Hey guys, how are you all doing today?
So... thank you so much for the support that you've given me in the last 24 hours
It is absolutely overwhelming and we're on the front page of Reddit, which is pretty cool
now the company warner/chappell which is under Disney has
Responded to my network and my network is kind of like an agent if you're an actor. It's something like that
I'm gonna get to what they said briefly, but I first want to say that I don't want this to be
You know a toxicity video. I don't want to spread toxicity in the environment or in the fandom or anything like that
That's not the point here. That's the last thing I want to do
So let's move forward to give you guys a little bit of a rundown
I did speak to Lucasfilm a while back for those who don't know and I went through
Different avenues of things I could do a lot of what you don't know about
One of them was I said, let me crowd fund
Let me not put my money into this project
But you guys can monetize the video and you can make all the money you want from it and do whatever you want from it
They said no we can't be involved with anything. That isn't Lucasfilm or actual Star Wars
So no fan films, but we appreciate it and you guys can go do what you want
as long as you abide by our rules now warner/chappell has come to my network and they basically said if you appeal this decision
It's ours. We're gonna take the money from it
Then we're gonna stripe your channel, which is YouTube's guidelines and we're gonna delete the video anyways
So I don't want that to happen, you know
This was never about the money if they want to take the money if they feel entitled to it
No problem. You know it is George Lucas's IP, and I know George is not in charge anymore
I know he sold it to Disney and if he were in charge
I think he would have been very okay with fan films and stuff like that considering that this was never making money
Anyways, and I have massive respect for George Lucas. I thank him for making this beautiful story
So what warner/chappell has done and here's a brief rundown of who they are
back in 2013
Disney Music Group renegotiated their agreements with Universal Music Group in which distribution and marketing rights were expanded on a worldwide
Basis this allows dmg access to universals large roster of award-winning music producers and songwriters in return
UMG now will have access to Disney's extensive marketing entities
So that means all of Disney's music and well now star wars is owned by Disney. So there you go
so here's what Warner Chappell said to my network essentially they claim even though it's not a direct rip of the
March it still uses the main themes and music from Star Wars
their take is that they own the rights to the composition and publishing for the entire Star Wars catalog that any covers renditions or
Re-recordings fall under the protected copyright. So we're in a very tough decision. I mean Warner Chappell and Disney are massive companies
I'm just a little baby Star Wars channel. It's just me here. I don't have a team owner
I mean, this is just this is my apartment. I work out of my apartment
I this I live and breathe this you know for two-and-a-half years. This has been my bread and butter
So what do we do here?
Basically, my only option is to file an appeal to dispute but that lies hand-in-hand with many consequences
I'm most likely gonna lose that so they feel entitled to it. They're not going to budge
they've made it very clear in the emails to my network and
Basically, they want to collect the money from it. So if I file an appeal they're going to win
They're gonna strike my channel, which means my whole channel could be swiped off of YouTube gone and they're gonna delete the video. So
I don't really want that to happen. They've turned on monetization and they've taken it for themselves
They've not even given it to Lucasfilm who should be entitled to it. So here's what I'm gonna do Warner Chappell
I know you guys are watching this Disney if you're watching this you guys take the money. Go ahead
I don't care do what you want with it. It was never about the money for me
This was something that I made for the fans and it will always stay for the fans. It's not for you
It's not for anybody else
This is to uphold the legacy that George Lucas made and to have fun and to just make something cool. That's all it was
And that's all it'll ever be. This is something made by a fan for the fans
I've been a fan of Star Wars since I was like six years old, you know
It's something I share very dear with my father my family and with my friends and everybody like that
So for me this goes beyond cash you guys feel entitled to it. No problem
Take it you want to threaten my channel leave my channel alone
I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe
My one question is why aren't you going after all the other reaction videos that have made reactions to the movie?
Why are you singling me out? What did I do? So go right ahead take it. It's yours
I just want to have my channel
I just want to have my video and I've poured so much into every
And I feel that it's gotten the reaction that I wanted
I feel like and has touched a lot of the hearts of
Many Star Wars fans out there and this was my way of giving back to you guys
You know, you guys have given me so much. You've given me a career
You've given me everything on YouTube, and this was just another way to say. Thank you, you know without just saying, thanks
Now where does this lie us with Episode two? Well, it's gonna be tough because I don't really want them to do this again
I probably won't be using any Star Wars themes or anything like that for episode two, which kind of sucks
But that's what we're dealing with here and it's gonna be tough, but we're gonna make it happen and we're gonna do it
So, where's the channel gonna go from here? It's not going anywhere baby. We're just getting started. Thank you so much, everyone
I will see you all in the next episode of Star Wars Theory until then remember: the Force will be with you, always.
I will not be denied