Selling Replica Props-Licensing

BornKilr

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
I am new here and am considering making a replica prop from a movie and wanted to sell several copies of it. It won't be a huge run and I haven't found anyone (licensed or otherwise) selling this item. What little info I've found online said what I already knew, that anything appearing in a movie falls under copyright to the studio, prop builder or production company, etc. So I was wondering, first, how would one go about obtaining licensing for a non-mass produced item, and second, roughly how expensive is it for a mainstream movie? Last, what kind of problems would I run into if I produced and sold a prop, using no logos or brand names and indicated specifically that it was a non affiliated hand made collector replica? Thanks for any info.:confused
 
Licensing from any major studio will be very costly in most cases, a will require a lot of paperwork, time and luck...

Most in this hobby just walk the gray line and abide by the Studio's wishes if they issue a C&D to stop...

In other works if you are talking about a small run, do it and stay low profile and you should be fine, if you get a C&D close shop and don't look back at that item...

Some Studios are very aggressive and will shut you down immediately while others will totally ignore you, it's a game of Russian Roulette and unpredictable... But there are studios that are know for being very aggressive like Disney...
 
I'm at work right now, but when I get home, I will look into my crystal ball. :lol

Licensing is usually cost-prohibitive. I would say most places are lenient if you do a small run of something but you never know.
 
Yeh, I knew Disney was bad. When I used to airbrush tshirts, I would see ads in art mags that would offer rewards for anyone turning in people selling unlicensed Disney gear.
I kinda figured most people just flew under the radar on replicas, since I figured a license fee would make it economically impossible to do on a small scale. So thanks for the info.
As for what props I'm thinking about, not real sure. Got a few ideas. Just doing the legwork right now, so anything I might do is a long way off at this point. Plus, I don't even have enough 'posts' to sell in the Junkyard yet. Probably get started after I finish my current DragonCon and Halloween projects.
Thanks for the help.
 
I say do it. Sell them on the down-low. If you get caught you will have a nice C&D letter from an attorney to hang on your wall.
 
I say do it. Sell them on the down-low. If you get caught you will have a nice C&D letter from an attorney to hang on your wall.

yeah your not a real prop guy unless you have one of those for your wall. I still have my Dr. Seuss one somewhere..lol
 
That would be kind of a badge of honor, I guess. A friend wallpapered one wall of his bathroom in job rejection letters after college, so maybe if I got enough of them, I could cover my workshop desktop.
 
That would be kind of a badge of honor, I guess. A friend wallpapered one wall of his bathroom in job rejection letters after college, so maybe if I got enough of them, I could cover my workshop desktop.

There was someone here that received on from MARVEL. It was on MARVEL letterhead that had all the comic characters on it, a really nice looking piece of paper. THAT is the kind of C&D you HOPE to get. :)

This should be part of the RPF code of conduct!:lol

Yeah, somehow I doubt the RPF staff would like that! LOL! :lol
 
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