Current Events > Jesus, anyone else been keeping up with this Alex Mauer DMCA stuff on YT?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Short versions is Alex composes music for video games. She feels like a company she did work for, Imagos Software, is using some of her music without paying her for it (they contracted some tracks for a game, then later used those tracks in the sequel) and now they owe her money.

When Imagos didn't do what she wanted. Alex's response was to send out DMCA strikes against every video she could find featuring Imagos games containing her music, whether her music was in the video or not. She's issued over 100 DMCA strikes in the last two weeks, and when that didn't get the results she wanted she issued a Cease And Desist to Turner Broadcasting (for an Adult Swim game she made music for) trying to use them to leverage against Imagos, and she even tried to issue DMCA strikes via Steam to have games pulled directly from the market. Fortunately, no one but Youtube uses an inbred automated system to process DMCA strikes so she's made no progress there.

This bitch is literally ruining the livelihood of dozens of people simply to try to leverage them in her fight with Imagos software. The real fucked up part is that she has no legal rights to they music, her contract with Imagos specifically stated that they'd own the rights to everything she made for them. She has no chance of winning a court battle but doesn't grasp that, and is just basically shitting up the place because she's tilted.
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fire_bolt posted...

When Imagos didn't do what she wanted.

No bias here, eh?

Anyway, depending on the contract, they may have been ripping her off. Music rights is actually a huge and complicated thing and has resulted in a lot of series facing difficulties in re-using scenes/music for sequels.

I find it hard to believe that they wrote a clause stating they'd be able to use her music in the future without paying her indefinitely. Could be wrong though. If they did, that's fucked up but she's stupid to agree.
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Dash_Harber posted...

fire_bolt posted...

When Imagos didn't do what she wanted.

No bias here, eh?

Anyway, depending on the contract, they may have been ripping her off. Music rights is actually a huge and complicated thing and has resulted in a lot of series facing difficulties in re-using scenes/music for sequels.

How are you reading bias out of that??

Regardless, like I said, her contract clearly stated that Imagos would own the rights to whatever music she produced for them. Its not complicated at all. There's also legal precedent regarding contract work like this stating that unless the rights are specifically given to the creator, they are always assumed to be the property of the person paying to have something made.

That's where music rights tends to get complicated, when one party is USING something but doesn't own the rights to it. When the party using it also owns it, its very straight forward
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fire_bolt posted...

How are you reading bias out of that??

I meant your post was biased.

Smashingpmkns posted...

I find it hard to believe that they wrote a clause stating they'd be able to use her music in the future without paying her indefinitely. Could be wrong though. If they did, that's fucked up but she's stupid to agree.

It's pretty standard in the gaming industry, actually, unless you're a big name composer. Smaller music composers do contract work where they get paid for each piece they make but they don't actually own the music.
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Dash_Harber posted...

fire_bolt posted...

How are you reading bias out of that??

I meant your post was biased.

Yeah, but you only quoted one sentence that had only factual information in it, so you were making no sense.

Anyway, yeah I'm biased. I've been following the situation for awhile now and what she's doing isn't just immoral its actually illegal. False DMCA strikes are considered perjury under federal law and she can be prosecuted for it. This isn't to mention the death threats she's issued or the threats of self-harm she's made publicly on Twitter.

There's clearly problems beyond this shit with Imagos with her mental state. I can only guess that whatever has her unhinged is causing her to act this way, because she's doing a great job of ruining her life. Imagos has already hired a prominemt copyright lawyer to settle once and for all that they DO own the music, and after that happens she's sunk. She'll never get work in the music industry again, she may be facing jail time, and every YT channel that can show she cost them revenue could sue her.
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I watched a vid about it on Jimquisition.
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ColdOne666 posted...

I watched a vid about it on Jimquisition.

I think Total Biscuit also did a piece on it, but SidAlpha has been doing almost daily updates on it, which is where I've been keeping up with it. He's the one who actually turned TB and Jim onto the issue, and has done a good job of just factually covering the information. If anyone is interested, here's the first vid he did on it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i15_OLOXLmo

I'm keeping track because I'm hoping this bullshit will force YT to fix their busted DMCA system
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Damn, that is interesting. Reminds me of when Robin Williams sued Disney for using his voice as the genie in Aladdin. I know that's totally diff, that's just what popped in my head. Life is crazy

It needs to have been stated in the contract and licensing/composition terms if her compositions could be synched with future installments. If there were no terms regarding future works, she can sue. If she was contracted and/or sold the ownership over to Imagos, then she needs to stop harassing them.

fire_bolt posted...

Dash_Harber posted...

fire_bolt posted...

When Imagos didn't do what she wanted.

No bias here, eh?

Anyway, depending on the contract, they may have been ripping her off. Music rights is actually a huge and complicated thing and has resulted in a lot of series facing difficulties in re-using scenes/music for sequels.

That's where music rights tends to get complicated, when one party is USING something but doesn't own the rights to it. When the party using it also owns it, its very straight forward

It actually doesn't need to be that complicated! When a party is using some they control 100%, then it is is fine (still needs to go through legal clearance though). If they are using something they do not own, it needs to be licensed (even if they can use it for free/gratis). If they are using it without licensing/permission, then it's infringement.
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Holy shit! was just about to make a thread about this. Biggest thing it looks like you forgot is the the descriptive and disturbing DEATH THREATS. Her background on twitter is her with a knife to her neck saying "this isn't for me" or something like that. This shit is crazy.

Funny how all the media outlets concerned with harassment are fucking silent as hell when it is a transwoman targeting mostly men(don't know any women being targeted, I'm sure there are some at this point) who is doing this shit, sending fucking legit death threats to people, trying to ruin lives out of insanity, and nothing is being done.
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Dash_Harber posted...

fire_bolt posted...

When Imagos didn't do what she wanted.

No bias here, eh?

Anyway, depending on the contract, they may have been ripping her off. Music rights is actually a huge and complicated thing and has resulted in a lot of series facing difficulties in re-using scenes/music for sequels.

I really recommend you look into this further. Leonard French is probably the best person to get a run down on this.
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MARKINGRAM22 posted...

Holy shit! was just about to make a thread about this. Biggest thing it looks like you forgot is the the descriptive and disturbing DEATH THREATS. Her background on twitter is her with a knife to her neck saying "this isn't for me" or something like that. This shit is crazy.

Funny how all the media outlets concerned with harassment are fucking silent as hell when it is a transwoman targeting mostly men(don't know any women being targeted, I'm sure there are some at this point) who is doing this shit, sending fucking legit death threats to people, trying to ruin lives out of insanity, and nothing is being done.

That's a bit unfair. The issue isn't nearly large enough at the moment to be picked up by major media concerns. I doubt it'd get reported mainstream unless Turner Broadcasting decides to step on her.

Also, I didn't cover the really crazy stuff because I was trying to do a short version. Easier to try to present the basic facts without muddying the waters with all that mess
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GamerSanta posted...

It needs to have been stated in the contract and licensing/composition terms if her compositions could be synched with future installments. If there were no terms regarding future works, she can sue. If she was contracted and/or sold the ownership over to Imagos, then she needs to stop harassing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryWjMNVb3sI

This is the attorney Imagos hired to handle the issue. Leonard French is probably one of the classiest guys I've ever seen.
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fire_bolt posted...

GamerSanta posted...

It needs to have been stated in the contract and licensing/composition terms if her compositions could be synched with future installments. If there were no terms regarding future works, she can sue. If she was contracted and/or sold the ownership over to Imagos, then she needs to stop harassing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryWjMNVb3sI

This is the attorney Imagos hired to handle the issue. Leonard French is probably one of the classiest guys I've ever seen.

Good post. I spent 5 mins more looking into it and Alex is making death threats. So when are going to be put on a watchlist for this?
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So, a few days ago, Alex Mauer apparently got the help for her mental issues she needed, much to the relief of everyone. Alas, that was only a brief respite, as she's now made a comeback and resumed waging her crazy campaign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnLZVmMLM3M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUEECgeBMg0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roBL7LvmfwA
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OP doesn't even mention how she started sending out ton of death threats, and had to be put into psychiatric care.

Bitch's totally bananas.
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