40K movie "Damnatus : the enemy within"

[jus]

Here's another copy right infringement topic to add to the our lovely growing collection.

Damnatus: The Enemy Within (German: Damnatus: Der Feind Im Innern) was a non-commercial low-budget movie made in Germany "by fans for fans" that takes place in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Apparently way into production till 2007 and then canned by GW's legal inquisition. However, despite all that, its come to my attention recently that a leaked version of the film (with english subtitles) is circulating around. Is all this news to anyone?

from the trailer, it looks like it was made by some guy who is good with cg that shanghaied his brother, uncle, best friends drunken neighbor into the cast. But apart from that it looks like a rollicking imperial guard's yarn, and the cg scenes aren't too laughable, can't say the same about the acting though.

here's the trailer for anyone who's interest is piqued~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77TpMvRZ_LQ

[Primarch]

The fact that it has been "leaked" isnt suprising. GW have absolutely forbidden the release of the movie with threats to sue the producer for everything he has ever owned and could ever possibly acquire.

Why?

Apparantly, in Germany, if you make a movie, you get ALL the IP rights to everything in the movie, regardless of if you "borrowed" those ideas without asking permission first. Essentially, if the movie was released officially, the director would get all the IP rights to Space Marines, Warhammer 40k and every other thing in the movie.

This isnt just a case of GW getting all uptight about someone not asking permission. Legally the director could do whatever he wanted with those IP rights including: Making a game, making miniatures, selling the rights to another company, writing novels, opening his own stores, etc etc. You can see why GW nipped it in the bud so to speak. As for the director being out of pocket over making it, thats too bad since he really should have asked permission first.

[Admiral-Badruck]

the thing is GW will not give permission to make movies for that reason... but what a waist there could be a lot of great movies made about it... it really is a shame...

[Primarch]

the thing is GW will not give permission to make movies for that reason... but what a waist there could be a lot of great movies made about it... it really is a shame...

#Cough# Ultramarines.

GW wont let other people make movies because they want to keep creative control over what happens in the movie. Hence Dan Abnett writing the script and being closely involved throughout filming with Ultramarines.
Sure Hollywood could make some amazing movies with the 40k setting, but getting them to do it properly would be very very difficult. Lots of writers (and fans) complain bitterly when their characters get put into Hollywood movies. GW doesnt want space marines running round saving gorgeous babes and smooching with them in the final scene. For every truly good film Hollywood produces, it makes a dozen pieces of crud.

When GW make films, they should do it properly and do it well.

[Admiral-Badruck]

the Ultramainres movie is a joke as far as movies go... only available from the web sight it's self... not even a link for the GW web page... they do not want a success... I am sure they have their reasons but it is the fans that suffer...

[Primarch]

the Ultramainres movie is a joke as far as movies go... only available from the web sight it's self... not even a link for the GW web page... they do not want a success... I am sure they have their reasons but it is the fans that suffer...

GW have been promoting it on their website and in White Dwarf. It wont get a commercial release because that would cost far too much money. By keeping it on their site the production company avoids a lot of extra costs and can charge what they like for it.

[Admiral-Badruck]

I would like to know where in the Web site... I go there quite a bit and I have not seen anything to do with the Ultramarines movie...

[Primarch]

I would like to know where in the Web site... I go there quite a bit and I have not seen anything to do with the Ultramarines movie...

I'm pretty sure I saw it mentioned in their daily blog section. Most of the interesting stuff goes in there.

[Miggy Smallz]

Just saw Damnatus. Didnt quite understand it, but not bad for a fan movie!

[Seneschal]

What happened with Damnatus is kind of sad, and involved no evil on the part of GW.

GW actually supported it during production (they didn't give any money or anything, but they had a little blurb about it in White Dwarf saying "These people are making a fan movie, isn't that cool, we'll let you know when it comes out"). But then they found out about the aforementioned rights issue with German law and had to bar it from release. They tried to come up with workarounds involving the rights being signed back over, but apparently this couldn't be done.

It's a real shame... the makers did let GW know in advance, GW said it was cool if it was purely a fan film and non-profit making, and then they found out about the "oddities" in German rights laws (a problem neither GW nor the makers had been aware of) very late in the day, and then had to bar it from being released.

So - GW=not evil; Makers=not foolish; German law=wacky.

As for the movie itself, I've seen it, and agree with what's been said - not exactly high production values, but pretty cool for a fan movie, and definitely recommended to people who like 40K.