Star Wars: Visions in the Eye of a Copyright Storm
Star Wars: Visions in the Eye of a Copyright Storm
Lorenz Hideyoshi, a Hollywood stunt performer and action designer, has accused the creators of Star Wars: Visions of copying fight choreography from his 2019 fan film. The stunt pro, whose portfolio includes heavy-hitters like John Wick, The Matrix, and Dune, provided what he believes to be damning evidence on Instagram.
Plagiarism Accusations: The Details
Hideyoshi's accusations focus on Season 2, Episode 7 of Star Wars: Visions, titled "The Bandits of Golak". The episode, produced by Indian animation studio 88 Pictures, allegedly features scenes that mirror Hideyoshi's fan-made short film, Dark Jedi. Hideyoshi's Instagram post presents a side-by-side comparison of the two, highlighting striking similarities in movement, pacing, and framing. He even points out that the production team "didn't even change the angles," despite the different weapon setups in the Star Wars episode and his short film.
The Broader Context
This controversy comes amidst Star Wars: Visions' ongoing success. The anthology series has been a critical hit, offering global animation studios the chance to imprint their unique style on the Star Wars universe. The franchise has even announced a standalone series based on the popular "The Ninth Jedi" episode from Season 1. However, this plagiarism accusation casts a potential cloud over Lucasfilm's oversight of its productions.
Themes and Tone
Hideyoshi's frustration is palpable in his post as he criticizes Disney's alleged unethical practice. He argues that the media giant has repurposed work from his non-profit fan project, framing it as a violation of creative integrity. Hideyoshi's call for Disney to "pay your animators more" or "hire an action designer" rather than plagiarize underscores the importance of respecting and compensating creators in the industry.
The Collector Angle
While this issue doesn't directly involve collectibles, it does highlight a crucial aspect of fandom: fan-made content. Many collectors and fans are creators themselves, investing time and effort into their passion projects. This controversy underscores the need for big studios to respect and acknowledge these contributions, rather than appropriating them without credit.
What's Next
As Star Wars: Visions continues to expand its anime footprint, this plagiarism accusation raises important questions about oversight and creative integrity within the franchise. It remains to be seen how Disney and Lucasfilm will respond to these allegations and what impact, if any, this controversy will have on future productions. For now, fans and creators alike will be watching closely.