Thanks to all for the heads UP

[Darkblood]

I'm not getting between the two since I don't know either personally but respect them both...and I did not attend Transworld.
My take was this as I watched Youtube videos of Transworld 2010 was "Wow, there's Xtremecreator's Grudge!" Then I realized it was from Nightscream and was like "Oh, that looks just like the Grudge I saw online and at MHC before? Weird..."
I immediately recognized that.
I hope this gets resolved soon and with civility.

Kirk

[Monster Asylum]

Hello,
Just to clarify things. My name is Jonathan Fuller. I Own Monster Asylum.
I AM the original designer and sculptor of the GRUDGE. I was hired by John Merk over at XtremeCreators to design this piece for his company to recreate and sell.
John Merk is the only one who owns the rights to create and sell the Grudge.
I have original pictures of MY sculpture and a signed contract between John and myself.
There may have been a mix up with these "molds" but that has all be cleared up and put to rest.
John just received my personal copy of the Grudge and retains all rights and the right to recreate and sell as he chooses. NO ONE ELSE!

Thank you

www.monsterasylum.com

[Patti Ludwinski]

I know, I know...Of course I'm gonna defend Larry, but here goes...

John, I don't know of any "friendship" between Larry and Rodney other than just business, so I don't think Larry's comments were in defense of any "friend". I think Larry, as administrator of this forum, wants to or feels compelled to ask the tough questions to get deeper to the bottom of any accusation that's posted. Same goes for ANY post Larry has ever made in reply to ANY accusation against a vendor that's been made on here in the past. This is the exact reason why the Forum frowns upon these type of posts to begin with. I know Larry, and if you were wronged, he completely and utterly empathizes with YOU and no one else. Again, I think he's just trying to get deeper, without taking sides, that's all.

If Rodney were the one who started the post, accusing you of 'wrongfully halting production of his animation' or something, I'm 100% positive Larry would've been probing Rodney to post all the sorted details rather than just his brief one-sided detail as well.

While I don't know documented facts and therefore cannot/will not take sides,
I personally think this entire scenario sucks for you and for what you now must be going thru because of it. Regardless of whether Rodney has 0% fault, 1% fault or 100% fault...It still sucks, and I hope it gets resolved for you quickly. My heart goes out to you.

Patti

[xtremecreator]

Wow! Thank You, we never met but I like you. New Top Administrator please. Just kidding......
Your right and I do understand now where Larry is coming from. Its not my fault that in the last year I dragged out a couple of bad guys. Im just standing up for whats right, and I am not always right, far from it .....but when I am, I just cant let the bad guy go without a lesson.

John

[SlightlySick Illusions]

To all artists and creators!

It is not hard or expensive to go through the process of obtaining a legal copyright on things you produce and want to protect. Take pics of the process and finished product and get your copyright taken care of before you go to market. At least that way you have a legal leg to stand on if someone does steel your work.

[xtremecreator]

Copyright was Done in 2008.

Thanks

[SlightlySick Illusions]

Get a lawyer then, I was told he sold 14 of these at the show. Although I found it funny he packed it up and took it with him.

[SlightlySick Illusions]

Just my opinion but the only win win would be for you guys to set aside your differences and team up to make this great creature. You make the skins and he makes the animatronics and paints it. It was very popular at the show this year with the added gore and movements.

[HouseOfHorrors]

So in other words you have the "Grudge" for sale on your site, but can't even produce it - you don't even have the molds?? I find it hard to believe a truck driver took your molds, went to deliver them to you and you didn't accept them, so instead of shipping them back to the sender this "truck driver" went and found another studio and tried to make a deal and sell the molds to them?? Now why wouldn't you or the original sculptor of the studio have went after the truck driver who hijacked the molds and sold them to a 3rd party??? I dunno but this story sounds awfully fishy to me.. you can bet your ass if I had a huge creature sculpted for me that those molds would be in my possession!!! Unless of course I never paid for the mold in full.... hmmm.....

[xtremecreator]

Tim,

You got it exactly right. New better molds were produced. The original molds were damaged in ship and far from acceptable. Go back and read what FULLER says.

Oh yea, as far as NOT paying. Thats a joke. Why would anyone send anything if it werent paid for. would you ship me molds if i did not pay you. I cant believe this.I feel I have to explain things at a 2 year old level here.

Honestly I did not think the driver could sell them. They were done(USELESS) to me. If you can get a decent crearture out of it or 2 I DONT CARE.. DO NOT TRY AND REMOLD AND START A PRODUCTION AND PUT IT ON A CATALOG AND DISPLAY IT AT
A CONVENTION. Is this sinking in yet? Tell me Mr. Tim what did I do? Speak Up?
Obvisiously your Rodneys friend. Lets hear it. Im protecting whats mine. PERIOD

This story goes deeper then this issue with Rodney. As soon As I opened a haunt he turned on me, when we were friends. I tried to be his friend. His e mails to me are threats and my haunt is better then yours crap. I have always said he has a nice haunt but thinks I spead crap about it. Thats his halucination. I compete with no one but myself.

He purposely did this ,His words to the mold buyer/studio "he will take all the BS". The mold buyer knew better and Rodney knew better. Do you see me bashing the studio buyer? one phone call ...done and settled. A very nice guy

Rodney got all bent with our ads because my X partner posted Best Haunt in the USA. My x partner also matched Rodneys ads ..ad for ad and spared no exspense.
I tried to stop him, but tell someone who makes 80 mil a year he cant do that? at least moraly for Christ sake its our first year. Partner was clueless

Oh by the way , I have antique Mickey Mouse Molds does that mean I can mass produce. Get real. If you want to mass produce you need to contact the owner Which I have done by the way in my other business. Wheres Rodneys Paperwork? He should have a Release of Rights Signed by me.

The sad thing is here is a very successful guy in the Haunt Business and started a succesfull vending business won a mil in the lottery has a great wife and daughter and he still feels like he has to cheat.? Pathetic...

Any way, Im done with the 3 year old crap

[SlightlySick Illusions]

"Any way, Im done with the 3 year old crap "

Good for you, I have learned that sometimes it's better to just cut your losses and walk away!

[Von Spooky Nachos]

Not taking sides ...

... but it was immediately evident at the show that the figure Rodney was selling was a slightly different "Grudge". I looked at thge sculpt qand could tell it was from the same molds, I just figured John sold Rodney the molds.

Regarding copyright, artistic pieces are protected by copyright law upon completion wether you apply for them or not. All John has to show is his catalog from 2008 or it's also in the "13th Hour" magazine volume 1, edition 2 on page 58.

Also, ruined molds or not, one can easily re-generate molds off of an original copy.

[drfrightner]

Couple things...

1) Thank you patti. You hit the nail on the head. Thanks again. I'm not always the best with words.

2) Monster Asylum: Tell us how did Rodney end up with the molds for this monster if you had them and no one was suppose to sell them other than Xtreme. Good question please let us know.

Reason I ask is I don't think its fair for anyone to accuse Rodney of anything if he didn't do anything he thought was wrong. Did he or didn't he get the molds from YOU? If he did how did he get them and why did you send them if you were not suppose to send them to anyone else.

I'm just trying to figure out how does someone else make this monster if they dont' have the molds to make the monster itself... this is weird.

Larry

[drfrightner]

I guess no answer means someone shipped Rodney the molds which explains why this happened. So again this isn't Rodney's fault so I wish this would get cleared up once and for all so we can move on...

Larry

[xtremecreator]

Dont worry

Larry, Jon is on his way to a trade show.I spoke with him He will answer no problem. Meantime Read what Sawdust wrote. BRILLIANT!