I am not accusing any company of piracy - please do not put words into my mouth.
The first time I saw a pic of them here, I thought they look like my old airfix sets - as I am sure most people do. I put as 'I seem to remember them' because I do not have the Airfix products any longer, nor have I seen the KC ones in person. I chose my words carefully - it is a shame you have not, in accusing me.
It is fair to say that when it comes to a CD, game or DVD a copy is plain for most to see. When it gets to toy soldiers and poses I assume it can become somewhat grey for those who are not copyright lawyers and /or toy soldier manufacturers.
For instance, as I posted are the pictures copies or inspiration? As some one posted - when are poses generic and when not? What % do you have to change to avoid copyright - harder to do in a DVD film??? They are questions, not a defence of people who copy.
Gazza
PS I do not buy copies of toy soldiers, nor would I.
I'm sorry if I misunderstood you, but as you entered the conversation by posting pictures and printing in capitals "EXACTLY" I thought you were making a stand, rather than just an opinion! Believe me if I had evidence in front of me I would name and shame. What ever the company.
This is not aimed at you Gazza but to answer your questions
There is no "grey area" It is very clear. You can not copywright an idea, you can copywright your expression of that idea. In other words a poses is not copywright, only the actual expresive medium.
If I take a photograph of a man firing a rifle, that photograph can not be copied but someone can look at that photograph, like the pose (gain inspiration). He then draws a picture of a man firing a rifle.
That drawing can not be copied but someone can look at the drawing, like the pose and engrave in stone, paint in oils, sculpt ten feet tall or in our case make a toy soldier.
All of these are expressions of an idea and can not be directly copied. So another photographer can not make a mould of the toy soldier but he can take another photograph of the toy soldier.
In the same way I could make a toy soldier standing firing a rifle, another toy soldier maker could like the pose and make his own version of the pose. He is not allowed to take any part of my original work without my permision.
All of this talk about changing a percentage, try telling that to a famouse rock band. The difference is that people people that pirate toy soldiers know that it is unlikely they will ever be caught. This is not just a problem for toy soldier makers, look at any related hobby site and you'll see the same thing happening.
I understand that collectors and modellers don't want to have to make the same conversion over and over. In which case they can do what the rest of us do, either get permision to use the parts (try offering to pay for the use) or make your own dummy figures to base the work on. Again if they were interested they'd find there are companies that sell basic nude figures that are designed to dress up in any required costume.
There are people on here that make there own figures, so perhaps follow their example.
Martin
