Brian Muir, special guest. This is the eleventh ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. Brian Muir is a veteran in the film industry, working as a sculptor on an incredible number of movies, including Star Wars: A New Hope, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, numerous James Bond films, Harry Potter films, and more. Notably, Mr. Muir is credited as the sculptor of the iconic helmet for Darth Vader early in his career.
Bloomberg today published a video report on the Lucasfilm Ltd. vs. Andrew Ainsworth dispute. After Ainsworth prevailed in the UK Court of Appeals in late 2009, the case was argued before the UK Supreme Court in early March. Mr. Ainsworth features prominently while giving a tour of his studio; Lucasfilm is represented by a two sentence written statement. While the short broadcast captures an interesting mainstream media perspective of the case, it lacks a substantive review of the two specific legal issues under consideration in the pending UK Supreme Court decision, noting that “the legal arguments are detailed and complex“. [Read more…]
While the hearing for Lucasfilm Ltd. vs. Andrew Ainsworth was held before the Justices early last month, the case details were only just recently published on UK Supreme Court website. While the Judgment is currently pending, the case summary offers a concise outline of the two issues to be considered by the court. [Read more…]
Hugo Cox of The 1709 Blog, “dedicated to all things copyright, warts and all“, published a substantive feature today entitled “Star Wars: the Hearing”. This article provides coverage of the three-day UK Supreme Court hearing that took place last week, with in person observations and legal insights, analysis, and observations on Lucasfilm vs. Ainsworth in the related copyright dispute over the Stormtrooper helmets as seen in Star Wars: A New Hope. [Read more…]
Amid the topics of copyright ownership, enforcement of a U.S. judgment in the UK, determination of “works of art”, and other issues as featured in mainstream media reports about the ongoing legal battle between Lucasfilm LTD (LFL) and Andrew Ainsworth and his Shepperton Design Studios (SDS), what has not garnered as much focus is the debate over which artist originally sculpted the iconic stormtrooper helmet design that was adopted for use in Star Wars: A New Hope and the films that followed. [Read more…]
As reported two months ago (see “Lucasfilm vs. Ainsworth Legal Battle Continues in 2011; UK Supreme Court Case To Be Heard in March”), the dispute between Lucasfilm and the British prop maker who built the stormtrooper helmets used in Star Wars: A New Hope will be heard by the United Kingdom Supreme Court beginning tomorrow. [Read more…]
Website TheLawyer.com has this week published two articles with regards to the copyright legal battle between Lucasfilm Limited and Andrew Ainsworth of Shepperton Design Studios over the sale of unlicensed replica Star Wars props and costumes. [Read more…]
Ed Zine, special guest. This is the tenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Ed Zine is a Darth Vader collector and enthusiast as well as an author. Ed has done significant research into the original Darth Vader costumes made for the Star Wars films, most specifically those made for The Empire Strikes Back.
