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Is Instantmolding Legal?
http://gbain.powweb.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=25042		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  LordElrond [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Is Instantmolding Legal?
Hi guys,

Please answer the question in the title.

Really URGENT

Thanks
LordElrond
Author:  SouthernDunedain [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
As long as you arnt selling the parts I think it's alright. Of course if you are moulding parts from GW kits then that may be different. But sculpting and moulding your own pieces is ok.
Author:  LordElrond [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
I'm moulding a high elf shield
Author:  Dead Marsh Spectre [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
That would depend on two things...
1] What you are making casts of

2]What you are doing with the casts you make.

If you are casting say GW shields and then selling them then no its probably not legal. If you are making casts of GW or other suppliers stuff simply to use in your own collection then its probably ok.
Author:  LordElrond [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
If I take them into a GW?
Author:  Dead Marsh Spectre [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
LordElrond wrote:
If I take them into a GW?

lol probably not adviseable
Author:  mad_dan [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
No matter how you wrap it up, breach of copyright is breach of copyright.

By copying a GW model (or part) and casting it (even for your own use), you have used a GW design and deprived them of income. (By this, I mean making a mould from one of thier parts).

What will GW do?

If you are just doing some mods or conversions, nothing, it would be petty and not worth the effort.

If you are casting and selling the parts, then they may have a go if they catch you.

If you are sculpting the model from scratch (and then making casts), then you are pretty much safe, provided you do not try to pass it off as a GW item.
Author:  fingolofthedalish [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
Conversions

Conversions are a major aspect of the hobby, although in intellectual property terms, they also constitute a major infringement. However, we are certainly not about to stop people making cool conversions of our products, although, there are certain things to keep in mind:

Please do not combine our intellectual properties with IP owned by any third parties.
(Your conversions should be one-time, unique masterpieces of hobby Do not create a production run of conversions for sale. Whilst infringing our IP, this is also simply not hobby.
Casting

Do not cast any materials that are based upon Games Workshop material. Games Workshop has to maintain a strict policy on this to fight counterfeiters. We would also remind you that reproduction for personal use is NOT an automatic exclusion in respect of copyright protection in many territories worldwide)


This is GWs legal policy. You should be fine if you copy something you have purchased and do not use it to personally benefit financially in any way.
Author:  LordElrond [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
So its ok?
Author:  Dead Marsh Spectre [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
mad_dan wrote:

If you are sculpting the model from scratch (and then making casts), then you are pretty much safe, provided you do not try to pass it off as a GW item.


Not strictly true. I had a sculpt commisioned from scratch of the uruk hai scout captain with 2 handed axe done and had a few casts made. I decided to put one on ebay just out of curiosity. I was emailed after about 2 days of the listing going live by Warner Bros (not sure why warner Bros would email as i didn't think they had anything to do with the rights to lotr but anyway) I was made to take down the listing , got a slap on the hand by ebay and was told to stop selling these casts or else lol Needless to say the casts are no longer for sale. I was VERY clear in the listing that this was a scratch sculpt cast and not a GW original.
Author:  mad_dan [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
I recall the listing.

It may be because you described the item as a an accurate copy of the GW model. (Even though you did make it quite clear it was an original sculpt).

I am surprised, more so bearing in mind they don't even make that model anymore.

However, it's nice to know that Warner Bros paid you so much attention. World beware, DMS threatens domination!

Stockton today, the Empire by next Thursday.
Author:  MoriaMadness [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
I say if you do a good enough cast and paint it well enough... who will ever know?! Keep it for yourself and there is no trouble, try selling and making profit and then that would not be acceptable. As a hobbyist I say instant mold is there to have fun with so if you have bought a GW product; feel free to play with it and use instant mold, just dont try making money for yourself from GW. I have recently just got into using instant mold and I think it is very good and useful, I still use 'green-stuff' so GW are still making money from me whichever way you look at it.
Author:  mad_dan [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
Doh!

Warner Bros will hold the world wide rights to making any models based on the characters in the movies (they will negotiate for these rights with the Tolkien estate).

The model you had commissioned will have violated those rights. Hence WB getting interested.

As such, a representation of Treebeard (very much a Tolkien character) will be out of order, but a generic "Tree Giant" will be safe.

Mind you, I am still impressed by their spy network, do they have teams of people scouring the web for this sort of stuff?
Author:  LordElrond [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
So, to make this clear, would it be ok to use models with those shields in a tournament?
Author:  MoriaMadness [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
I'd say yes, nobody will be able to tell 8)
Author:  LordElrond [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
But if I get found out then I'm busted...?
Author:  IsleStaggerholm [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
This would not be covered by "fair" use terms and is infringing on the producers rights. Generally this is fine for private and home games/collections, but you run the risk of getting removed from the tournament. GW employees, particularly at tournments are trained to look for such usage. What are you planning on putting the shields on. If they have an elven shield on troops not meant to have that shield it will attract some attention as a mod and might get a higher level of scrutiny leading to discovery . . .
Author:  janner [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
It's not legal nor is it the sort of thing that should be encouraged here I believe. After all, bits can be sourced off fleabag or mates. Hope you find another way around it :)
Author:  imrail [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
I wouldn't worry about it.
Don't you think that the people of GW don't make/sculpt/craft their own items?

A lot of miniatures have options without a miniature with the options available.
Don't say that you molded the item, what they don't know can't hurt you.
Author:  IsleStaggerholm [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 7:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Is Instantmolding Legal?
Many people add itmes to models that have it in their profiles, that was not my claim. But when an employee at a tournament sees a model with a piece not generally packaged with that piece they will give it extra scrutiny and depnding on the material used to do the molding and the complexity of the caster "counterfeits" are generally easily recognizable.
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