I think it is valid to point out other games have cribbed dances before. But Fortnite is directly monetizing them, as one of the few ways to actually make money in the game (emotes/dances/costumes). Which makes it a bit more obvious. It may be a similar type of copying, but the way it is implemented in the game is different. This is exacerbated by the fact that “fortnite dances” are an IRL craze WoW dances never were, to the point where artists are mad that their creation is being recognized by a generation as being from someone else. Like, the Milly Rock, as a kid where that dance is from, they will say Fortnite, and not the actual creator.
To me, it isn’t anything they legally can do about it, but it would be nice if these large multi-million dollar companies could at least give some credit where it is due at a minimum. Especially when a lot of the “fortnite dances” are from the african american artist community who has historically been culturally appropriated since Jazz.
How much of a foot drag is one persons ‘invention’ over another? Do you measure in distance or ratio to the dancers body? Does a slow drag count or is that owned by another dancer? What if the foot drags are identical but hand movements are totally different? It’s not like a song or painting or story where there is a single ‘thing’.
Let’s pretend for the sake of discussion that a series of dance steps is something that can be licensed.
If Epic was not paying the license fees for their emotes, they would be sued or at least have the liability of that occurring, I suspect you would not argue with that.
If we then take a MMO like WoW, and those dances were not licensed but used in the game, they would also be at legal risk. As it is a commercial use.
Brooski: Posts waypoint article about how it is impossible to deal with the copyright aspects and legality of the situation, and how people are overlooking this as another example in a lengthy culture of appropriation of black artists.
This thread: Well actually, legally they have no standing.
I don’t think copyright being applicable to a quick dexterous move is something that anyone should wish for, it’s ridiculously overreaching as is.
How else could I have found out Rock was invented by an African-american Sister? That’s metal!
That other article about Blade Runner is probably awesome too, sorry MrTibbs, I’ll read it soon.
Not entirely true. there was conversation about morality and ethics, but then the emphasis focused on copyright law, again, as if it is set in stone and doesn’t or cant’ change.
I read the Waypoitn article, but I didn’t need to to be aware of the American Bandstand situation or the fact that people have been stealing from certain groups AND trying to pretend they created something, passing it off as theirs. Epic is doing it themselves, trying to say it’s not “really” a copy.
To be clear, I do not think that short or limited movements should be copyrighted. I am pissed as hell these developers run around stealing ideas from other people in order to make billions off creativity they had nothing to do with and as a result may have put a lot of art related content in jeopardy so they could make a quick buck.
Choreography theft has been around a long time. I personally know of a theater production that was shutdown because they actually had their dance captain spend a week watching a show and then redoing the moves.
Beyonce’s tours and videos are also often accused of it:
Choreography can be copyrighted. Short routines are not. And you can sample in dance too, if you take too much then yeah you can be sued… just like in music.
Yeah, I mean, if you could copyright a “move” you’d would basically destroy anyone’s ability to create dance choreography altogether. It’s like trying to copyright a chord or run in music. It’s just untenable.
And I do think that stance extends somewhat the morality here. Culture isn’t property. It isn’t even intellectual property. It’s viral, it spreads, it’s under no one person’s actual control.
No. Some Kardashian doesn’t get to show up on Social Media and try to claim corn rows just because culture isn’t property. We’ve been over this before. Stealing from other people and then trying to whitewash culture is a known problem. It’s not a minor thing, especially when it’s called in appropriate, ghetto, and low class when one group does or uses it and suddenly widely popular and the best thing ever when another does it.It robs people of their existence.
If Epic will happily steal a game idea lock, stock and barrel from one of it’s own customers, I don’t think they’re too hung up on stealing someone else’s dance moves.
Perhaps because copyright and trademark law and mechanisms have been developed over years to better serve the privledged class, corporate entities, and those that control capital.
There is a reason a black and white mouse drawing is better protected than a large amount of black cultural contributions.
Also why Epic can utilize copyright law to go after hackers but freely sell dance moves stolen from artists with little protection for the originating source.
Speaking of streaming gaming journalism, there’s this thing (if this sort of complain-for-clicks even counts as journalism):
The only thing notable about this piece (besides the clickbaity title that got me to click it in the first place) is the journalist trying to get viewers to compare the gaming industry’s habit of releasing unfinished games to the thought of buying unfinished hardcore porn that cuts off just before the cumming starts.
