Thievery!

[Toad]

As another person who has suffered from this I can truely sympathise

There is now a Facebook group concerning this issue where you can name and shame !!!!!!

We Hate DVD Cover Theives !!!!!

As I see that some of Ric Eastons Star Trek covers are on this site even though he expresses a wish for his covers not to be posted elsewhere

We Hate DVD Cover Thieves !!!!!

[Kernie]

Like many other posters above have mentioned, I am also in the camp that is glad to have their work be seen, used, and liked by other people, so I don't get too upset about uploading to other sites. Would it be nice if the poster had the decent to ask first? Absolutely. But what really bugs me is pretending that a stolen cover was made by the uploader. That's just crass... but maybe I just prefer honest thieves who at least admit that they didn't make it.

I totally forgot about Fubs' plan to watermark (or whatever) the covers so that thieves can be easily identified, if that proves to be a more effective solution then forget my suggestion about designers choosing different levels of accessibility. However, for the few that prefer to keep their albums private (which is not my mentality, but I respect their decisions), I think they should be given a few more options besides "MD's Only" and "Everybody." Just adding some in-between options, like "Cover Designers and up" or "Contributors and up," would still give these designers that sense of security while not limiting their audience to the mere handful of members who have risen to Master Designer status. Just my long-winded two cents...

Oh, and have I properly thanked Fubs and the other site-makers for the new site design? It was strange at first, but damn if I don't love some of the new features!! So great work, guys (and gals, if any)... I definitely want this site to remain alive and strong for many many years to come!!

[LittleCoolDude]

I've been a member of the site for a few years now and haven't really become active till the last little while. I've just started to make covers over the last 6 months or so, i haven't felt the burn of having a cover stolen. I did however pay for access to the site ahead of time and am still a subscriber. While i understand people wanting to have private folders, it sucks being a paying member and find out there is kind of a VIP section. But yeah I get why the designers do what they do, if my stuff was getting ripped off I would be ticked off too. Just trying to give a perspective from the other side.

[Bunny Dojo]

In the complaints of my other post, I forgot to actually make a point...

If I make a cover and only share it with 5 friends, I gain the enjoyment of designing, of looking at it, and of sharing it with those 5 friends.

If I make a cover and make it public, I still gain the enjoyment of designing, of looking at it, and of sharing it with those 5 friends.

I lose nothing by sharing.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the irony of me being the one to say this, I've probably been the most vocal designer over the years on this stuff. And I'm one of the most fastidious designers out there: protecting the 'sanctity' of something that took me 5-10 hours to build has been, at various points, incredibly important to me.

But really, sharing is good.

I've helped set up sites whose entire point was to keep designs private; seeing your work without your name on it sucks, it's true. But I'm willing to trade that frustration for the few times I've heard from good people I would've never known without sharing... I've heard from a couple of people who have tried making custom covers because they liked one of my designs. I've even landed three cover design gigs because of people seeing my customs. Plus, who doesn't love a "cheers, m8" from someone you don't know now and then?

There are too many people these days just doing covers because they downloaded a movie illegally. They spend 20 minutes on a cover and have no ties to them. Covers become commodities, not art, and people neither value the time spent designing them nor can they tell the difference between "good" covers and "bad." But, if the latest and greatest cover from Arkflip can really affect even 1 new user, maybe it's worth letting 799 others trample on it. Otherwise, all they see and all they know are those 20 minute covers. What would have happened if Picasso, Renoir, and Monet kept their paintings private? We'd be putting pictures of stick figures on our walls and thinking, "Well, this will fill the space."

It's very over-dramatic, I know, but why not?

Let your covers feel the cool, refreshing breeze, Arkflip! Let them dangle free, for the world to enjoy!
(And yes, that statement was written like that deliberately. )

[chefjoe]

You hit the nail on the head Kakashi. Why should good and honest members suffer the consequences of a few "sneaky thieves". Making, personal folders with limited access is not the way to go about things. In fact I think that kind of behaviour could jepordize Hires as a cover-site and bring the sites ethics into disrepute. Why, should members pay to join a site only to find out later they still do not have full access?, the whole ideal regarding the original intention of cover design/artists will be lost.
The only reason that stealing is so prolific now is simply because there are many more cover sites than there ever was in the past. Stealing is here to stay and no matter what effort you guys want to put into protecting your work someone else is applying the same effort to steal it.
Personally, I don't mind where my covers are uploaded all I ask for is a little credit. The one thing I am totally against is other people claiming that they produced them.
Cover sites must take some responsibility in protecting the artists work. But, if you have unscrupulous adminstration [like some sites] then it clearly sends out a message to everyone "Hey, stealing is a good thing to do".

Here is a typical "stealers" answer to an accusation I made.

QUOTE

About the ironman cover if you check i always give the artists name if i know them and i dont steal covers if my mate gives me good covers which these are then i share them so get your facs right before spouting off. at least i share un like some.[/quote]

So, thats the kinda people your dealing with. They actually think they are serving the community's best interests.

Sorry, Tim I was posting to the last writer. But, you got your post in before me.
Your thoughts are kinda similar to mine. As long as there is one very happy and respectful downloader then let the others "rot-in-hell".....so, to speak!...lol :arms:

Last edited by kylumi on Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JollyRoger]

QUOTE (kylumi @ Jan 8 2010, 09:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thats the kinda people your dealing with. They actually think they are serving the community's best interests. [...]
.....so, to speak!...lol :arms:

Precisely Ky!

Anyhow - I've decided to open my private folder for showcased items - by pm request.

[chefjoe]

with private folders comes the risk of site finanical issues, members are paying for access, not private folders. just something else to throw around the discussion.

[bazzah]

With regard to Private Folders, I will never force any of the Master Designers to make them public. I will of course encourage ALL to "Let your covers feel the cool, refreshing breeze, Arkflip! Let them dangle free, for the world to enjoy! - BunnyDojo"
I do hope though, that when we eventually sort this feature that marks the cover uniquely, so you know it has come from HiRes, you will then all be encouraged to dangle free.
Also, if you do have a cover in a private gallery, from now on it will not be eligible for any competitions

[Irrob]

QUOTE (JollyRoger @ Jan 8 2010, 09:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Anyhow - I've decided to open my private folder for showcased items - by pm request.

this is an excellent alternative.

[RookerDesigns]

I have found ton of my covers on other site.. I used to try to get my name on them instead of having them removed.. Now on 9covers, they will always give me my credit.. But some other sites just don't care... Now I have grown to expect my covers to be stolen at some point.. What sucks to me is when I make a cover like 2 years ago, and remake it and the remake is way better.. I then find my old a$$ one posted as a new cover.. I'm like, should I claim that?, or just let it hang there?.. hehe..

But anyway, I feel theres nothing I can do.. I have put Hires logos on covers and let the admin know on other sites and they still keep the cover there.. SO now I just let it happen.. I go to 9covers from time to time to see if I can find one of mine so I can tell them to throw my name on it.. But thats about it...