TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Moderators: General Help, Kanzenshuu Staff
TeamFourStar and Fair Use
So I watched this video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i9w7W8MFRcw
where Sean Schemmel is asked his opinion on Teamfourstar. Ignoring the clickbait title he does think they’re funny and talented but doesn’t like they’re using copyrighted material and continue to do so after Funimation and Toei told them to stop. His argument is that it’s not covered by Fair Use. And I think he makes a valid point there.
A lot of fans, stupidly, think because it’s a parody that doesn’t directly profit it’s protected by fair use but really that’s a lie. TeamFourStar does make money from Let’s Play’s which has them using the DBZA characters to make a profit. They may not make money from the series directly but they have used the series popularity to make money. So they are actually profiting off the use of unlicensed footage.
And Fair Use generally has limitations on how much of a copyrighted material one can use before Fair Use stops protecting it. And when the series extensively uses footage they didn’t pay to use to say nothing of the heaps of copyrighted music they use (which is one of the many reasons fans wanting this show on dvd is so dumb. All the copyrighted songs and references would be a damn nightmare).
But on the other hand meh I don’t think TFS is honestly getting money that would have otherwise gone to Toei and Funimation. And Dragon Ball is a pretty strong brand as Broly’s box office numbers attest to.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i9w7W8MFRcw
where Sean Schemmel is asked his opinion on Teamfourstar. Ignoring the clickbait title he does think they’re funny and talented but doesn’t like they’re using copyrighted material and continue to do so after Funimation and Toei told them to stop. His argument is that it’s not covered by Fair Use. And I think he makes a valid point there.
A lot of fans, stupidly, think because it’s a parody that doesn’t directly profit it’s protected by fair use but really that’s a lie. TeamFourStar does make money from Let’s Play’s which has them using the DBZA characters to make a profit. They may not make money from the series directly but they have used the series popularity to make money. So they are actually profiting off the use of unlicensed footage.
And Fair Use generally has limitations on how much of a copyrighted material one can use before Fair Use stops protecting it. And when the series extensively uses footage they didn’t pay to use to say nothing of the heaps of copyrighted music they use (which is one of the many reasons fans wanting this show on dvd is so dumb. All the copyrighted songs and references would be a damn nightmare).
But on the other hand meh I don’t think TFS is honestly getting money that would have otherwise gone to Toei and Funimation. And Dragon Ball is a pretty strong brand as Broly’s box office numbers attest to.
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
I don't see the problem with them using the characters for their Let's Plays and such. Even on regular old TV we have a lot of sketch shows that parody other popular series or real-life personalities and everyone's pretty OK with that. It's ascended role-playing, essentially. As long as they're not using the series proper in an unadulterated manner to make money, I'd say they hit that sweet grey spot where I have no problem with them using the IP for monetary purposes.MasenkoHA wrote:A lot of fans, stupidly, think because it’s a parody that doesn’t directly profit it’s protected by fair use but really that’s a lie. TeamFourStar does make money from Let’s Play’s which has them using the DBZA characters to make a profit. They may not make money from the series directly but they have used the series popularity to make money. So they are actually profiting off the use of unlicensed footage..
- eledoremassis02
- I Live Here
- Posts: 4168
- Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:40 pm
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
I think them using their parody voices is fine, it's when they sell shirts with dragon balls and clealy using characters is when I can't figure out how they didn't get in trouble
- The Time Traveller
- Patreon Supporter
- Posts: 3456
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 1:32 pm
- Location: UK
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
A sketch show is a sketch show though, if the show was called Batman's Crappy Low Budget Adventures and it was entirely a Batman comedy sketches they'd probably get in trouble for it.BlueChi wrote:Even on regular old TV we have a lot of sketch shows that parody other popular series or real-life personalities and everyone's pretty OK with that.
They're taking footage of a show to tell the exact same story with jokes. It's low effort, if it was animated from scratch and had new music it would have probably been fine but that would be too difficult to make. I'd watch an internet puppet show called Dragon Ball Abridged though...
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
They make ad revenue off of DBZA if I recall correctly, so that's kinda pushing the boundaries of fair use. It's almost legitimately an alternate dub of Dragon Ball Z at points, so there's that
Looking for these rare items/information:
Any information or recordings pertaining to Dragon Ball Z's syndicated run on WAWB
Any information regarding the stations that carried the origin Dragon Ball in the USA
Dragon Box (any deals would be nice)
Shonen Jumps with Dragon Ball in them
Any information or recordings pertaining to Dragon Ball Z's syndicated run on WAWB
Any information regarding the stations that carried the origin Dragon Ball in the USA
Dragon Box (any deals would be nice)
Shonen Jumps with Dragon Ball in them
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
They don’t get ad revenue from DBZA. Ads don’t play on those videos.gokaiblue wrote:They make ad revenue off of DBZA if I recall correctly, so that's kinda pushing the boundaries of fair use. It's almost legitimately an alternate dub of Dragon Ball Z at points, so there's that
They get money off Let’s Play and T-shirts which on their own don’t violate Fair Use but it gets murky that they built a brand off an IP they don’t have rights to.
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Not helping that the episodes can run almost as long as a normal episode.The Time Traveller wrote:
They're taking footage of a show to tell the exact same story with jokes. It's low effort, if it was animated from scratch and had new music it would have probably been fine but that would be too difficult to make. I'd watch an internet puppet show called Dragon Ball Abridged though...
If the episodes were 5 minutes or less each and weren’t structured like a fandub with added humor they might of had a better case
I should clarify I’m a huge fan of DBZA it even got me back into Dragon Ball. And I don’t think they’re not really hurting TOEI and Funimation (and truthfully if they were Toei would have decimated them).
But I can’t objectively say they’re not violating copyright.
- SuperSaiyaManZ94
- I Live Here
- Posts: 2729
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:01 pm
- Location: Alabama, USA
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Though it seems apparently it hasn't gotten to the point where either FUNimation and or Toei comes down on TFS and slaps them with a C&D notice or lawsuit.MasenkoHA wrote:Not helping that the episodes can run almost as long as a normal episode.The Time Traveller wrote:
They're taking footage of a show to tell the exact same story with jokes. It's low effort, if it was animated from scratch and had new music it would have probably been fine but that would be too difficult to make. I'd watch an internet puppet show called Dragon Ball Abridged though...
If the episodes were 5 minutes or less each and weren’t structured like a fandub with added humor they might of had a better case
I should clarify I’m a huge fan of DBZA it even got me back into Dragon Ball. And I don’t think they’re not really hurting TOEI and Funimation (and truthfully if they were Toei would have decimated them).
But I can’t objectively say they’re not violating copyright.
Now admittedly i am not a lawyer or legal scholar so i don't know the exact specs of this thing, but i have at least read on how Fair Use and copyright works.
DB collection related goals as of now:
1.) Find decent priced copy of Dragon Box Z Vol. 4 (Done)
2.) Collect rest of manga
3.) Get rest of Daizenshuu (2-7)
1.) Find decent priced copy of Dragon Box Z Vol. 4 (Done)
2.) Collect rest of manga
3.) Get rest of Daizenshuu (2-7)
- Super Sayian Prime
- I Live Here
- Posts: 2296
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:26 pm
- Location: Hail
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
I remember when some click farm posted an article saying Abridged is the best way to watch DBZ.
Toei probably could've used that as proof of damages in a lawsuit.
Toei probably could've used that as proof of damages in a lawsuit.
"I like the money it brings in, but Dragon Ball Heroes is the worst. That's actually the real reason I decided to start working on new material. I was afraid Bandai would make something irredeemably stupid like Super Saiyan 4 Broly." - Akira Toriyama, made up interview, 2013.
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
You can find a lot of shit Dragon Ball opinions online. I’ve seen everything from Sean Schemmel is the true voice of Goku to skip Dragon Ball to DBZA is how you should watch Dragon BallSuper Saiyan Prime wrote:I remember when some click farm posted an article saying Abridged is the best way to watch DBZ.
Toei probably could've used that as proof of damages in a lawsuit.
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
I can't still believe there are people who think DBZA as something canon or official.Super Saiyan Prime wrote:I remember when some click farm posted an article saying Abridged is the best way to watch DBZ.
I mean it's a good parody but it is not something I'd like to see as an official dub.
Check out some of my topics:
Nickelodeon & Nicktoons airings | List of "Pérolas"
Dragon Ball's Argentinian broadcast history
Nickelodeon & Nicktoons airings | List of "Pérolas"
Dragon Ball's Argentinian broadcast history
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
This opinion is surprisingly prevalent online.Super Saiyan Prime wrote:I remember when some click farm posted an article saying Abridged is the best way to watch DBZ.
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
I’ve literally seen a reddit where a fan wanted Adult Swim to run it on tv.Tian wrote:I can't still believe there are people who think DBZA as something canon or official.Super Saiyan Prime wrote:I remember when some click farm posted an article saying Abridged is the best way to watch DBZ.
I mean it's a good parody but it is not something I'd like to see as an official dub.
Because it’s not like they can’t just watch the series on Youtube or anything.
It’s like when fans want Funimation to put the series on dvd. Ignoring the obvious issues with that why the hell would pay money for something that’s free?
- ABED
- Namekian Warrior
- Posts: 20300
- Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:23 am
- Location: Skippack, PA
- Contact:
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Still bugs me whenever voice actor lists or comparisons are brought up, TFS actors get included along side official actors.
The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds. It's to be within reach.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Yep almost every voice comparison video on Youtube has someone in the comments whining for the video creator to include the TFS cast member.ABED wrote:Still bugs me whenever voice actor lists or comparisons are brought up, TFS actors get included along side official actors.
- JohnnyCashKami
- Temporarily Banned
- Posts: 1597
- Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:16 pm
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Fans who are willing to support it financially, obviously.MasenkoHA wrote:pay money for something that’s free?
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Who thinks DBZA is canon? Point me to e'm.Tian wrote:I can't still believe there are people who think DBZA as something canon or official.Super Saiyan Prime wrote:I remember when some click farm posted an article saying Abridged is the best way to watch DBZ.
I mean it's a good parody but it is not something I'd like to see as an official dub.
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
From my own experience, I recall I saw some people in one of the DB communities on Google+ posting that TFS "canon" was better than the original. This was two years ago and I dunno if they are still there.ZodaEX wrote: Who thinks DBZA is canon? Point me to e'm.
And then you have this:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/80 ... e/71387002
Check out some of my topics:
Nickelodeon & Nicktoons airings | List of "Pérolas"
Dragon Ball's Argentinian broadcast history
Nickelodeon & Nicktoons airings | List of "Pérolas"
Dragon Ball's Argentinian broadcast history
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
Well "better" is subjective, so technically they aren't wrong.Tian wrote: ↑Fri Feb 22, 2019 4:23 amFrom my own experience, I recall I saw some people in one of the DB communities on Google+ posting that TFS "canon" was better than the original. This was two years ago and I dunno if they are still there.ZodaEX wrote: Who thinks DBZA is canon? Point me to e'm.
And then you have this:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/80 ... e/71387002
Re: TeamFourStar and Fair Use
It is a transformative version of the work that does not serve as a market substitute for the work, nor do they directly profit off of it. It is protected under fair use.
Spoiler: