DAMNATUS-ban
Contents
What is DAMNATUS
DAMNATUS (DAMNATUS) was a non-commercial low-budget movie made in Germany BY Fans FOR Fans, that takes part in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Complete information can be found at www.damnatus.com
The most enduring problem with DAMNATUS' release was a conflict of copyright laws in England and Germany. German copyright law confers the intellectual rights of created works to the people that created them, and thus Games Workshop would lose the rights to the intellectual property of Warhammer 40,000, on which DAMNATUS is based. Games Workshop has thus far refused to allow it to be shown, and has not changed this position despite online petitions and requests from the filmmakers. As a result, DAMNATUS was ended indefinitely on October 15, 2007.
Chronology of the events
- Beginning of 2003:: Begin of the work on DAMNATUS, Games Workshop allows production as long as it stays non-commercial.
...
- Mid-2003:: Main shooting, budget: ca. 10,000 EUR
...
- 01/22/2004: Mentioning of DAMNATUS in German White Dwarf.
...
- Beginning of 2005: GW Legal Team contacts film crew because of the wording of the disclaimers. A discussion starts. During the discussion the German copyright law (Urheberrecht) is pointed out to Games Workshop.
...
- Mid-2005: GW mentions concerns regarding to the German Urheberrecht.
...
- End of 2005 till end of 2006: Dead spot of communication.
...
- November 2006: GW bans release, film crew resumes negotiations.
- End of December 2006: GW announces agreement for solving problems.
...
- February 2007: GW calls in external advisor.
...
- Mid-April 2007: Completion of movie
...
- 07/09/2007: Final release-ban
- 07/10/2007: Games Workshop bans all fan movies in general, open letter to Mr Tom Kirby
- 07/11/2007: Wave of protests overwhelms the worldwide Wh40k-Community. A petition against the ban is set up.
...
- 08/01/2007: Letter from Andy Jones
Clarifications
Collection of articles and reactions on the case
Media
- Slashdot
- the Inquirer
- Tabletop Gaming News
- Wortfeld
- summary of blog posts on the subject
- Medienrauschen
- netzpolitik.org
- Fünf Film Freunde
- werbeblogger
- Spreeblick
- ConnectedMarketing.de
- memento diem
- EXTReeeME.Org
- Bootsektor
- WELT Debatte
- Filmerforum.de.vu
- SpielxPress
- Amateurfilm Magazin
- The Crime in your Coffee
- CND Productions
- The Battlebarge
- alterati
- Wikipedia
- BBC News
- ars technica
- DORP-TV
- gulli
- Feder & Schwert
Message Board Discussions
English
- 40k Online
- Relic Forums
- Warseer 1 and Warseer 2
- Dakka Dakka 1 and Dakka Dakka 2
- The Bolter and Chainsword
- Black Library Forums (closed)
- TauOnline
- Tactical Command
- TheWarp.net
- Librarium Online
- Boot Camp
- The Miniatures Page
- Astronomican Warhammer Community
- Advanced Tau Tactica
- Warpshadow
- The Guards Room
- Frothers Unite!
- TheForce.net
- BoardGameGeek
German
- Wargate 1 and Wargate 2
- GW-Fanworld 1 and GW-Fanworld 2
- 40k Fanworld
- Tabletopwelt
- Tabletop Fanatics Nordhessen
- Ulisses Spiele
- Scifi-Forum
- War-Welten.de (closed)
- Taugalaxy
- Die Festung
- Das Bemalforum
- DawnOfWar.de
- PlanetWarhammer
- RPGGate
- beW.A.R e
Creative forms of protests
- 'Fanfilm' by Bjoer-N
- 'Dolchstoss' by Chaoskultist
- Siege 40k by O'SHOVAH
- Enslaver by Torwaechter
- Damnatus Censureo by Halbaradin
- Stamps of Approval by Zephyr
- Battle Brothers! by Torwaechter
- Damnatus Parody by Halbaradin
- 5000 and counting by Damnatus Crew
- Imperial News by DustOfEternity
Images (for shirts, tags, etc.)
- 'Defend Damnatus' (on black)
- 'Defend Damnatus' (on white)
