Have you watched “Torque” and “Detention” director Joseph Kahn's HitFix-premiered “Power Rangers” fan film yet? As of this writing, you can still catch the SFW version on YouTube. The NSFW version, on the other hand? Apparently Vimeo's “Staff Pick of the Day” recommendation wasn't enough to keep the video-sharing site from taking it down — presumably under pressure from “Power Rangers” copyright holder Saban Entertainment.
“Saban is trying to shut POWER/RANGERS down,” wrote Kahn on Twitter. “If you'd like to keep watching, tell them to stop harassing me.”
Indeed, despite satire being protected under the First Amendment — that part of the Constitution which has allowed fan-made films to flourish online — “POWER/RANGERS” seems to be under attack in part, perhaps, due to its affiliation with a known Hollywood director.
“Hey @vimeo my POWER/RANGERS short you took down is protected under fair/use/free speech/satire,” tweeted Kahn. He then laid into the site in a six-part rant:
1. @vimeo Everyone is noticing you took down the short but youtube didn't. Tons of fan films exist online. Free speech/fair use.
– Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 24, 2015
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2. @vimeo Every image in POWER/RANGERS is original footage. Nothing was pre-existing. There is no copyrighted footage in the short.
– Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 24, 2015
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3. @vimeo I am not making any money on it and I refuse to accept any from anyone. It was not even kickstarted, I paid for it myself.
– Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 24, 2015
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4. @vimeo This was made to be given away for free. It is just as if I drew a pic of Power Rangers on a napkin and I gave it to my friend.
– Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 24, 2015
5. @vimeo Is it illegal to give pic I drew of a character on a napkin to someone for free? No. The world is watching your actions right now.
– Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 24, 2015
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6. @vimeo If you are going to brand yourself as a place for filmmakers and shorts, then protect. Otherwise, we all go elsewhere. Soon.
– Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 24, 2015
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Want to protest? Contact Saban to lodge a complaint. And P.S. by the way? Vimeo's NSFW version of the clip is still viewable in the director's original embedded tweet. Get it while it lasts:
Hello, internet. Here is my short film POWER/RANGERS starring @kateesackhoff and @vanderjames. https://t.co/rXffk8wJyM
– Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) February 24, 2015