FukitsuNaDouki

It dawned on me when I overheard talk about Odex's shift from being a DVD to figurine/merchandise distributor.

Their primary focus is still on getting anime licenses from Japan to Singapore, and my deductions is that whenever Animax or okto (the two primary sources which still airs anime shows here) has the resources to broadcast new shows, Odex will sell the shows to them, them being the only distributor of anime series in Southeast Asia.

(I think they have indirect market presence in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, considering that anime shows in these countries have already proliferated. So yeah, the coffers in Odex's banking accounts are getting bigger every day.)

With one of our members here pointing out about their latest foray into the figurine/merchandising market, considering the majority of the purchasing power in Singapore is derived from buying merchandises and figurines, it makes business sense, and I think a lot of you guys have already figured out that the Japanese anime distribution companies (think of the 4 companies that were mentioned in last year's Writ of Summons news) are starting to think about making money off figurines (which, I don't know, attributed to the increase in figurine prices probably?) and merchandises. What makes you think goes into that SGD50 COSPA T-shirt, for example?

It's something to ponder, or to laugh about. In any case, I think it's the sign of times, and companies are now beginning to look for other avenues of income to generate. For me, I've decided to take a neutral stance in this, since I've already stopped supporting Xedo Defense, now dead, and in the near future it's all about testing new grounds for companies.

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BlackAdder

Well, as long as they retain this shift in focus, and don't go back to that witch hunt two years ago, I'm fine with this. (though I'll still patronise other companies instead of Odex)

However, I still think this forum should be kept around, not because it's just about Odex, but because IP rights and advancements in new media will continue to be discussed for the coming years. This board should be renamed, but I suppose it was the Odex Saga that brought up the question on the legal and moral status behind filesharing (and coming down hard on those that do it)

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FukitsuNaDouki

If you ask me, intellectual property is a figment of the imagination, but I can't turn back the clock, now, can I, now that IPOS is actually an existing entity?

I think it's already been discussed elsewhere. With The Pirate Bay now a shadow of its former self, and private trackers are starting to shut down due to massive raids from the intellectual property lobbies, I think the direction is pretty straightforward: good luck finding out the stuff that you wanted. Free lunch's over.

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radioactive28

Apologies in advance, but I'll be digressing somewhat.
For me, IP is not figment of the imagination. Artistes should be entitled to rewards from their works. I want to see good players make more good works, and it's true that they need some motivation and food. Problem is, the period of entitlement stretches way beyond than what is healthy for the creative community (and consumers as well). Doesn't help that semi-perpetual corporations can hold on to IP and prolong the period, even after the artiste passes on.

Well, free lunch won't be entirely over, never will be, but I'm fine either way.

If anyone's been paying attention to online news in the past few years, the big issue going forward is that 'old' media companies are still trying to hang on to their outdated methods of earning profits. They're resorting to political lobbying for more draconian control measures across the board, which is problematic for the average user.

End of digression

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blazin

Next they will be nailing down pirated figurines and merchandise ...LOLX

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komicer

Which isn't that bad a thing, imo. A very good thing in fact.

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FukitsuNaDouki

I prefer the "commission" type of rewarding of the past. A patron pays an artist a commission to work on an art, pass over the art to the patron, artist goes on to make better use of his skills elsewhere, while patron is empowered with the artwork.

Digressing again, I agreed on your commentary that the period of entitlement is way beyond common sense. Seventy years plus ninety after the artist's death? Next thing I know, works from the 1930s will never be released into public domain (because Disney wants to make sure that their works from the 1930s do not get released). Talk about bullshit, if you ask me.

(I've not heard about all those pre-war animation movies that Japan used to make before the advent of WWII, but I'm pretty sure whoever owns the IP rights to those films do not want to release them to public domain – if there was any in Japan in the first place.)

Which explains why Rupert "Son-of-a-Bitch" Murdoch and Micro$oft wants to combine to get Google out of news businesses: they want people to pay to read their news, and Google essentially provides a free platform for readers to read news. In other words, YOU WANNA READ, YOU GOTTA PAY USD50 (theoretically) TO READ NEWS BECAUSE NEWS IS OUR WORK.

I ask you, as a consumer, between having to pay what could be an exhorbitant amount of money (looking at how inflation works, this will be possible in the future) and getting news for free, and essentially allowing the poor access to better information, which will you look at?

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FukitsuNaDouki

Well I have nothing to say, considering figurines are considered "works of art." Merchandising is just another means for IP owners to generate income from the consumer. As komicer replied, it's a good thing, and this is where IP owners should look out for instead of killing their potential customers like me.

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radioactive28

More digression

News-collecting is a very different issue, and it is worth the money. It's a service (keyword here) that's provided on a daily basis, because that's the nature of news. It's consistent with the commissioning you mentioned.

Heard Neil Gaiman commenting on this and it makes sense. Bloggers and many other sources don't produce fresh news. They point out note-worthy news to you and give their own comments. The day a blogger decides to give up his day job to collect breaking news... well... XD

One issue here, I think, is how people who provide things/services like these can sustainably monetise their efforts in a world where people have come to expect infomation (TV broadcasts now fall under this category as well) for free. Cheap people will *never* pay, but I'd bet many are willing to pay some small amounts (important to note that people being people, paying has to be convenient, or that small amount will just go poof).

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BlackAdder

The way I see it, it isn't over. As much as the issue can be covered under current affairs, its a current affair so broad and relevant to us that it needs its own board. Its like how Tenipuri retains its in own board on sgcafe.

IP will remain an issue, and, as much as there's been an upper hand in some ways, it's not over yet.

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sentinel011

IP rights will always remain; imagine if you are a designer of say, Production IG. Imagine if there's no IP rights rule in place... anyone and everyone can use their works. Paying only the person who did that commission just doesn't cut it; the company needs another company to help manage and market it, and chase for their IP rights.

And because of all that, nobody chases for it, everyone is profiting from your company's and your works which you never able to take credit of, since nobody actually knows who is the actual person who owns the rights. What recognition? Think about it.

Also, Odex happens to be the company that buys over that right to manage and control for the relevant companies/studios etc for the region. Now imagine again; if you are the said company in Japan who gave those rights to Odex, wouldn't you ask them to settle it for you?

Another thing, Japan launched another crackdown on anime raw uploaders recently. Crackdowns in Japan = 2; SG 1.

How I see it, this situation resembles a case of a juvenile under 18 (people who complain) complaining that he can't buy cigarettes(download anime) and that the law is wrong(Japanese companies asking Odex to do something) because cigarettes are available through all mediums(anime available through the Internet).

Go figure.

BlackAdder

Fine, but I do have a problem when protecting I.P rghts go overboard.

Consider the following:

http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/E...un---to-charge

http://sgcafe.com/current-affairs/67767-songs-used-wedding-photo-montage-videos-will-charged-fee.html#post6279538

Now, if it was a video for profit, I could understand, but these are private marriage videos, and furthermore, videos made by photographers and videomakers who had to buy the damn music to make their videos in the first place. And I seriously doubt a couple is going to release their marriage video for wide circulation, such that other people can rip the music off their videos.

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