MA in the movies?

Submariner · 11-28-2004, 03:42 PM

I just saw "Bridget Jones 2" ( it wasn't my idea) For a second
I saw a screensaver come on in the movie. I could swear
it was MA. It was so fast and unexpected that I can't be 100% sure.
How did Jim muscle his way into the movies?

SUB

Jim Sachs · 11-28-2004, 04:43 PM

If by "muscle my way in", you mean having Hollywood walk all over me and use it without my permission, then yes, that's exactly what happened. Just another instance where they just went ahead and used it without asking. Just like "Smallville", "Law and Order", and several other productions. I would have said OK, but it's nice if they would at least ask.

("Extreme Home Makeover" and "Big Brother" were two shows that did ask. )

Submariner · 11-28-2004, 05:24 PM

By muscle I meant it as a joke. You should
be pleased that it was in the movie. The people
who used it were obviously impressed by it. You don't sound pleased.

SUB

Jim Sachs · 11-28-2004, 05:41 PM

It doesn't hurt to have the Aquarium show up in movies and TV shows, but it doesn't help, either. Sales have never been impacted by these things unless there's a clear message regarding what you are looking at and where to get it. The "TechTV" spot a couple of years ago had our web address on the screen and sales quadrupled for a couple of days.

feldon34 · 11-28-2004, 08:51 PM

I mean really, what does it cost them to say "Aquarium courtesy of SereneScreen.com" ?

They seem to have space to thank their dog's personal therapists in the end credits of these movies, why not the Aquarium?

ESHIREY · 11-28-2004, 09:05 PM

You're right. Maybe if they got a call from your lawyer they just might start to ask and give credit where credit is due.

feldon34 · 11-28-2004, 09:36 PM

Unfortunately Jim doesn't know that the Aquarium has been included in something until it has already aired.

Sergiales · 11-29-2004, 02:16 AM

Perhaps you can claim anyway.

Jim Sachs · 11-29-2004, 10:41 AM

The problem with lawsuits is that you have to prove damages. The Aquarium sales or reputation are not actually damaged by these infringements, so going to court is a waste of time and money.

drfish · 11-29-2004, 10:53 AM

IANAL, but I don't think Coke or Nike would be quite so friendly about it... Why is showing shoes in a closet or a pop can sitting on a counter different? Why do those items have to be blurred out?

Racer-X · 11-29-2004, 11:10 AM

IANAL either, but from my understanding of photography right, etc, things would be blurred out for a couple of reasons.

The first situation is where you don't want to give free advertising away. Why show Nike shoes or someone sipping a Coke if they didn't pay you? I've seen that sort of thing in music videos.

The second possibility is that it shows the product in unflattering ways. It's difficult to provide examples given the G rating of this forum.

Glenn

Sergiales · 11-29-2004, 11:18 AM

The reason for which MA is shown everywhere is because it is damn GOOD!.

If it's not really usefull going to court, at least a phone-call saying "hey guys, my product is being shown on your TV show/film, and i'm the creator".

Jim Sachs · 12-03-2004, 08:58 PM

By the way - anyone who has seen the Aquarium in something which hasn't been mentioned here before, now is the time to speak up! Prolific is composing an "...as seen on..." page for SereneScreen.com which lists all the shows which have featured MA.

Jav400 · 12-03-2004, 09:03 PM

What are they listing so far Jim?

Liath · 12-03-2004, 09:21 PM

Prolific is composing an "...as seen on..." page

That is an excellent idea. I just saw, in a Mac magazine, a short blurb about the goldfish aquarium. Right next to it, on the same page was an ad for some computer gadget or something (I'd have to call mom to find out what) but there was an image from SSA in the ad. It was doctored to look like a different screensaver, but it was still very obviously stolen. I thought it ironic that the ad was on the same page as the GA article.

Jim Sachs · 12-04-2004, 01:23 AM

Thanks, Liath - we'll look that one up.

Jav - I believe that so far they have Smallville, Law and Order, Extreme Home Makeover, Big Brother, TechTV, Bridgette Jones 2, and some German CIA movie.

Tiny Turtle · 12-06-2004, 02:21 AM

The latest issue of the Swedish edition of Mac World had a note and a link (along with a pic of Monstro) on GA. Perhaps I should scan it (along with a translating caption)?

/Tiny Switcher

Jim Sachs · 12-06-2004, 03:34 AM

Prolific might do the same thing on the GA site, but right now we're just looking for instances where MA has been seen in the media.

Tiny Turtle · 12-06-2004, 03:37 AM

Ok. How abou DL's screenshot from the Far Cry game? That one has to count as media, right?

Jim Sachs · 12-06-2004, 03:41 AM

Well...that's borderline. Movies, TV, magazines, newspapers.

11-28-2004, 03:42 PM	#1
Submariner Registered Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 901	MA in the movies? I just saw "Bridget Jones 2" ( it wasn't my idea) For a second I saw a screensaver come on in the movie. I could swear it was MA. It was so fast and unexpected that I can't be 100% sure. How did Jim muscle his way into the movies? SUB

11-28-2004, 04:43 PM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	If by "muscle my way in", you mean having Hollywood walk all over me and use it without my permission, then yes, that's exactly what happened. Just another instance where they just went ahead and used it without asking. Just like "Smallville", "Law and Order", and several other productions. I would have said OK, but it's nice if they would at least ask. ("Extreme Home Makeover" and "Big Brother" were two shows that did ask. ) Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-28-2004, 05:41 PM	#4
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	It doesn't hurt to have the Aquarium show up in movies and TV shows, but it doesn't help, either. Sales have never been impacted by these things unless there's a clear message regarding what you are looking at and where to get it. The "TechTV" spot a couple of years ago had our web address on the screen and sales quadrupled for a couple of days. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-28-2004, 08:51 PM	#5
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	I mean really, what does it cost them to say "Aquarium courtesy of SereneScreen.com" ? They seem to have space to thank their dog's personal therapists in the end credits of these movies, why not the Aquarium? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

11-28-2004, 09:05 PM	#6
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	You're right. Maybe if they got a call from your lawyer they just might start to ask and give credit where credit is due. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

11-28-2004, 05:24 PM	#3
Submariner Registered Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 901	By muscle I meant it as a joke. You should be pleased that it was in the movie. The people who used it were obviously impressed by it. You don't sound pleased. SUB

11-28-2004, 09:36 PM	#7
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Unfortunately Jim doesn't know that the Aquarium has been included in something until it has already aired. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

11-29-2004, 02:16 AM	#8
Sergiales Software Engineer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Spain Posts: 266	Perhaps you can claim anyway. Sincerely, Sergio.

11-29-2004, 10:41 AM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	The problem with lawsuits is that you have to prove damages. The Aquarium sales or reputation are not actually damaged by these infringements, so going to court is a waste of time and money. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-29-2004, 10:53 AM	#10
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,352	IANAL, but I don't think Coke or Nike would be quite so friendly about it... Why is showing shoes in a closet or a pop can sitting on a counter different? Why do those items have to be blurred out? I don't watch commercials.

11-29-2004, 11:10 AM	#11
Racer-X Out for a spin Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: SF bay area Posts: 382	IANAL either, but from my understanding of photography right, etc, things would be blurred out for a couple of reasons. The first situation is where you don't want to give free advertising away. Why show Nike shoes or someone sipping a Coke if they didn't pay you? I've seen that sort of thing in music videos. The second possibility is that it shows the product in unflattering ways. It's difficult to provide examples given the G rating of this forum. Glenn

11-29-2004, 11:18 AM	#12
Sergiales Software Engineer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Spain Posts: 266	The reason for which MA is shown everywhere is because it is damn GOOD!. If it's not really usefull going to court, at least a phone-call saying "hey guys, my product is being shown on your TV show/film, and i'm the creator". Sincerely, Sergio.

12-03-2004, 08:58 PM	#13
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	By the way - anyone who has seen the Aquarium in something which hasn't been mentioned here before, now is the time to speak up! Prolific is composing an "...as seen on..." page for SereneScreen.com which lists all the shows which have featured MA. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-03-2004, 09:03 PM	#14
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	What are they listing so far Jim? Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

12-03-2004, 09:21 PM	#15
Liath Still here in spirit Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 637	Prolific is composing an "...as seen on..." page That is an excellent idea. I just saw, in a Mac magazine, a short blurb about the goldfish aquarium. Right next to it, on the same page was an ad for some computer gadget or something (I'd have to call mom to find out what) but there was an image from SSA in the ad. It was doctored to look like a different screensaver, but it was still very obviously stolen. I thought it ironic that the ad was on the same page as the GA article. Liath Appleton University of Michigan Museum of Zoology My Homepage Why I've been gone

12-04-2004, 01:23 AM	#16
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	Thanks, Liath - we'll look that one up. Jav - I believe that so far they have Smallville, Law and Order, Extreme Home Makeover, Big Brother, TechTV, Bridgette Jones 2, and some German CIA movie. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-06-2004, 02:21 AM	#17
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	The latest issue of the Swedish edition of Mac World had a note and a link (along with a pic of Monstro) on GA. Perhaps I should scan it (along with a translating caption)? /Tiny Switcher Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

12-06-2004, 03:34 AM	#18
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	Prolific might do the same thing on the GA site, but right now we're just looking for instances where MA has been seen in the media. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-06-2004, 03:37 AM	#19
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Ok. How abou DL's screenshot from the Far Cry game? That one has to count as media, right? Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

12-06-2004, 03:41 AM	#20
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	Well...that's borderline. Movies, TV, magazines, newspapers. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium