tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post3454706312532129175..comments2024-03-18T23:25:55.606-04:00Comments on PUMPKINROT.COM: The Blog: Grandin Theft (UPDATED)Rothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11329750481399948095noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-34668243137020913202012-08-20T14:10:03.463-04:002012-08-20T14:10:03.463-04:00I found nobody else with the Bezek couple, however...I found nobody else with the Bezek couple, however I did find 4 additional retailers selling versions of the cloaked ghost with chain and lantern. Targets is pretty pricey yet still is a pale imitation.labratthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12492280408203092266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-12333092546814841772012-08-20T01:09:33.100-04:002012-08-20T01:09:33.100-04:00Yes,
1) As ShellHawk suggests, let's start br...Yes,<br /><br />1) As ShellHawk suggests, let's start bringing attention to this problem in public venues<br /><br />2) Find out who the manufacturer of this item is, and let's figure out what we need to do to incent them to stop stealing artists work. A manufacturer is less likely to have a big legal department defending them<br /><br />3) I would still suggest that haunters put together a legal defense fund. Maybe write a trust. Collectivize your resources, and find a copyright lawyer who believes in the cause. It will only take a few lawsuits to discourage continued theft.Mantan Calaverashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01024705691966479703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-23753564428861398102012-08-19T21:41:58.014-04:002012-08-19T21:41:58.014-04:00Mmmmm. I did a Google search from my phone and lin...Mmmmm. I did a Google search from my phone and linked to it from pinterest. Might have spoke too soon.labratthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12492280408203092266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-86165481794055405092012-08-19T21:31:50.962-04:002012-08-19T21:31:50.962-04:00These are CLEARLY stolen by Grandin Road. He SHOUL...These are CLEARLY stolen by Grandin Road. He SHOULD hire a lawyer and see what his options are. If he has documents showing he created this, a judge would take one look at it and say its THEFT. Its not even "improved on." Thats the only way they can take it if its changed in a LARGE way.Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12370402832799002043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-26060509103614294682012-08-19T17:43:24.191-04:002012-08-19T17:43:24.191-04:00labratt,
I just went there and was able to add it ...labratt,<br />I just went there and was able to add it to a cart to order.<br /><br />Where do you see that statement?<br /><br />I think it's still available.<br /><br />Rothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11329750481399948095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-28119972726875933912012-08-19T16:46:46.796-04:002012-08-19T16:46:46.796-04:00Just went on Grandin Roads site, says item no long...Just went on Grandin Roads site, says item no longer available.<br /><br />Does not say out of stock.<br /><br />Small victories. Hell yeah!labratthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12492280408203092266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-58702527896056243762012-08-19T12:35:35.358-04:002012-08-19T12:35:35.358-04:00They have a Google+ presence and so does Mr.Bezek....They have a Google+ presence and so does Mr.Bezek. I've done my part:<br /><br />https://plus.google.com/u/0/109278962630081587362/posts/TizGNqnmEGcTerrormasterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05728595455359251504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-54323912636481600352012-08-19T12:24:49.350-04:002012-08-19T12:24:49.350-04:00ShellHawk has the right idea. Internet movements a...ShellHawk has the right idea. Internet movements are pretty powerful when organized properly. If their image gets publicly attacked they might be forced to take action so they don't appear to be the bad guys. But it has to be organized properly and in a way that won't actually backfire on Bezek.<br /><br />I won't touch Facebook with a 10' poll (switched to Google+ 100% and have never ever looked back) so can't be very helpful there. But I still have a presence on Twitter. And if someone comes up with a message to slam them with I'm there. I will try to do my part on Google+ as well.Terrormasterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05728595455359251504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-57953065224977452942012-08-19T11:04:50.827-04:002012-08-19T11:04:50.827-04:00For them to have bullied Mr. Bezek in that way is ...For them to have bullied Mr. Bezek in that way is deplorable!<br /><br />So here's my suggestion: POLITELY bomb their Facebook page:<br />https://www.facebook.com/grandinroad<br /><br />and suggest that they do the right thing on a public venue. The word will get out that Grandin Road has a history of ripping off people's designs and that will on reflect their reputation as a company. Something to the effect of, "I know the artist and am familiar with his work. I understand your company has been in contact with him in this regards and that you have subsequently ordered him to take down a blog post citing your company's error in selling work that was a direct copy of his. Please do the ethical thing and make restitution to the artist, rather than renouncing any responsibility. It reflects badly on Grandin Road that the company would bully an individual artist merely because it has the capital and legal department to do so."<br /><br />Of course, their lawyers could pull something like "slander" or some such nonsense, and that could have repercussions for William...<br /><br />We are all aware that corporations can simply "lawyer up" better and longer than the average private citizen. They have very deep pockets and can simply wait it out.<br /><br />What we, the community, may be able to do, is to force them to do the right thing by politely mentioning this and requesting that they restore their company's image. Public perception of a company can be a powerful tool. Going to the media, and social media can be an equally powerful tool, if you're aware of the potential backlash.<br /><br />The fact is, these companies will continue to get away with ripping off our hard work because they can.<br /><br />Thoughts, anyone?ShellHawkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17705072702016925284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-84023800499005006032012-08-19T03:04:58.678-04:002012-08-19T03:04:58.678-04:00So Grandin Road demanded that HE remove the eviden...So Grandin Road demanded that HE remove the evidence from his blog? That's outrageous.<br /><br />This is teaching me the very essential lesson that, if you are an independent professional artist you better keep a copyright lawyer on reserve.<br /><br />Or better yet, learn the law, heh heh.<br /><br />Perhaps it is time for the haunt community to come together and invest in a "Haunters Legal Defense Fund" to protect the community from copyright theft.Mantan Calaverashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01024705691966479703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-52170027459262244512012-08-18T21:28:45.534-04:002012-08-18T21:28:45.534-04:00Was really hoping this was going the other way. Ju...Was really hoping this was going the other way. Just sad and pathetic. The Almighty $ trumps morality once again. Ridiculous.labratthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12492280408203092266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-8694903868390424412012-08-18T20:58:37.960-04:002012-08-18T20:58:37.960-04:00I am with Mr. Glasset, I will never buy anything f...I am with Mr. Glasset, I will never buy anything from Grandin Road ever again.<br /><br />And I even just got something from them too. >:(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-89808511509774611552012-08-18T20:22:05.228-04:002012-08-18T20:22:05.228-04:00DOH! Was perusing Spirit Halloween's online ca...DOH! Was perusing Spirit Halloween's online catalog to see what this year's offerings were and stumbled on this:<br /><br />http://www.spirithalloween.com/product/gt-hanging-faceless-spectre/Terrormasterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05728595455359251504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-55074356260463169112012-08-18T20:12:06.348-04:002012-08-18T20:12:06.348-04:00Rot, you're pretty much a household name in th...Rot, you're pretty much a household name in the haunt community. Go to any of the various boards and people are referring to certain props as 'pumpkinrots'. Even if people don't mention you most of us know what the deal is. You're stuff is like the flying crank ghost, we all know where it came from, and nobody could get away with saying otherwise. From what I can tell most uncredited props in the haunt community are made by people who don't really spend a lot of time online or think to credit the source. They see cool stuff, make their own copy for their little haunt with their kids, post pics, all without intending to rip anybodies ideas off. But that's the joe-blow home haunter. I wouldn't think that they should be of much concern. That being said, people who profit off stuff like this have no excuse. I'm thinking of that woman who wrote a witch jar how-to for her blog (you posted about this a long time ago). She knew what she was doing. Companies that distribute products have no excuse. Anybody who has been active on blogs/forums regularly or has a large-scale haunt doesn't have an excuse. The fact that an artist is being threatened by a company that is profiting off his work makes me sick to my stomach. This feels like when funnyjunk tried to sue The Oatmeal after they posted his copyrighted cartoons. Just a sad state of affairs. Aronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05737150738571792504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-20894830409859949122012-08-18T20:11:28.475-04:002012-08-18T20:11:28.475-04:00Agreed.
It's bad news for the rest of us if th...Agreed.<br />It's bad news for the rest of us if these companies start using our websites and forums for design ideas. And not even having the decency to TRY to make it a different design. Like making the mouths different..or NOT having the same eye winking. It's blatant and it's arrogant. And it speaks volumes about how confident they are about getting away with this.<br /><br /><br /><br />Rothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11329750481399948095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-28655137731890216142012-08-18T20:07:40.610-04:002012-08-18T20:07:40.610-04:00I had a bad feeling this was the direction this wa...I had a bad feeling this was the direction this was heading. Being in the business of legal ebilling there are a few lawyers in house. I don't think any of them specialize in anything like this since most of our clients are corporate law departments. However I can ask around on Monday and see if anything can be done.<br /><br />My other hobby used to be tinkering with making horror games in RPG Maker. As a result I was in numerous communities having to do with the RPG Maker app. There was a site owner I got to be pretty good friends with that was pretty ruthless about protecting the original artwork of her site members. I mean "track down the offender's IP, trace it to the host, and tell their mommy and daddy" ruthless (most of the members of the community were in the 13-21 age demographic). As far as I know though she never had to deal with big companies stealing stuff, at least not that I'm aware of. We need someone like that fighting for haunters.Terrormasterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05728595455359251504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-68562304659307446692012-08-18T18:48:09.798-04:002012-08-18T18:48:09.798-04:00I enjoy seeing the Witch Jars around in other haun...I enjoy seeing the Witch Jars around in other haunts. <br />A credit would be nice, but someone could argue that the candle-in-a-mason-jar has been around forever...and they'd be right.<br /><br />I just think a person should be courteous if a design comes from another haunter. <br /><br />But I really want to stress that it's very VERY cool to see someone building something that they saw on my site. <br /><br />Rothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11329750481399948095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-59129962237531027442012-08-18T17:23:05.635-04:002012-08-18T17:23:05.635-04:00I'd be keen to know what your thoughts are on ...I'd be keen to know what your thoughts are on witch jars appearing in other people haunts and websites uncredited. It seems to me that due to how common they are now, haunters assume Witch Jars are in the public domain of Yard Haunting. Marrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10848313072973179842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-74222835137022594912012-08-18T16:34:34.485-04:002012-08-18T16:34:34.485-04:00Why not everyone just leave a product review of th...Why not everyone just leave a product review of the "deadwalker couple" on Grandin's website? At least showing distaste for the theft? I even saw one that seemed like a copy of something from Terror Syndicate.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-42844967724571069832012-08-18T14:33:33.660-04:002012-08-18T14:33:33.660-04:00This is disgusting. I'll never do business wit...This is disgusting. I'll never do business with Grandin Road and I WILL be spreading the word about this.Jon Glassetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07767386136781990569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-29159901884054835482012-08-18T13:19:46.006-04:002012-08-18T13:19:46.006-04:00I'm going to put real money on the fact that G...I'm going to put real money on the fact that Grandin will continue to sell it if it's a profitable item. What they SHOULD do is be cooperative and apologetic. And I'm serious when I say that they need to terminate the business relationship with that supplier, or threaten them to do so if they catch this crap again. <br /><br />But I'm not that naive. I know they won't do anything even CLOSE to that. As evidenced by them threatening the artist with a lawsuit.<br /><br />Man, I hope he has a lawyer in the family. I can't think of a clearer case of theft. Those faces are identical. Even the winking eye.<br />Rothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11329750481399948095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-6886484368592273452012-08-18T13:14:20.161-04:002012-08-18T13:14:20.161-04:00So does 'no responsibility' mean that one ...So does 'no responsibility' mean that one can purchase goods for resale knowing' that they've been copied from another source without permission? I mean,obviously Grandin Road knows the situation now. Should they be removing this product from their inventory? I'm unclear on this...I mean, I love the Grandin Road offerings..having purchased a few favorite things from them. Now I'm wondering how many of these are acquired from 'mysterious vendors' who simply copied someone else's work. Autumnleafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17587042371313863631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-39116540361322499752012-08-18T13:00:28.104-04:002012-08-18T13:00:28.104-04:00And this is the part where Grandin Road SHOULD hav...And this is the part where Grandin Road SHOULD have said "here's the contact information of the supplier, sorry this has happened, we won't be ordering from that company next year, and we'll be contacting them to let them know exactly why."<br /><br />But instead the artist gets a legal threat.<br /><br />Makes me sick that the Universe doesn't work that way.<br />Rothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11329750481399948095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-23323329491868445572012-08-18T12:40:44.826-04:002012-08-18T12:40:44.826-04:00Holy shit, man.
I really thought this was going to...Holy shit, man.<br />I really thought this was going to be good news.<br /><br />Kinda speechless here.<br /><br />Rothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11329750481399948095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-784285653010648547.post-76729212083505621782012-08-18T12:28:25.764-04:002012-08-18T12:28:25.764-04:00Hi Rot, Thanks for posting this...unfortunately I ...Hi Rot, Thanks for posting this...unfortunately I was threatened with legal action by Grandin Road if I didn't remove the post from my blog so the link you provided is a dead end. They claim no responsibility sighting some mystery vendor they bought the design from. I just wanted to clarify to some of the people who don't think these are close copies: the set you have pictured here are the figures they copied the clothing from, the OTHER set I did at the same time were the ones they copied the faces from...near exact copies obviously sculpted from my online photos. Maybe if they do it again we can all get together and sue as a group!William Bezekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18200795164755725504noreply@blogger.com