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Copyright

Saban Trying to Take Down Awesome Power Rangers Bootleg Reboot

Restrictive copyright and IP regimes means you can't re-imagine some of your childhood memories.

Ed Krayewski | 2.24.2015 8:43 PM

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Large image on homepages | YouTube
(YouTube)

Filmmaker Joseph Kahn directed a short film, "Power/Rangers," based on a story written with James Van Der Beek, who also stars in the 11 and a half minute video. You can watch a safe-for-work version via YouTube:

There was a not-safe-for-work version on Vimeo but it's been taken down. Kahn noted that the film was a "bootleg experiment" that was "not for profit, strictly for exhibition" and that he wasn't claiming any rights to any of the characters, any affiliation with Saban, and wasn't trying to sell any product. Nevertheless Kahn explains on Twitter that the television production company Saban, which owns the rights to Power Rangers, is trying to "shut down" his video.

There's a Power Rangers movie coming out next year, and while there's certainly room in the market for a blockbuster action film and a 10-minute online video, it's no surprise Saban and the other rights holders to Power Rangers would police the intellectual property privileges granted them by the government over the fictional characters.

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Ed Krayewski is a former associate editor at Reason.

CopyrightIntellectual PropertyPopular CultureInternetMovies
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  1. Dances-with-Trolls   10 years ago

    Awesome Power Rangers

    I love you, Reason, but you are going down a path I cannot follow.

    1. Eggs Benedict Cumberbund   10 years ago

      Nick Saban does rule the galaxy.

  2. BuSab Agent   10 years ago

    That was so very cool.

  3. Acosmist   10 years ago

    ...what's the libertarian dog in this fight? People who own IP own IP. It's tautological.

    1. kbolino   10 years ago

      IP is nebulous. Always has been, always will be. As abstract as a property line is, it is exceedingly concrete by comparison to the boundaries of an IP claim. So there's always room for debate about what exactly those boundaries are.

      However, I do think this is a fairly straightforward trademark claim. Hell, they even used the name "Power Rangers". Considering the apparent budget, it amazes me that they thought Saban wouldn't notice.

  4. Sevo   10 years ago

    Mixed feelings.
    Let's say I make a very high-quality automobile which, because of our quality control, has a higher reject rate of parts, so we charge more for it and the spare parts; how about we call it Bugatti.
    So in a non-IP world, Joe comes along, melts down some aluminum cans, files 'em to shape, appropriates our logo and sells Bugatti pistons at a discount. And my company starts getting all sorts of facebook pages slamming the quality of our spares.
    Now, I guess I can sue Joe for, what?
    As an aside, most of the high-end cars get stick about their 'over-zealous' enforcement of C/R laws, but they really have no option. Under US C/R law, if you lose control of your logo once, you can pretty much kiss it goodby.

    1. kbolino   10 years ago

      That's trademark, not copyright.

      1. Sevo   10 years ago

        OK.

        1. kbolino   10 years ago

          I realize it wasn't a very constructive comment, but I think your analogy is close to the situation at hand and thus the topic at hand is trademark.

          There's no copying and there's no income so the only claim that can be made by Saban is damage to the brand.

      2. Virginian   10 years ago

        That's trademark, not copyright.

        But isn't trademark IP as well? Genuinely asking, this is an area that I've only recently gotten interested in and I don't know it like I know certain other things.

        1. kbolino   10 years ago

          The core IP trio is copyright, patent, and trademark (so, yes). The reason I note the distinction though is that the rules for each are all quite different. For example, there is no statutory limit on the length of time a trademark is valid, provided it is actively maintained by the trademark holder.

          1. Sevo   10 years ago

            "For example, there is no statutory limit on the length of time a trademark is valid, provided it is actively maintained by the trademark holder."

            Which is the reason Ferrari builds Testa Rosas that have no connection at all with the original.
            If they don't use it, they lose control.

    2. Caden Banks   10 years ago

      An authorized dealer of Bugatti has an incentive to sell only authorized Bugatti vehicles. A consumer that does not purchase through an authorized dealer has who to blame for purchasing the cheap knock-off?

      1. Sevo   10 years ago

        I don't care who is to blame; I care about all those negative reviews on Yelp about Bugatti spares.

        1. Almanian!   10 years ago

          "I bought a goddamned Bugatti and the transmission was filled with SAWDUST!"

          1. Sevo   10 years ago

            I was told you were supposed to use ground beef, but I was only told that. By a friend.

        2. Fizban   10 years ago

          Took my new Bugatti back to the dealer after my canooter valve brake causing my muffler bearings to go out and they said I need to take it to Sevo.

    3. Dweebston   10 years ago

      In the scenario you describe, consumers would be much more conscious of the providers from whom they're buying. The "Certified Bugatti" claim would be akin to a strip-mall Chinese restaurant claiming "Certified Kung-Pao" about their chicken dish. It wouldn't make sense. I don't know how manufacturers or retailers would go about assuring prospective consumers, because extensive IP protections elide those concerns, but I'm certain we'd have workarounds. Markets are pretty terrific that way.

      1. Sevo   10 years ago

        Dweebston|2.25.15 @ 12:04AM|#
        "In the scenario you describe, consumers would be much more conscious of the providers from whom they're buying."

        If there is no legal protection for my logo, there is no way for consumers to make the judgement.
        I advertise that I'm 'the real Bugatti!'. Right next to my ad is the same logo claiming they are 'the real Bugatti!'
        There is fraud involved here, representing a good as it is not, and that needs legal protection.

  5. mr lizard   10 years ago

    OT: Federal judge overturns interstate gun sale ban. Am I late to this party?

    http://www.buckeyefirearms.org.....-sales-ban

    1. Rich   10 years ago

      it's another of those cases where the "facts of the matter" should influence the decision more than the "feelings-based approach"

      "Those cases"? You mean, like, *every* case?

  6. John Titor   10 years ago

    What, you'll plug the big dumb Power Rangers fan project, but the big dumb Mortal Kombat project gets no love?

    1. John Galt   10 years ago

      Haven't seen Power Rangers, but have Mortal Kombat. If the former is anything like the latter it'd be better for both to be left in the past.

  7. Tman   10 years ago

    OT and apologies if you guys already saw this too but it is hilarious.

    CEO of Tumblr not entirely sure how bandwidth markets work, while attempting to defend tier 2 regulation in the recent Net Neutrality bill.

    "I confess, not my area of expertise,"- Karp

    1. MJGreen   10 years ago

      Well, it is tumblr.

      1. Tman   10 years ago

        Yahoo paid $1 Billion for it.

        And then I'm like.....Well, it is Yahoo..

        Ha.

        1. Sevo   10 years ago

          But Ms. Mayer is going to meet with Shrilary in a gab-fest next week or so!
          "List to the Far Left" or some such, as Clinton Inc cruises into town!

  8. Beautiful Bean Footage   10 years ago

    Doesn't Saban have better things to do, like figuring out how to pay gods New recruiting class? Oh wait, wrong Saban...

    1. Beautiful Bean Footage   10 years ago

      *his new recruiting class. Worst Swype mishap ever. Buck Fama.

    2. Apatheist ?_??   10 years ago

      He is surely the devil but there's no denying that he's the best college coach there is by far.

      1. Rock Action   10 years ago

        Urban Meyer has tons of things to say to you, way back to when Utah kicked some serious...

  9. Heroic Mulatto   10 years ago

    I'll just leave this here:

    Some dude took the non-sex scenes of a Star Trek: TNG porn parody and strung them together to make a "lost episode". Surprisingly, it works if you think of it as an season one episode.

    1. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

      Riker didn't have a beard in season 1, and Geordi was part of the bridge crew. Ensign Ro didn't come on until many seasons later. And there were only three season one episodes after the death of Tasha Yar.

      But still well done.

      1. Heroic Mulatto   10 years ago

        I realize that. I was referring to the level of the special effects.

        1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   10 years ago

          That level being top notch?

    2. Pl?ya Manhattan.   10 years ago

      Why would somebody leave the sex scenes out?!?

      Now I want to see fake Troi naked

  10. Apatheist ?_??   10 years ago

    Katee Sackoff as the pink ranger?

    *thumbs up*

    Does she show her tits in the nsfw version or is it nsfw because they say naughty words?

    1. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

      I'm trying to figure out how the YouTube version isn't the NSFW version. Seems like plenty of blood and swearing to me.

      1. Ed   10 years ago

        The NSFW version had titties in the Zack scene. Some of the fight scenes may have been longer too

        1. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

          That's what Dailymotion is for!

    2. Ken Shultz   10 years ago

      In addition to being totally awesome in every other way, Katee Sackhoff also rides the coolest bike on the planet.

      http://kickstart.bikeexif.com/.....moto-5.jpg

      1. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

        She's gotta be a libertarian, no?

        1. Ken Shultz   10 years ago

          Anybody that rides a bike has a little libertarian in them somewhere--even if they don't know it yet. And with awesome women like that? turning them off by arguing with them about politics is objectively anti-libertarian.

          1. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

            I'll put some libertarian in her!

            Sorry, couldn't help myself.

            1. Fizban   10 years ago

              +1 libertarian tube steak

        2. Wasteland Wanderer   10 years ago

          She's gotta be a libertarian, no?

          From what I understand...she actually is, at least a little.

          1. Paulpemb   10 years ago

            She seems to have pretty libertarian views on gun rights, at least.

            http://www.nydailynews.com/ent.....-1.1370350

  11. Almanian!   10 years ago

    Is there no evil Nick Saban will not perpetrate?

    "Roll Tide" indeed...

  12. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

    It was sorely lacking on Dragonzord.

    1. Apatheist ?_??   10 years ago

      And green ranger.

      1. Apatheist ?_??   10 years ago

        Though I guess that was tommy.

        1. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

          Also the white ranger!

          But the Tigerzord had nothing on the Dragonzord.

  13. JeremyR   10 years ago

    It's really like fan fiction - companies are best off ignoring it, even if's really offensive.

    Because you never know, they could change the names and that ridiculous slash fan fiction can become the next blockbuster movie (or not).

    Or companies could embrace it. CBS not only lets fans make their own Star Trek episodes, they let them form non-profit companies and run kickstarters to fund them.

  14. Sevo   10 years ago

    Oh, and Ed:

    "Restrictive copyright and IP regimes means you can't re-imagine some of your childhood memories."

    The mouse-house may be really, really nasty, but I'm pretty sure Mickey's lawyers can't keep you from imagining anything you please.

    1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   10 years ago

      This comment, plus the Star Trek porn? I don't like the thoughts you guys are causing me to have....

  15. John Galt   10 years ago

    What the heck are Awesome Power Rangers? Are they like butt rangers? If so I don't know what either one are.

  16. Ken Shultz   10 years ago

    I can't be the only one who thought that a significant chunk of the Power Rangers set up was taken from Voltron.

    When the Power Rangers join together to form the big fighting robot, they look exactly like Voltron did when they joined together to form Voltron.

    One of the Power Rangers vehicles was even the same robot lion that all the Voltron people rode before they joined together to form Voltron.

    For all I know, Saban paid off the Voltron people--and maybe there's a non disclosure agreement. But maybe there isn't! If Saban didn't pay off the Voltron people, then this fan flick might be able to claim some kind of fair use--because the original concept--and vehicles--may belong to the Voltron people. ...or buy the rights from the Voltron people too.

    I remember the people who developed Kimba refused to discuss the Lion King on camera, despite The Lion King having the same characters, the same story, and the central character being named Simba (rather than Kimba). Because the original Kimba people wouldn't talk, everyone assumed that Disney paid them off.

    1. Sevo   10 years ago

      Ken Shultz|2.25.15 @ 12:19AM|#
      "I can't be the only one who thought that a significant chunk of the Power Rangers set up was taken from Voltron."

      Ken, as an old fart, I have no idea what either of those are.

      1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   10 years ago

        I'm younger than Ken, and I only know what one of those things is.

    2. XM   10 years ago

      That sort of "stacked" giant robots was pretty common in Asian superhero shows. Asians rip each other's animation style all the time (Koreans are famous for this).

      The Power Rangers were based on earlier Japanese "Super Sentai" shows. Most of the power Ranger fighting scenes lifted straight from the Japanese shows. You saw the teens fight putty patrol because otherwise the American actors would hang around in the eatery joint and have nothing to do.

    3. Mickey Rat   10 years ago

      "But maybe there isn't! If Saban didn't pay off the Voltron people, then this fan flick might be able to claim some kind of fair use--because the original concept--and vehicles--may belong to the Voltron people,,,"

      No, I believe Saban paid off the Japanese version of the Power Rangers in order to produce the American version of the show. That is what he is protecting.

      The thing here is if there is no IP, author will not be paid for movie adaptations of their stories. Why should a studio ever do such a thing in that circumstance?

  17. lvirginia89   10 years ago

    My dear, the next five minutes can change your life!
    Give a chance to your good luck.
    Read this article, please!
    Move to a better life!
    We make profit on the Internet since 1998!

    ........... http://www.Jobs-Fashion.Com

  18. Suthenboy   10 years ago

    OT: I just saw The Dallas Buyers Club, first time.

    The FDA guys who were fucking with him, every single agency in government is infested with guys just like that, including the one that will be regulating the Internet. They are going to fuck it to death. Of all of Obumbles bad ideas this is the worst, by design I am sure.

    1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   10 years ago

      It's not like people use the internet for anything useful.

      1. Steve G   10 years ago

        I know it could go away tomorr... *click*

  19. Agile Cyborg   10 years ago

    Bread-eating and juice-drinking.

    1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   10 years ago

      How many of those 8,500 views were you?

      1. Sevo   10 years ago

        ALL of 'em!

        1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   10 years ago

          From what I gather, that's entirely possible.

  20. Steve G   10 years ago

    Unless they resurrect the corpse of Thuy Trang, I ain't interested...

  21. Stephdumas   10 years ago

    As ReasonTV mentionned in this video about the Downfall parodies clips, that Power Rangers fanfilm do some free promotion for the franchise as Reason #2.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuT6GNS-nHE

  22. sloopyinTEXAS   10 years ago

    After the beating the Scarlet and Gray Power Ranger put on him in the Sugar Bowl, I'm surprised Saban isn't trying to shIt down the entire franchise.

    1. Mr. Soul   10 years ago

      or trying to resurrect the Houndstooth Ranger.

  23. checkdempremises   10 years ago

    I took karate lessons from the Red Ranger (the stunt guy in the suit) when I was a kid. And I'm thinking that isn't something I should ever share with anyone...
    No, he didn't molest me. Well, maybe a little, who could say no to the Red Ranger.

  24. stanford   10 years ago

    Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out. This is wha? I do......

    http://www.wixjob.com

  25. jzr54033   10 years ago

    Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out.
    This is wha- I do...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

  26. holmesp26   10 years ago

    My dear, the next five minutes can change your life!
    Give a chance to your good luck.
    Read this article, please!
    Move to a better life!
    We make profit on the Internet since 1998!

    Get Details Information Here..... http://www.jobs-fashion.com/

  27. ptk70022   10 years ago

    Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job I've had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go? to tech tab for work detail

    ----------------------WWW.NETJOB80.COM

  28. adidas nulla deportes21   10 years ago

    Joseph Kahn is a filmmaker and he directed a short film lately .this film is a bootleg experiment.and it will come out next year .if you like him ,then you will not miss it

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