MEGAN - A Cloverfield Fan Film

[Deleted member 1258]

This short has been making rounds on horror centric websites like bloodydisgusting

It looks real good, but I have another why I'm posting. Here's a brief history on the Trifolium project:

About two years back or so, briefly after the release of 10 Cloverfield Lane, fans decided to come together for the effort of producing a fan film for Cloverfield. I frequented the subreddit for Cloverfield because I had fun with the ARG element of the film's marketing. I proposed a monster design for the fan film which garnered a lot of positive feedback. Back then I had the handle "Indiendnd"

I was soon asked by the community to be the art director for the film, which I accepted.
They decided that the film's story was going to revolve around this storm monster design, and that it should have an actual monster design behind the clouds.
I designed this:

We called him "Liam" (as a pun on Trifolium.)
The main details were that it was a flying kaiju the size of an island hovering above the land, and that it's shrouded in clouds of gas that it produces itself.

The team was ecstatic about the design, and decided to move forward with writing the stories to fit this design in.

Except, unfortunately, the project never picked up any traction and I quietly left production after learning that one of our "Producers" was a 12 year old.

Cut to today, and "Megan" pops up on Bloody Disgusting. And I see this:

Spoiler

Huh.

So I guess the project actually did pick up. I just went uncredited for the monster design.

Update: Their response

 

[Playco Armboy]

Steal something of theirs, put in on a billboard, and arrange a PR stunt involving saving a billboard worker to get your name out.

 

[Amnixia]

That sucks OP. The design (and actual CGI too) is great.

 

[kai3345]

that's an incredibly shitty situation OP, the monster design looks great. unfortunately this is one of the risks of collaborating on a creative project with randos online

 

[Deleted member 1258]

That sucks OP. The design (and actual CGI too) is great.

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Thanks.

I've tried to get in contact with the makers of the film to resolve this, but they've just ignored me.

 

[Kinggroin]

Hey, OP. I run a horror centric website myself. Want us to spread the news about this? Maybe it'll put pressure on the team.

 

[Siggy-P]

That's pretty shitty. You got any copyright or legal stuff on that art?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Hey, OP. I run a horror centric website myself. Want us to spread the news about this?

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Go ahead, I won't stop you.

They could claim that the design wasn't based off of my concept but this seriously doesn't feel like coincidence.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

That's pretty shitty. You got any copyright or legal stuff on that art?

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Nope! Learn shit the hard way, I guess.

 

[Nappuccino]

Thanks.

I've tried to get in contact with the makers of the film to resolve this, but they've just ignored me.

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Twelve year olds are petty.

edit: seriously though, you should get some concept design credit, at least. It can't be that hard to put you on a credit list.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

Fantastic work OP. Shame you didn't get credited. You should reach out.

 

[Kinggroin]

Go ahead, I won't stop you.

They could claim that the design wasn't based off of my concept but this seriously doesn't feel like coincidence.

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I'll be sure not frame it in a directly accusatory manner, but your story will speak for itself.

 

[CloudWolf]

Amateur filmmakers, but they're already acting like major Hollywood assholes. These people are going to go far.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Fantastic work OP. Shame you didn't get credited. You should reach out.

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I tried, no avail

 

[Amnixia]

That's pretty shitty. You got any copyright or legal stuff on that art?

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Not a lawyer but unless OP signed something the monster should "belong" to OP.

But if they changed enough of the design then it gets muddy.

Pretty shitty action from the team, especially with this being a fan film you'd think they give credit to who it belongs.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Amateur filmmakers, but they're already acting like major Hollywood assholes. These people are going to go far.

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One of the first things I thought when this popped up, lol

 

[rsfour]

I'll watch the clip later, but man, sorry to hear about the design and you not getting credit for it

 

[Volimar]

I'm sorry to hear they used your design without giving credit. But...


I want to see that movie now.

 

[kai3345]

So is this the original film you worked on initially? Or is this an entirely different project with (presumably) just a couple of the same people?

 

[CrocodileGrin]

If I would have found out a twelve year old was one of the many in charge of something like this, I would have left too, OP. You did the right thing. The fact they aren't responding makes them sound like a league of twelve year olds :|

 

[Deleted member 13798]

Well this certainly didn't go as I expected it to, I thought you would just be drawing attention to the fan film but to hear that they essentially stole your work is incredibly disappointing.

 

[Z-Beat]

That sucks OP.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

So is this the original film you worked on initially? Or is this an entirely different project with (presumably) just a couple of the same people?

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That's the thing, I've been so put of the loop I have no idea. But the monster in the film and what I designed are too similar to be coincidence.

 

[Deleted member 4247]

That sucks.

As for the short, impressive production values. That's about it, the rest of it was terrible.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

If I would have found out a twelve year old was one of the many in charge of something like this, I would have left too, OP. You did the right thing. The fact they aren't responding makes them sound like a league of twelve year olds :|

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I had some serious red flag warnings going off at that revelation, but seeing that it actually got made makes me curious as to story of what happened during that production

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I'll be sure not frame it in a directly accusatory manner, but your story will speak for itself.

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Link me the article when you have it posted, please

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Not a lawyer but unless OP signed something the monster should "belong" to OP.

But if they changed enough of the design then it gets muddy.

Pretty shitty action from the team, especially with this being a fan film you'd think they give credit to who it belongs.

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They probably think that because I left the project early that they don't need to credit me.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Been debating this but do you guys think I should post the OP in the Cloverfield subreddit to see what kind of reaction I get?

 

[DJ88]

Been debating this but do you guys think I should post the OP in the Cloverfield subreddit to see what kind of reaction I get?

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Not saying you should or not, but I have seen similar posts like this on reddit in the past gain a lot of traction.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Not saying you should or not, but I have seen similar posts like this on reddit in the past gain a lot of traction.

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I'll try it then

 

[SeanBoocock]

Unless you explicitly assigned your copyright to someone else (or company) for this project, you retain it. How that translates to ownership of material derived from that work is for legal counsel to hash out. If I was in your place I'd expect at least a special thanks credit.

 

[Branu]

Thanks.

I've tried to get in contact with the makers of the film to resolve this, but they've just ignored me.

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Resolve what, exactly? Unless you had a contract or the design was a copyrighted property of yours, there really isn't anything to resolve. Although you left the project for what were probably good reasons at the time, the lack of traction and the principals involved, it no longer became a creative concern of yours once you severed your relationship with the creators. Reflect on it as a lesson learned and appreciate the contribution you made to what will probably never be more than a cool fan made project you can show your friends during the occasional gathering.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Resolve what, exactly? Unless you had a contract or the design was a copyrighted property of yours, there really isn't anything to resolve. Although you left the project for what were probably good reasons at the time, the lack of traction and the principals involved, it no longer became a creative concern of yours once you severed your relationship with the creators. Reflect on it as a lesson learned and appreciate the contribution you made to what will probably never be more than a cool fan made project you can show your friends during the occasional gathering.

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So...for exposure

Except I didn't even get that, I went uncredited.

 

[Kinggroin]

I'll try it then

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PM sent

 

[Branu]

So...for exposure

Except I didn't even get that, I went uncredited.

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Ahh, ok. Yeah, exposure is important. I thought you were looking for some monetary compensation. I don't see why they wouldn't credit you for the design upon request.

 

[Deleted member 28461]

That's a cool design. Did you plan for the tendrils to move? A cloud of grasping appendages is creepy as hell and does a lot for me.

I hope you get the credit you deserve. The monster is really the one thing about the short that intrigues me.

 

[Kinggroin]

Article posted, OP. I don't think I can share it here as Resetera has rules about self advertising, but feel free to spread it around yourself.

My sincerest best wishes to you and your former team. Hope it's all just a misunderstanding.

 

[Mr. Robot]

I know that finding out that one of the producers is 12 years old is not something to get happy about, but why are people dismissing the kid, maybe you guys could have steered him to a good project and maybe get some good publicity out of that.

Anyway, i hope you get some credit for the creature design OP.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

That's a cool design. Did you plan for the tendrils to move? A cloud of grasping appendages is creepy as hell and does a lot for me.

I hope you get the credit you deserve. The monster is really the one thing about the short that intrigues me.

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Yeah, the tendrils were supposed to move individually

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I posted about it on the subreddit, ironically enough the writer and producer on the film is interacting with reddit members right now on the subreddit.

 

[Randomly Generated]

Hope you get some credit, OP. This isn't cool at all.

 

[lacer]

that was... something. that slusho cup, lol

sorry you got your work bitten OP

 

[Azzanadra]

... I have no words OP, I've been plagiarized myself (someone took one of my poems and submitted it to a campus literary journal) and that feeling always sucks, when you know your art is recognized but you, the artist, is not and someone else is taking the credit. Not to mention its doubly hard to prove in cases like this it was your work.

Heck it must feel even worse because it looks like your (awesome) concept actually materialized. I hope you can get some form of justice on this! Definitely go the Reddit route, that's bound to pick up some traction.

Also, a 12 year old, LOL

 

[Deleted member 1258]

... I have no words OP, I've been plagiarized myself (someone took one of my poems and submitted it to a campus literary journal) and that feeling always sucks, when you know your art is recognized but you, the artist, is not and someone else is taking the credit. Not to mention its doubly hard to prove in cases like this it was your work.

Heck it must feel even worse because it looks like your (awesome) concept actually materialized. I hope you can get some form of justice on this! Definitely go the Reddit route, that's bound to pick up some traction.

Also, a 12 year old, LOL

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All I really want is to be credited somewhere, even if in the YouTube description, which shouldn't be hard to fix. But the way it's looking it seems they rather pretend there's no issue at all.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Update: there was a response regarding the issue from the writer and producer

This feels like they're trying to dodge the issue outright

 

[Deleted member 1258]

They're saying it's not the same design despite any reasoning I give. I'm done.

I'll just use this as a reason to never involve myself in fan projects from here on out

 

[Malverde]

OP right now:

Real talk though, that is shitty.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

OP right now:

Real talk though, that is shitty.

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This was a much needed laugh, thanks

 

[Chris McQueen]

Sorry to hear about that mate, great concept though.

 

[John Rabbit]

Nice concept. Be happy that your monster design is the only good part of that short film.