Question about fair-use.

Hello all,

I would like to know if some members here could help me make a decision about posting online a couple of videos.

Two years ago, I began working on my first and only to date fan-edit project using Star Wars: A New Hope. I began after seeing Adywan's own restoration project named Star Wars Revisited.
At first, I was only making a french soundtrack so my kids could watch it. But then, I began noticing things I hadn't seen before, little mistakes, special effects problems, etc. Some of the problems were also about the editing of the movie itself.
It wasn't much, but enough to bug me. And a lot overtime.

Eventually I put on hold my soundtrack project and began to learn how to do the corrections myself. I decided to remove the bad special effects added in later versions, bring back as much as possible the original scenes, restore deleted scenes like Luke meeting with friends and Biggs to reintroduce them in the movie for continuity, etc. It also ranged from color correction to creating new special effects (only to replace badly aged or badly rendered effects like lasers), or simply animating some characters so they could pop to life. I learned how to use After Effects, learned 3D software for modeling and animating, etc.
My idea, generally, was to use only what was already in the frames to make the corrections, if that was possible. Which was not always, but I managed to keep to a minimum the use for 3D or images created outside of the movie itself.

Now, I'm not finished with the whole project, but I have many scenes that are ready. My idea was to post videos of the original scenes with the new restored/recomposed/reedited scenes to compare the changes, sometimes subtle, sometimes dramatic, and have discussions about them because I'm sure I would learn a lot from others' ideas or experiences in movie editing or about the use of software and what to do with them.
And to show off, of course, haha.

So my question is; would Disney be allowed to have me remove the videos if I post them or does it fall in the fair-use category?
I'm just to poor to face a lawsuit...

Thank you.

PS: BTW, I'm asking because learning 3d modeling and After Effects was much much easier than understanding fair-use and such. Not quite lawyer material here... haha

a reply to: NowanKenubi

I believe you're pushing. ..it is a trademark usage without permission.

Star Wars and Disney don't play around. Take caution.

MS
Copyright/Trademark Holder

a reply to: mysterioustranger

I did write to Lucasfilm and ask for permission and they said no, etc.

The subject is complicated I know, and I don't want to cause troubles, or have ones too. I was surprised as I also said I would present it only by segments with commentary, free of charge of course.

It is confusing because to me it seems the videos would fall into the fair use category, that is why I asked and refrained from posting them. I do see lots of new videos using scenes from the movies and they don't seem to get sued. Sigh, haha.

Thank you for your answer. I will be cautious, of course.

PS: I also understand and respect completely the copyrights and the need for it.

a reply to: NowanKenubi

The "fair-use" is not applicable here to do what you want, how you want, and display or show it wherever you want. I can break it down a bit more for you.

Read the notice at the beginning/and/or end of all movies. Sentence by sentence, ask yourself if you are doing anything it mentions. Altering, displaying etc...and you'll find your own answer if you are or not.

That being said? As long as you dont sell it, advertise it, show it or put in on YouTube or anywhere else...you should be good. Making these altered projects for fun is fairly common. Movies old enough to be out-of-copyright applicable laws are fair-game.

WARNING. Now that YOU contacted THEM...youre in their radar and they will be watching.*

*Trademark violations are a FELONY. (ie- Like using their title STAR WARS anywhere in yours)

Best of Luck

MS Copyright and Trademark Holder

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Well thanks for the further input.

I think it will remain a personal project then.

My contacting them was to make sure I wasn't doing anything illegal, hoping they would agree. Oh well.

At least, I learned a lot about animation and stuff, and I have a few ideas of my own I want to try. Time to start those projects.

Have a good day MS.

a reply to: NowanKenubi

Youre welcome. Always honor legal rights.. .including copyrighting your own original works too! And have fun editing!! !!