Just before we finish sweeping up and send this thread off to MC heaven (or would it be hades?) I wanted to address a few statements and make a point of saying that the drawing Blink referred to was in fact copied from somewhere else - but when I was still a kid.
I couldn't find my copy of the sketch, but I believe it's from like `92 or `93 or something. I have a copy of the book he mentioned in a drawer somewhere (there's a suspiciously similar image in some of Corel's clip art too). At the time I gave him the sketch (2000? 2001?) I had probably forgotten what it had originated from.
This is increasingly a big problem for artists I think. I've heard of composers that won't listen to music while they're writing for fear they'll accidently infringe on someone else's work. TV shows employ entire departments to research and clear trademarks and copyrights (that's why coke cans usually have their logos disguised on TV).
One of the problems I've had to deal with doing Bear Town is copyright issues. Most of the characters were originally designed when I was 13 or 14. Several of the puppets in the original BT video were store-bought or converted stuffed animals. We used a Boglin in it if memory serves and I think a few of the background puppets were bought at a flea market. Of course you can't do that which is one of the reasons we remade it two years later and there's no video from the `94 version on the site now.
Anyway, if the two characters ended up in Bear Town they'd have to be altered significantly.
Last year I had to go through a bunch of old puppets and sketches and sort out what was truly original and what may have been inspired or copied from something I saw as kid to avoid problems like this. A couple of characters got cut because they were just too similar to other things people have done. It was a huge pain to deal with so when I suggest (and it's just a suggestion) building original stuff from the get-go I know of what I speak.
As for the two Big Bears thing, I know Steve occasionally checks the forum and if he's reading this no offense was intended. The similarities are rediciously small (name, type of bear) which was kind of my point. People can and do make lawsuits out of less over less in copyright law and courts seem to have little regard for creator's rights. It isn't right, but it is happening.
Also, I should say Steve's Big Bear is a great puppet...best of all he actively ENCOURAGES people to use his copyrighted characters in their videos (he compiles a highlight reel every once and awhile), so long as the credits mention that they are (c) Axtell Expressions. He's one of the good guys.
I've heard Folkmanis has a similar policy and they seem to have endorsed the Funday Pawpet Show (which uses their puppets) so not all companies are evil when it comes to copyright.
*Turns off the lights and closes the door*
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