Originally posted by
Jim Sachs:
Tiny - No, they can't legally mess with my work, but I have no desire to spend my life in court.
Pat - I guess I should have stayed through the credits to see if SereneScreen was mentioned.
Being a 3D digital artist myself, Things like this irk me to no end. But you do not need to take it as far as court. THe production company has a legal department and a simple certified letter to them would probably bring a satisfactory solution. You have to consider that it was a key element is a important scene in the show, not just a incidental background shot.
If you are the copyright holder to that work then the production company Must contact you and get permission. Usually the legal departments are VERY implicit in these matters. So a well crafted letter to them will usually get a rapid and satisfactory response and action. Remember that somewhere down the line season episode DVD's will be released and people will make plenty of money off the sales. You should at the very least have credits, and a small royalty or some other compensation for such use.
This is SOP in the TV and Movie industry. nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. This case may have been some oversight of a rushed production schedule rather than blatant misuse so in all liklyhood a certified letter to the production company and legal department would straighten things out.