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Stealing Ideas from Others

Mar 1, 2011

    1. Nothing is ever completely unique, someone has always thought of "your" idea before you do. I say go for it :)
       
    2. One of the first things they taught us in my Fiction courses a Uni was that no one creates in a vacuum. Trying to pretend that every idea we come up with is completely original is a load of crap. But by the same token, just because someone does something and someone else points out that that thing has already been done does not mean that the first person was "inspired by" or copied the original. It's likely that the two are drawing on the same influences or stereotypes or cultural trends, but even in cases where that is not true, we see plenty of instances of multiple people coming up with eerily similar ideas all on their own.
       
    3. The exact thing I wanted to say summed up much better by Kiyakotari! :)
      I think this is it for all, artist or not and I'm glad that the topic opener and the doll owner
      have come together and thought it over and resolved it!
      (btw, I remember your doll Juwell and he's so cute Nyco112514)
       
    4. In the specific instance described by the OP, with the exact same backstory from a doll at a meetup with a chance of seeing the original doll & owner again, I admittedly think that's a little too blatant. At worst, it's confrontational, at best, kind of tasteless.

      Strangers on the internet is one thing, but how are you going to respond if she sees you and calls you on it at the next meet? Be a jerk about it? Maybe she has a personal connection regarding epilepsy. There are plenty of other diseases and medical accessories anyway; just vary it a bit at least.

      Of course, you have a right to do whatever you want and there is nothing technically wrong with what you want to do, but socially during the meet, how do you think your actions will be perceived?
       
    5. @gaiaswill: You have a point - but it doesn't apply to this particular situation. I think this thread has established that there is a line between inspiration and outright copying/theft. Most of the people who posted here seem to agree that the OP hasn't crossed it.

      There was no mention of the two owners having met or attending a meet together, so they are your so-called "Strangers on the Internet." Which, honestly, doesn't effect the existence of the line. It doesn't matter if you know the other person or not.

      The OP didn't say she was copying the entire character, only using two small details. One detail (an illness, being the same species, etc.) does not make a complete character. She also said that she had been interested in that particular sickness before she saw the other doll, so she could have conceivably gone the same route with her doll's character without any prompting. In fact, the owner of the other doll commented - they had already discussed it and she is OK with the situation.
       
    6. I haven't read all the posts in this thread so forgive me if I am reiterating what someone else has said.

      It seems to me that when someone is about to pursue an idea that is rather unusual but which someone else close to them has already solidified they have to be honest with themselves about what they're doing and how they really feel about it.

      (This is a general "you" and not directed at the originator of this thread). Are you uneasy because you actually aren't original and you know that you using someone else's specific idea is lame? Or do you know that it's just coincidence that the ideas overlap and it's fine to continue because it was your inspiration to begin with? We all know. The whole point of this wonderful hobby, for me, is pleasure and to do something that makes me feel good. If you do something with your doll that you feel isn't right--maybe it isn't right. And if you know there is no reason to worry--don't worry.
       
    7. To expand on my original thoughts, I think it's important to recognize that characters often have "gimmicks"--dominating, summarize-in-5-words kind of features. If you match up gimmicks with another character from someone near you, it can't help but look suspicious even if it is completely coincidental. I think it's best to not knowingly provoke drama when going to a meet. Perceptions and bad feelings are not necessarily logical. (Including my own, even if I try to be.) :sweat

      @Kymera
      There is some TL;DR on my part and I apologize for that. My impressions on the matter were completely dominated by this statement in the OP, which led to me to believe the situation was more personal:

      It was kind of knee-jerk reaction. But anyway, the other owner was fine with it, so that settles that.
       
    8. I've been thinking and puzzling over the matter of character originality for awhile. I should note that what I'm thinking here applies to original characters, not dolls deliberately based on an existing character--that's a whole different aim, I think.

      I have all original character dolls, but virtually all my posse have some sort of derivation I can point to. Some of them owe major characteristics to a specific character in a book or a movie; some are more like people that emerged from a certain atmosphere I find in my favorite creators. It's true that creativity involves a lot of idea exchange. But I also think that the more original stuff I've ever managed to do is built from more personal experience.

      It's sort of like my direct life experience provides Legos--really basic building blocks that I have to work hard to construct anything with, while books and movies and TV provide templates--pre-fab structures I can make small modifications to and enjoy. Some of the templates are amazing characters, and very tempting. (**cough cough Inception's Arthur**) :sweat A lot of the time, you could say I work with templates, and mod with Legos. But I think working at the Lego-level is more satisfying in the long run. To be honest, it's not just the wonderful character "types" out there that I covet. It's the way an artist or writer taps into something and brings it to life for me. If I ever want to do that, myself, I think I need to be willing to put down the lovely prefab character ideas and break out the Legos.

      For the OP, I think the suggestion to google around on the topic of seizures is a good one. I would also spend a little time asking myself what it was about having a character stuck with a chronic sickness that was so appealing. I think the closer I look at the types that attract me, the more likely I am to encounter a character that comes out of a more interesting place inside me.
       
    9. I am hoping that this doesn't still fall within two threads that I already know of, but if it does - or if it really doesn't apply - feel free to delete or merge!:sweat

      I was browsing two threads; one was about naming their doll something that translated to something kind of silly, and the other about copying. Somewhere between the two, it got me thinking about names.

      When parents are thinking of names for their baby, sometimes they won't say what that name is because they're afraid someone in their social circle will 'steal' that name from them before they get to name their child. We've all heard tales of this happening, and while parents have absolutely no legal claim to a particular name, it still annoys people that a name they've probably thought about for months is being used by someone else all of a sudden.

      So, in the BJD spectrum of things, I was wondering if people sometimes do that when choosing a name (for a non-character) for their doll.

      Like, if you know that someone you know has a doll without a name, do you not tell that person about the name you've chosen? Have you ever worried that someone could 'steal' the name you've planned?

      If you're not worried, would you be OK if someone decided to use the name you chose for their doll?
       
    10. Wow, does something like this really happen? I don't know any people expecting children so I had no idea of such a thing, how interesting lol.

      Unless a doll has a really unique or made up name I think that there is a chance of another doll having the same name. I personally choose names based on their meanings or if it represents something to me XD I mainly have Japanese names for my dolls so if someone had the same name it could have different kanji? ^^ I don't mind at all if I come across a doll with the same name as one of mine. I name my dolls before I buy them so I don't keep the names a secret ;)
       
    11. It may be silly, but I'd be more mad over a name for a child being "taken" than a name for a doll. Why? The names I pick for children are chosen for the meaning and beauty. I want to give a child a good name that they can live up to. The two names we really love for a boy are now the names of our friend's youngest kid. -sigh- But it's not like we have any or were getting ready to have any so being more than a little miffed would have been rediculous. We never and will never say anything to them about it fo that same reason, it's silly. However, even though there's nothing really stopping us from going ahead and using the names for a future child, it would be more than a little annoying to call for one and have them both look up or the wrong one come running... The whole Ashley A. and Ashley L. thing. XP /end OT

      I don't mind telling the names of my dolls here because they're just toys and I'm not likely to encounter the other person's doll. There's a very low chance of someone saying "Hey, may I see Adia for a minute?" and me and another person going "Which one?"
       
    12. Yep; it certainly does happen. I saw the article on ParentDish a couple months ago.
       
    13. Haha! Yeah it really does. My sister's name was stolen by her aunt whom named her daughter it
      after hearing my mom say she was going to name my sis it. @@

      I can say though, that my sister was a little grateful she was named what she was because
      she hated the name that my mom was going to give her originally. Ironic, huh?

      I think that a name constitutes a destiny(as you'll find in things like astrology and numerology)
      and thus you can never go wrong. ;) I do think that it might be a bit tacky to steal a name
      that you can tell is indisputably original to the creator though. IMO.
       
    14. Use a bracelet instead of a necklace?
       
    15. Interesting... Now see, I have a similar-ish situation as it pertains to a doll I am hoping to soon create. I haven't read the backstory of the other doll, but it was creepy how similar they will look in appearance. All of my dolls are based around rp characters I've had for years- even before I got into the BJD scene, so it's always creepy, to me, to stumble across a bjd that looks EXACTLY how I'd imagine my character I've had for years. Do I own claim to their appearance? No. And I wouldn't hold it against someone who happened to draw inspiration from me.

      Though, I would really suggest talking to her about it- just letting her know that you've been really inspired by her and would like to use those two traits on your doll. Coming from rp experience, I've had a lot of traits ripped off of my characters on sites I've been on. And it's obvious because some of my characters have WEIRD quirks-- then I'll notice a 'friend' suddenly using that quirk for their character, boasting about it, etc. It's more than annoying, and I usually bite my tongue or get bitchy with them. But had they just asked? Sure, in certain cases I might have said no (if they were on the same site), but usually I'd be flattered... but no, they don't have the courtesy to do that.

      So uh... since the medical necklace + epilepsy is a unique-ish trait, I'd suggest asking her first, like I said, since you want to go to the same meet she goes to. I'm in agreement with Vampirekun, maybe a bracelet? Or how about a belt? A hair accessory? There are a lot of ways to turn it around to make it a little more unique. ^^ Or research diseases that act like epilepsy. You might find something that you like better.
       
    16. I think its good of you to admit that you got the idea from someone else - most people won't. I find copying both flattering and annoying to an extent. I would contact the girl who's doll inspired you and get her feedback on it.
       
    17. If someone asks me about a part of my doll, and I did get the idea from someone else, I'd say so. I mean, yes, I still did the work to make this doll look or be a certain way, but the starting point wasn't an original idea by me.

      I wouldn't be quick to accuse someone of copying, mostly because my doll is too... 'generic' to make me think she was purposely copied because someone else liked her. That's not to say it might never happen. I just doubt it. But I'd probably not say anything until I was really, really, 100% sure. Like, if she had a particular marking that another person put onto their doll, then I might bring it up and say "My doll has a similar mark, too!" That person would probably say that they liked my idea, and copied it, and this would promote some kind of discussion.

      But if they had everything my doll had, right down to wig, eyes, and character, then I'd be more weirded out because my doll has a doppelganger.
       
    18. First, I don't own a doll yet, but I plan to. So keep that in mind when reading!

      I think there is a huge difference between copying something and saying you thought it all up yourself (which would be lying), and taking different aspects that work for your creation. As a wannabe writer: I am positive that there are things in my writing that other people might look at and say "oh, isn't that like such-and-so?" That doesn't make me a thief or uncreative, it just means that I internalize things without even realizing it!

      On child names: My parents actually did change a planned name when a relative ended up using the exact combination we were planning to use. The cousins didn't even know about our planned name, and we didn't know about theirs, but since we share a last name, it wouldn't have been fair to the children, who are about the same age, to share the exact same name! Talk about credit history confusion!

      But at the same time, I would love it if I knew someone who had the same spelling and pronunciation of my name. It would be cool! So I don't think that using the same name for dolls is necessarily a problem: the key is, does it fit YOUR character?

      I hope this made sense! :)
       
    19. Uh... if you actually see that person... maybe you should ask her if it's OK that your doll has a necklace, too? Or maybe get a bracelet instead???

      If you don't actually have dolls at the same meetup, then it's less of a problem. It's not as if no one else could think up such an idea... but since it would be obvious that you got the idea from her, because you saw her doll... and she would totally be aware of YOUR doll because you go to the same meetups... It's better to make sure the person in question won't take it badly...

      AND make sure you don't copy her doll in all other areas, too! Make sure your doll and your story is different enough so that it doesn't look like you're stealing EVERYTHING from her. She might start to feel oddly, if you do that!

      Personally, I wouldn't care. I have dolls that are VERY "default"-- so the idea of having something totally unique in the universe isn't a big deal for me. And it's sort of flattering. But, really, I'd hope people would take just one or two ideas from different people and combine things so that it becomes more your own, rather than a copy of another doll because you can't think of anything different.
       
    20. like some have already said a bad artist copies a good artist steals, nothings original anymore in this day n age