canofhumdingers said:
have to agree with BBDV on this one. While SDS helmets were awesome, it was dumb to just try to sidestep the whole licensing issue.... Even if he DID design the helmet (which he didn't, he just MANUFACTURED them), it doesn't mean he owns the design. he was employed by the owner to make them FOR the owner.... My sister works in advertising as an artist & she designs stuff for clients all the time. Even though she designs it, it's not hers. it is owned by the person who paid the comission to have it designed...
have to agree with BBDV on this one. While SDS helmets were awesome, it was dumb to just try to sidestep the whole licensing issue.... Even if he DID design the helmet (which he didn't, he just MANUFACTURED them), it doesn't mean he owns the design. he was employed by the owner to make them FOR the owner.... My sister works in advertising as an artist & she designs stuff for clients all the time. Even though she designs it, it's not hers. it is owned by the person who paid the comission to have it designed...
Her clients probably have contracts with her that state such things.
Back in 1976, I somehow doubt that Lucas was savvy enough to write up a formal contract with this guy. I know he retained the rights from Fox, mostly because nobody cared about sequels or merchandising in those days, but if all he had with this guy was "Make me x number of helmets for x amount of money" then it's quite possible, under UK law, that he's well within his rights.
From the article "Mr Lucas, who wrote the screenplay and directed the 1977 film, is understood to have hired Mr Ainsworth through intermediaries in 1976, but it is claimed no formal contract was put in place. The designer received just £30,000 for his work."
Make no mistake. Enforcement of IP without a formal contract is different in the US than it is in the UK. The UK court is under no obligation to follow the US court and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they didn't.