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Open Casting
Open Casting was not my choice of words. A fellow member of The Dented Helmet came up with the term while we were discussing the state of the replica props community. I loved it and have latched on to it as my working model for everything I make. This page describes what those words mean to me. I'm going to keep this very casual and conversational. No faux-legalese wording here!
What is recasting?
Before you can understand my policy on recasting, you'll need to know what recasting is.
In short, recasting is taking someone else's work, dipping it in rubber, and making your own copies.
There are all sorts of "grey areas" in the hobby: casting screen used items, casting commercial offerings that are discontinued, etc... In the most simple terms though, if you are making a mold of something that you did not create yourself, you are probably recasting.
What happens to recasters?
Legally? Nothing really. There's no way Bob Clonesculptor can sue someone for casting his unlicensed replica helmet.
Socially? It's like being tarred and feathered, burned at the stake, and being forced to watch the Holiday Special while you burn. Really. You will be blacklisted from every community, seller, private board, etc... faster than you can blink.
Honor amongst thieves is a big concept in this hobby. While everyone acknowledges that they don't own the rights, there's a common understanding that Bob Clonesculptor worked very hard to make that helmet, and that it's impolite to copy it.
Ok, now about Open Casting
I've been a long time user of Linux, and have made a career working with open source software.
One of the common threads there is that amazingly talented people work endlessly to create a stable, robust enterprise computing platform that they give away for free.
I'd like to bring a bit of that flavor to this hobby. Unfortunately helmets and blasters don't work quite like software. There is a real cost in time and money to making copies for people, and I just can't do that. But what I can do is look at the GPL, Creative Commons and other open licenses for inspiration.
So here it is in the most simple terms possible:
I don't make many copies of the things I make, but anyone who does manage to come into one is welcome to recast it.
The only clauses I really put on it are:
- Be honest. Tell me you are doing it, and tell other people that you didn't make it yourself.
- This agreement sticks with the things you make. So, if you recast me, you can't turn around and tell someone else not to recast you.
That's it.
Simple, and avoids a ton of drama.
That being said, I know I don't rule the world and I can't enforce my own ideals on others. So, don't think that just because I said it's OK to recast me that this will apply to other makers. Remember that part about the Holiday Special? Yeah. Don't let that happen to you.
People work hard to offer up stuff like this to the world. Respect them or they will go away.
And, you know, if you want to hook me up with some snacks or a drink at a con as a thanks, I certainly wouldn't say no! ;)
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