?
Dan: Well, on his birthday, Isaac…

The intellectual property cops…that may not totally apply in this situation, but whatever the case, that’s the term that popped into my head when I got the email below:

——

Dear Mr. Olbinski:

We are writing to you on behalf Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and/or its subsidiaries and affiliated companies (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Fox”) which owns intellectual property rights in and to “The Happening” motion picture film. It has come to our attention that a teaser trailer has been posted on your website at http://www.popcritics.com/2008/02/m-nights-the-happening-teaser/ without authorization from Fox.

We must request that you immediately disable the link to “The Happening” teaser trailer from your website and cease and desist from all other activities in connection with the teaser.

Please confirm via e-mail that you will immediately comply with our request.

Sincerely,

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Intellectual Property Department

—–

Okay, I will admit that obviously this happens all the time, to likely many, many websites out there, so it’s really not that big a deal. Of course it’s the first time for me, so I’m going to write about it!

Isn’t it funny that a movie studio goes to such lengths to halt promotion and buzz surrounding an upcoming release?

It’s just amazing to me that in the world we live in with viral marketing and online videos, that movie executives would run around trying to catch people doing them a favor.

I have half a mind to never talk about The Happening on this site again, but I think I’m too excited about it for that to “happen.” *grin*

Regardless, that’s why the teaser no longer appears in that blog post and why those that had a chance to see it were among the “lucky ones” I guess.

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