earning money from my pred

[wolverinepred]

hi guys
does anyone on here hire themselves out for parties, store openings, special events etc. my suit should be ready mid december and i am looking to make a business out of hiring myself out to such events. i am looking to put other suits together too (vader, boba fett, stormtropper etc) anyone have any hints tips and ideas would be gratefully received

 

[Sand Scout]

I dunno for the pred but anything related to StarWars I'd stay clear as a hire for parties unless you want uncle Geroge (Lucas Films) slap a huge lawsuit on you

 

[ptgreek]

Yeah ...just be careful on how you advertise yourself ...making money on Likenesses owned by Fox or an other conglomerate can lead to trouble.

 

[Mr Fett]

I dunno for the pred but anything related to StarWars I'd stay clear as a hire for parties unless you want uncle Geroge (Lucas Films) slap a huge lawsuit on you

True. That's exactly why the 501st Legion does charity work and heavily frowns on Star Wars costumers who try and make some cash off of Lucasfilm trademark likenesses. We buy super expensive costumes because WE like making them, not because we hope to make money off of wearing them. Not only spending the money on the actual costume itself, most of the time we also pay our own way into conventions and such to show them off. So costuming in general is a really a money pit, yet a very enjoyable hobby!!! The only way to get money back really is work for some professional licensed group (like the Marvel Comics Character Appearance Program) or if you won some costume contests at nightclubs or bars around Halloween, but then again taking our really expesive costumes into drunken bar crowds has many, many downfalls as well....

PS- I've never won a Halloween costume contest with my Predator, but I have won a few in my Boba Fett. Still haven't made enough to pay off what I orignally put into that costume, though.

PPS- Like the others have said, if you can figure a way at promoting yourself without catching the FOX people's attention at renting yourself out, more power to ya. Just beware of using the trademarked "Predator" if you do.

 

[wolverinepred]

Yeah ...just be careful on how you advertise yourself ...making money on Likenesses owned by Fox or an other conglomerate can lead to trouble.

i shouldnt think that would be a problem would it? fancy dress stores hire out costumes that are fox related so surely they would be hit with lawsuits wouldnt they?
also george lucas is quite relaxed on his approach to things like this as he sees it as free advertising for his franchises.

 

[Mr Fett]

But don't forget I've known people who have made Batman, Colonial Marine, Predator costume stuff that have gotten C&D orders through the movie companies from their Ebay sales before. It kind of relates to this.

 

[Kithunter]

maybe this is just my train of thought but i don't think it's a good idea period...

the intent of building a suit isn't for profit......i know for a fact that fox would have shut the lair down years ago if that was the goal.

if you want to make money win a costume contest

 

[Usurper]

Bad idea , for ALL the above reasons.

H
O
B
B
Y


not


J
O
B

 

[ancientpredator]

OK. Just a question.
I have a all white darth vader outfit. What means it is linked to SW, but it's not really SW.
I was planning to make a funny movie where I be on a skippyball bouncing over the beach in the Netherlands.
Also the same movie recorded in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

I wanted to make a link to a blogsite in which I ask friendly if they want to see me bouncing around on a skippy ball in front of some well known places on this globe. And they can send in a donation?

Is that smart or is that not smart?

 

[hez1]

OK. Just a question.
I have a all white darth vader outfit. What means it is linked to SW, but it's not really SW.
I was planning to make a funny movie where I be on a skippyball bouncing over the beach in the Netherlands.
Also the same movie recorded in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

I wanted to make a link to a blogsite in which I ask friendly if they want to see me bouncing around on a skippy ball in front of some well known places on this globe. And they can send in a donation?

Is that smart or is that not smart?

I don't think you'd get any takers...sure, it might be funny, but who is actually going to pay money to see a white Darth Vader bounce around on a ball? I'm a massive Star Wars fan, and I wouldn't pay anything to see it. If someone wants to put it up there for free then I'll watch, but I simply don't need to see it that badly, and I don't think anyone else will either.

And that's exactly the issue that anyone else is going to run into with the idea of making money off of a costume. With the amount of people willing to do things purely for the fun of it (501st, for example), getting someone to cough up money for it may be tricky. That's aside from the fact that places like this are allowed to exist because the studios know that no one is making a living from it, and for the most part we are simply providing them with free (and good) publicity whenever we turn up in a suit somewhere. I wonder how many people went over to the Sideshow booth at SDCC and picked something up after seeing the Preds from the lair?

 

[strugglingrunt]

maybe this is just my train of thought but i don't think it's a good idea period...

the intent of building a suit isn't for profit......i know for a fact that fox would have shut the lair down years ago if that was the goal.

if you want to make money win a costume contest

i totally agree with kithunter and usurper,the vast majority of members on here do this purely for a hobby and just for fun,i have coughed up alot of money so far on my costume but i really didn't do it to make money.

 

[thebigbadwolf]

yeh i was thinking of using my bat suit for kids partys , i may have to rethink it now, in my oppnion id say private partys or private events may be ok
somtimes... really depends on who theres and how public it is, i mean i love my suits and it is a HOBBY ! i got them to wear and be proud of,
if you want to do party's and etc with costumes it upto u buddy but u know what can happen now,

enjoy your costumes buddy, thats what there for ,

 

[Akisha]

Getting yourself settled into one thing could get yourself in trouble if you wanted to get money. Though what you could do is actually be a commissioner. People want a certain costume, You set the price, they agree, you make the costume. Its a fun thing to get into. You may not become a millionaire off of it, but its a cool thing to do on the side. But it is pay as you go kinda deal

 

[strigoi]

You can't just be worried about the legal ramifications from the companies that own the characters but also take into account of the local laws in your area. Reading this topic reminded me of a situation that happened with a guy that dressed up as Batman and went out on a part of town called Ybor. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/10/15/392375.html

 

[wolverinepred]

ok guys
point taken about it being a hobby. i agree totally with that philosophy but as all you guys say it is not a cheap hobby! so if there is a chance to make some money back then i dont see why we shouldnt baulk at the idea. i am also going to be a commisioner and start designing and selling my own costumes. the first project will be a full alien costume.
i am only going to do local appearances for friends kids birthdays so i wont be making a lot out of it. i am also going to be doing charity work too.
but thanks for all the comments guys it has helped. big up to the lair!!!!

 

[tk1055]

ok guys
point taken about it being a hobby. i agree totally with that philosophy but as all you guys say it is not a cheap hobby! so if there is a chance to make some money back then i dont see why we shouldnt baulk at the idea. i am also going to be a commisioner and start designing and selling my own costumes. the first project will be a full alien costume.
i am only going to do local appearances for friends kids birthdays so i wont be making a lot out of it. i am also going to be doing charity work too.
but thanks for all the comments guys it has helped. big up to the lair!!!!

Unfortunately the second you start taking payment for appearances you are no longer covered under Fair Use laws. You open yourself up to quite a bit of trouble legally speaking. Even with local appearances it can and will cause trouble.

 

[strugglingrunt]

ok guys
point taken about it being a hobby. i agree totally with that philosophy but as all you guys say it is not a cheap hobby! so if there is a chance to make some money back then i dont see why we shouldnt baulk at the idea. i am also going to be a commisioner and start designing and selling my own costumes. the first project will be a full alien costume.
i am only going to do local appearances for friends kids birthdays so i wont be making a lot out of it. i am also going to be doing charity work too.
but thanks for all the comments guys it has helped. big up to the lair!!!!

i think most people only tried to warn you off the idea or just to be careful as it could land you in a lot of hot water,if there's one thing i've learnt from the lair we try to watch out for each other

 

[ancientpredator]

He lads realy .... thanks for the advice.
No problem for me. I just want to give people a smile that's all. I know I would look kinda odd. And many people especially the SW fans will raise their eyebrows, and think what is he doing?

For sure I would never never do that in a original darth vader outfit, or a TK or TX or what kind of SW costume as well. SW is to cool and awesome for that.

I'm a big SW fan 2.
I will think about the idea and make maybe a different kind one, another style. Maybe a much much darker style than SW. I want to show all other fans who have no costumes that there are also creative builders who dare to think outside SW.