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Starr Mazer composer issues YouTube copyright takedowns on videos with her music

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Video by TotalBiscuit and SidAlpha.

Allegedly: From what I gather, a music composer (Alex Mauer) was contracted to make music for a game called Starr Mazer DSP, but said contract stated she would not own the music she created for the game. As a result, she manually went to as many YouTube videos as possible to issue a copyright takedown on them with the inclusion of "refusing to remove the strikes" with no basis. SidAlpha covered this in his video with TotalBiscuit picking it up.

I might have some info mixed up, if I do I'll happily edit to correct it.
 

Ceallach

Smells like fresh rosebuds
Eh, while I get it. She signed the contract. I still can't be mad at her for having some passion about how the music she wrote is being used.
 

Sir TapTap

Member
I posted a video about this on Youtube. It's already more than enough breath than I care to waste on Alex Mauer.

Eh, while I get it. She signed the contract. I still can't be mad at her for having some passion about how the music she wrote is being used.

You can't be mad at her disabling dozens of unrelated youtubers accounts for playing a video game she has no rights to?

You can't be mad at her illegally selling the music she doesn't own for $1000 on bandcamp?

Can you be mad at her threatening to go after Adult Swim Games next?

This is not a good time for Both Sides Are Bad.
 

Ceallach

Smells like fresh rosebuds
I posted a video about this on Youtube. It's already more than enough breath than I care to waste on Alex Mauer.



You can't be mad at her disabling dozens of unrelated youtubers for playing a video game she has no rights to?

You can't be mad at her illegally selling the music she doesn't own for $1000 on bandcamp?

Can you be mad at her threatening to go after Adult Swim Games next?

This is not a good time for Both Sides Are Bad.
Nah, I have a little unreasonable compassion for artists.
 

Bergerac

Member
So rather than allowing the spreading of awareness of her music for the sake of encouraging making a living elsewhere through subsequent projects, she's going to censor all videos containing the music she can't sell herself anyway, so that no one can hear it.

Genial.
 

Wereroku

Member
This is why you read your contracts. Shes a dumbass.

It doesn't really seem to be about the music itself. Apparently she doesn't believe she was compensated for her work. Also according to the kickstarter she was offered the rights to the music back as long as she would stop disparaging them. Also apparently they are just straight removing her music from the game.
 

Tecnniqe

Banned
Have this Alex done any other games?

I'll avoid everything this person touch like the plague.

Blackmail and extortion and playing the victim while abusing a system on people who did nothing is insane.
 

Com_Raven

Member
if all of that is true as outlined in the videos, that seems like a sure fire way to ruin your reputation in one quick swoop.

Can't imagine many studios wanting to work with that person again after this episode...
 

Shredderi

Member
if all of that is true as outlined in the videos, that seems like a sure fire way to ruin your reputation in one quick swoop.

Can't imagine many studios wanting to work with that person again after this episode...

This. Getting work as a video game composer is already fucking hard and a thing like this is a good way of turning that "fucking hard" to "fucking impossible" very fast.
 

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
You can't be mad at her disabling dozens of unrelated youtubers accounts for playing a video game she has no rights to?

You can't be mad at her illegally selling the music she doesn't own for $1000 on bandcamp?

While I can't speak for the rest of her actions, I have seen other bandcamp artists putting up digital editions of albums for astronomical prices as a means to bypass certain limitations with bandcamp's streaming/release model. This is usually related to physical-only releases that have a full preview online, though. Nobody ever pays for the $1,000 releases, and no artist actually expects anyone to do so either.

The issue of legal ownership of the rights to upload those tracks to begin with though? Assuming she did not retain control after submitting, then she would need to get the proper permissions in order to have the tracks available like this to build her public portfolio. I'm going to guess she doesn't have that, judging by some of her other actions.
 

Sir TapTap

Member
She now appears to be threatening Turner Broadcasting over Duck Game (which best I can tell she had nothing to do with). Turner Broadcasting owns Adult Swim/Adult Swim games.

She just sent me thatPDF, no idea if she ACTUALLY filed it and sent to Turner or is just being a creepy psychopath. I really, really regret letting this freak know my email address.

While I can't speak for the rest of her actions, I have seen other bandcamp artists putting up digital editions of albums for astronomical prices as a means to bypass certain limitations with bandcamp's streaming/release model. This is usually related to physical-only releases that have a full preview online, though. Nobody ever pays for the $1,000 releases, and no artist actually expects anyone to do so either.

The issue of legal ownership of the rights to upload those tracks to begin with though? Assuming she did not retain control after submitting, then she would need to get the proper permissions in order to have the tracks available like this to build her public portfolio. I'm going to guess she doesn't have that, judging by some of her other actions.

She doesn't have the rights to do that and Starr Mazer's lawyer is contacting bandcamp from what I'm told.
 

Wereroku

Member
While I can't speak for the rest of her actions, I have seen other bandcamp artists putting up digital editions of albums for astronomical prices as a means to bypass certain limitations with bandcamp's streaming/release model. This is usually related to physical-only releases that have a full preview online, though. Nobody ever pays for the $1,000 releases, and no artist actually expects anyone to do so either.

The issue of legal ownership of the rights to upload those tracks to begin with though? Assuming she did not retain control after submitting, then she would need to get the proper permissions in order to have the tracks available like this to build her public portfolio. I'm going to guess she doesn't have that, judging by some of her other actions.

There is something weird going on here besides what the contract sets out. Go and read the Kickstarter comment that TapTap linked. They are very generous in their offers to work with her for a company that has an open and shut contract that he showed. I mean hell they offered her residuals on the game as a form of compensation. She is definitely going overboard but there is something else going on.

If she had a case, she's literally torpedoing it as much as possible

Yeah it's really weird.
 

Tecnniqe

Banned
There is something weird going on here besides what the contract sets out. Go and read the Kickstarter comment that TapTap linked. They are very generous in their offers to work with her for a company that has an open and shut contract that he showed. I mean hell they offered her residuals on the game as a form of compensation. She is definitely going overboard but there is something else going on.
If she had a case, she's literally torpedoing it as much as possible
 
This other wrinkle must be something new then, as this all played out months ago over on the ChipMusic forum...

Can't seem to find the thread at a glance, thought it must've all finished out back then.
 

Wereroku

Member
She now appears to be threatening Turner Broadcasting over Duck Game (which best I can tell she had nothing to do with). Turner Broadcasting owns Adult Swim/Adult Swim games.

She just sent me thatPDF, no idea if she ACTUALLY filed it and sent to Turner or is just being a creepy psychopath. I really, really regret letting this freak know my email address.

She doesn't have the rights to do that and Starr Mazer's lawyer is contacting bandcamp from what I'm told.

Ok this is weird I checked your link to the archive of her site and she calls herself a cofounder of Imagos Softworks. So if she is part owner of the company it is well within her rights to copyright claim these videos. Also it makes that contract seem a little like nonsense. Anyway you could get a statement from them on that? Looking at her prior work she did a lot with Imagos Film their parent company so this is not a new relationship at least.
 

Sir TapTap

Member
Ok this is weird I checked your link to the archive of her site and she calls herself a cofounder of Imagos Softworks. So if she is part owner of the company it is well within her rights to copyright claim these videos. Also it makes that contract seem a little like nonsense. Anyway you could get a statement from them on that? Looking at her prior work she did a lot with Imagos Film their parent company so this is not a new relationship at least.

FFS people, seriously stop trying to find some magic way Alex is not in the wrong here. People can call themselves whatever they want on their own site, it doesn't make it true.

I have a signed copy of her damn contract, scanned with her written signature visible. She is listed as Music Producer and is agreeing to a WORK FOR HIRE position with all ownership retaining to the parent company. She. Has. No. Legal. Rights. to this work.

The contract is no secret, everyone hit with the DMCA has been provided with a copy of it by the actual owner of the content.
 

Chaser324

Banned
There is something weird going on here besides what the contract sets out. Go and read the Kickstarter comment that TapTap linked. They are very generous in their offers to work with her for a company that has an open and shut contract that he showed. I mean hell they offered her residuals on the game as a form of compensation. She is definitely going overboard but there is something else going on.

I think they just really would have preferred an amicable solution that allows them to move on. There's nothing inherently weird about that. Yes, the terms they offered were unnecessarily generous, but there's a lot of value in being able to just move on from this as quickly as possible with as little money spent on legal fees as possible.

Unfortunately, it seems that Alex had no interest in a swift amicable solution to this and now she's taken to firing off legal claims at any and everyone that has ever been anywhere near music she's composed.
 

Wereroku

Member
FFS people, seriously stop trying to find some magic way Alex is not in the wrong here. People can call themselves whatever they want on their own site, it doesn't make it true.

I have a signed copy of her damn contract, scanned with her written signature visible. She is listed as Music Producer and is agreeing to a WORK FOR HIRE position with all ownership retaining to the parent company. She. Has. No. Legal. Rights. to this work.

The contract is no secret, everyone hit with the DMCA has been provided with a copy of it by the actual owner of the content.

Yes because people claim to be cofounder's of studio's all the time. I ain't excusing her shit just asking if you could get a statement on that. She is pulling some extreme shit but there is clearly something else going on here. I understand you are pissed since she attacked your channel but maybe chill out on attacking me.

Ok dude can you post a copy of the contract here. The one in your video is for contracted film work. The term of the contract is even for the "run of the show" how does that apply here?

Link to exact part of video. The contract in your video even talks about screen credits. I don't think they can use that for any work she did on their video game.

If the contract said that she wouldnt have ownership of the music she provided, and she signed this(as per what the studio said, she did sign it), its an open and shut case. No ifs or buts. Doesnt matter if shes a cofounder of whatever. Shes in the wrong here.

The contract that is in his video is for film work not video game work unless there is another contract.
 
Yes because people claim to be cofounder's of studio's all the time. I ain't excusing her shit just asking if you could get a statement on that. She is pulling some extreme shit but there is clearly something else going on here. I understand you are pissed since she attacked your channel but maybe chill out on attacking me.

Ok dude can you post a copy of the contract here. The one in your video is for contracted film work. The term of the contract is even for the "run of the show" how does that apply here?

If the contract said that she wouldnt have ownership of the music she provided, and she signed this(as per what the studio said, she did sign it), its an open and shut case. No ifs or buts. Doesnt matter if shes a cofounder of whatever. Shes in the wrong here.
 

Alo0oy

Banned
How long before Total Biscuit sends his army of neckbeards to harass her?

I know what she did is wrong, but a guy with history of directing harassment towards women is the last person I'd listen to.
 
This's the answer that the developer gave back on March 12 about this situation:
@Jaoao,
I have had a very difficult time establishing the best approach to publicly discuss what has happened between Alex Mauer and Imagos Softworks. I have been as measured and responsive as I can without responding to this situation in a rash or defensive manner in social media or when confronted directly.
At this point, however, I feel it is important for me to make this statement; offering some balance to a situation that has been thus far one sided.
In short, Imagos and Alex entered into a for-hire contract for Starr Mazer, Starr Mazer: DSP and a number of other projects.
At some point last year, Alex experienced some medical issues that slowed or halted progress on these items. Imagos fulfilled our side of the agreement in that we paid for the work we received, and in some cases paid in good faith for work that was not received.
Alex left the team officially in the middle of last year citing the aforementioned health issues and a desire to refocus her life.
In Alex's time since leaving the team she has made claims to outstanding pay, the amount of which has fluctuated.
Imagos has made several attempts to broker an amicable deal with Alex, including offering shared universal rights to the DSP soundtrack as well as an equity share of the game's revenue. We have done this in good faith and in understanding of Alex's health concerns.
At one point an agreement was proposed, agreed to, but later dissolved by Alex.
Two weeks ago, Alex issued a DMCA Takedown request to Valve, forcing Starr Mazer: DSP's Early Access release to be temporarily suspended for investigation. Imagos filed a counterclaim and Alex was asked to provide proof of a rights chain violation. She did not do so. Proof of copyright and correct chain of rights has been provided and Starr Mazer: DSP was unsuspended.
Imagos was left with no choice but to seek counsel to protect our team and the interests of we who have poured our hearts and souls into this game.
Alex's claim has shifted radically over time, from not being paid for time worked to not being paid for the right project to the supposition that there was a plot to defraud her from the very beginning of the project to a handful of other versions of this narrative.
The most recent version describes a scenario in which our contract did not include or encompass Starr Mazer: DSP, which is at odds with Alex's base claim that she has not been paid the full amount of her contract for Starr Mazer: DSP.
In the end, the facts at hand are:
- Imagos had an ongoing work for hire agreement with Alex, rendering her paid for work the property of Imagos
- Imagos holds an actual copyright on all material related to Starr Mazer: DSP
- Alex was paid ~36.5k for her work with Imagos
- Imagos has no desire, and has taken no action, to commit rights violations against anyone
And most importantly:
- Imagos has made several attempts to reach a favorable resolution with Alex, both informally and finally by registered letter and communication
Alex has also attempted to release an album on Bandcamp containing the Starr Mazer: DSP tracks along with material suggesting that her fans boycott the game. She had threatened to do so to both Imagos and our publisher, Playism, if her monetary demands were not met.
When met with our extensive log of data refuting Alex's allegations, as well as our registered copyright and DMCA claim, Bandcamp removed this album.
In response to this, Alex has posted the soundtrack to her personal website, with the same inflammatory statements she'd threatened to and eventually released on Bandcamp.
Though it is within our rights to issue a request to her ISP for removal of this soundtrack, I do not feel that this is the correct course of action. I do not intend to fight a grand battle with Alex, and have decided, instead, to release our claim to the music's rights in an effort to ablate the issue and restore some semblance of personal emotional equity.
I have offered, by official letter, to release the rights in exchange for Alex's agreement to remove her disparaging claims. She has declined this option.
The tracks made for Starr Mazer: DSP have been removed from the game and replaced with temporary tracks while our new music partner composes an entirely new soundtrack. My offers to Alex for rights to this music still stand.
It is my desire that this situation be resolved amicably, and it is my sincere hope, as it has always been, that Alex can find some peace and security in her life. I can't purport to understand the gravity or scope of her health concerns and have very likely made missteps because of this, but nothing on the order of false copyright claims, negative acts toward Alex or rights violations.
This has been a personal nightmare. I have been pretty much ended, emotionally, by this scenario. I understand that Alex, as well, is suffering. I have made, and am wholly willing to uphold, numerous documented attempts to resolve this in a manner that enriches Alex for her amazing work and maintains the clear chain of rights established in our well documented working experience.
Starr Mazer: DSP is still in very active development and we have targeted a summer release. As stated in my previous comment, official release date announcements have been complicated due to some complex publisher machinations, but will be announced as soon as I can confidently do so with Playism's support.
Starr Mazer proper is, as well, still in very active development. We have partnered with a Arcade High (https://arcadehigh.bandcamp.com) for the core composition for both Starr Mazer and Starr Mazer: DSP.
Don Thacker
Starr Commander
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...zer/comments?cursor=16156359#comment-16156358
The developer has gone silent, the game was removed from Steam.
 

Chaser324

Banned
How long before Total Biscuit sends his army of neckbeards to harass her?

I know what she did is wrong, but a guy with history of directing harassment towards women is the last person I'd listen to.

Unfortunately, I've already see a bit of that on the Steam forums for Starr Mazer DSP. It's totally fine to call her out for what she's doing with these copyright claims, but I have seen some people totally cross the line and start getting into some gross personal attacks.

It's the unfortunate nature of the seediest portions of the gaming community - they'll capitalize on any and every opportunity to relentlessly harass someone that's not a white cisgender hetero male. In this case, some criticism of her actions is deserved, but nothing justifies going after her with insults regarding her personal life.
 
Unfortunately, I've already see a bit of that on the Steam forums for Starr Mazer DSP. It's totally fine to call her out for what she's doing with these copyright claims, but I have seen some people totally cross the line and start getting into some gross personal attacks.

It's the unfortunate nature of the seediest portions of the gaming community - they'll capitalize on any and every opportunity to relentlessly harass someone that's not a white cisgender hetero male.

They also love to harass white cisgender hetro males.
 
How long before Total Biscuit sends his army of neckbeards to harass her?

I know what she did is wrong, but a guy with history of directing harassment towards women is the last person I'd listen to.
According to Reddit Mauer deleted all of her online presence. according to them, the last activity on her website was this one:
Overdrive is an album that was taken down from Bandcamp because of a false copyright claim by Imagos Softworks. The music was originally going to be for a video game called "Starr Mazer: DSP". The developer, Imagos Softworks, has made the following offenses:
-never gave me a contract for the project
-never signed a license agreement
-still owes me expected pay for my work
-made a false copyright claim on Bandcamp
-made a false copyright counter-claim on Steam
-using the music in "Starr Mazer: DSP" currently, without permission
All of these actions should be interpreted as an attempt to steal the copyright from its rightful owner. If you have purchased a copy of "Starr Mazer: DSP", you should take a stand against copyright violation by demanding a refund.
 

Wereroku

Member
According to Reddit Mauer deleted all of her online presence. according to them, the last activity on her website was this one:

Yep and the contract Taptap has in his video is for film work for hire. If that is the contract they refer to in their kickstarter response they think that applies to all work she does for them.

You sign it, you eat it.

I haven't seen the contract, but an attempt to exert control over the work could amount to a possible breach of contract (especially if taken in the aggregate).

Look at the video link I posted. If that is the contract they are trying to use then I think they don't have a claim to the music.
 
You sign it, you eat it.

I haven't seen the contract, but an attempt to exert control over the work could amount to a possible breach of contract (especially if taken in the aggregate).
 

DylanEno

Member
I still have a copyright claim by some bs company saying they own a song from YouTube's royalty free audio library and now I can't monetize the video

The system is beyond fucked and YouTube could give two shits. 🙃
 

Wereroku

Member
Jeez, they really let her terrorize them into releasing the right.

I'd be all like.... "Si vis pachem, para bellum" on her ass.

Alternatively she is in the right and they don't have ownership of the tracks. Why do female creatives seem to get a lot less benefit of the doubt then others.

What part of copyright takedown sprees is "in the right?"

She has the rights to the content she owns. I haven't seen anything that proves the music doesn't belong to her. The company used it without compensation so she is within her rights to remove instances of the music being used. It sucks and she shouldn't have taken the tactic but that is the difference between a proper and improper use of a takedown claim which this thread is about.
 

Chaser324

Banned
Alternatively she is in the right and they don't have ownership of the tracks. Why do female creatives seem to get a lot less benefit of the doubt then others.

If she has a legitimate legal claim, she should take it through the proper legal channels rather than punishing innocent Youtubers. There's no way to realistically defend the DMCA takedown notices she's issued against random people that absolutely did nothing wrong.
 

DylanEno

Member
Alternatively she is in the right and they don't have ownership of the tracks. Why do female creatives seem to get a lot less benefit of the doubt then others.
You're seriously going to try and make this about that lmao

Wow. She fucked over innocent people in an unethical way of trying to get what she wanted. Man or woman, that's fucked and is not the right way of going about it. What you're saying may absolutely be true, but that doesn't make what she did OK in any capacity.
 

Wereroku

Member
You're seriously going to try and make this about that lmao

Wow. She fucked over innocent people in an unethical way of trying to get what she wanted. Man or woman, that's fucked and is not the right way of going about it. What you're saying may absolutely be true, but that doesn't make what she did OK in any capacity.

Ok look at the title of the thread. If she owns the copyright then she isn't falsifying anything. I am not saying she should be doing this I am saying she's not doing anything illegally.

Based on what?

Taptap's proof of the studio owning the tracks is literally a signed film contract. That wouldn't apply to any work she did on video games for them.

If she has a legitimate legal claim, she should take it through the proper legal channels rather than punishing innocent Youtubers. There's no way to realistically defend the DMCA takedown notices she's issued against random people that absolutely did nothing wrong.

A DMCA takedown is a legal claim. If she doesn't want her tracks on youtube that is what she would be required to do legally.

What part of copyright takedown sprees is "in the right?"

The part where she isn't falsifying the claims. I didn't say it was a smart thing to do I am saying that maybe she isn't lying about owning the tracks.
 

jett

D-Member
This sounds like an insane person to be honest. I guess she should "enjoy" whatever she's getting out of this situation (which I doubt is anything of worth), since she has turned herself unhireable. Ruined her own reputation. Why would you even do that?
 
Alternatively she is in the right and they don't have ownership of the tracks. Why do female creatives seem to get a lot less benefit of the doubt then others.

Alternatively, the female creative could have restrained herself from deploying the goddamn copyright strikes, the YouTube equivalent of throwing an anti-tank mine at someone, against parties not related directly to the supposed contract breach, and not face the associated doubt when it comes to good intentions.
 
Every time I see Totalbiscuits name involved with something criticising a woman on the internet, I wonder if it's legitimate or if it's a Gamergate thing
 

Wereroku

Member
Alternatively, the female creative could have restrained herself from deploying the goddamn copyright strikes, the YouTube equivalent of throwing an anti-tank mine at someone, against parties not related directly to the supposed contract breach, and not face the associated doubt when it comes to good intentions.

What is her other alternatives if she doesn't want her music on youtube? I mean yeah she should have just left them alone but does youtube have another system in place if you just want them removed without hurting the youtuber?

This sounds like an insane person to be honest. I guess she should "enjoy" whatever she's getting out of this situation (which I doubt is anything of worth), since she has turned herself unhireable. Ruined her own reputation. Why would you even do that?

Going by the kickstarter post this is after a prolonged period of fighting with the dev. She probably just wants to remove her work from theirs and is being extreme about it.
 
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