+- Woodnet Forums (https://forums.woodnet.net)
+-- Thread: Rough Cut lawsuit (/showthread.php?tid=7339234)
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - Tony Z - 05-06-2018
(05-05-2018, 09:36 AM)DaveR1 Wrote: I've seen four episodes so far. The projects get more complex than the hall table but a balance has to be struck with less than 30 minutes per episode. And there'll always be those who complain that not enough time was spent on any given detail. Maybe they have some multi-episode projects planned.
I like the new guy's approach (ai've only seen one!). Sort of reminiscent of Norm, in taking his time and explaining the "why's". I hope they get the legal issues behind them, as we can use all the WWing shows we can get!
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - Carl Grover - 06-21-2018
Tommy Mac is/was a member of WN. I think his screen name was Tchisler or something close to that. He posted for a little while then disappeared. I enjoyed his show.
carl
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - Gary™ - 08-02-2018
UPDATE - It's in court today!
Tommy Mac on Facebook Wrote:Well.. wish me luck today ! Off to federal court against WGBH & FWW . It’s so unbelievable to me WGBH says they created rough cut and FWW agreed .. I hope the last 6 months of posting the original Rough Cut Show videos at least proves to my fans .. I built that brand .. the real crappy part of all of this is .. I didn’t need to go this way
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - Handplanesandmore - 08-02-2018
Good. I have no dog in the fight, but always believe it is a good thing to see the court thing run its course if both parties can't reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, this is what the counterclaim looks like: http://www.ipprotheinternet.com/ipprotheinternetnews/article.php?article_id=6049
Simon
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - AHill - 08-03-2018
I'll be interested in seeing how all this turns out. Tommy Mac is a talented woodworker, for sure, but had he not quit the show (rather abruptly), he wouldn't be in this situation. PBS and other networks can be a real pain with this kind of stuff. While not the same situation, I remember when David Marks called it quits on Wood Works. He said he didn't own a single show that he'd recorded. But, he sells them on his website, including plans for the projects he made, so he must still get some kind of royalties on them.
Here's a link to the original complaint filed by Tommy Mac. I tried to see if I could find other court documents, but most places want you to pay for them.
https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.198005/gov.uscourts.mad.198005.1.0_1.pdf
I skimmed through the complaint. He has some good points in the complaint, but it's also contradictory in places (e.g., he claims WGBH did not inform him they had applied for a trademark for the name of the show, but the complaint also quotes an email from the show's producer to Tommy Mac where she says they had done so). He's asking for them to cease using the name "Rough Cut", cease using his image to promote the show, and he also claims damages, but does not specify how much. I'm not a lawyer, but Tommy Mac's claim of common law trademark might hold some water. The law also says that if there's a dispute, the law defers to whoever legally filed for a trademark. If number of lawyers determines who wins, Tommy will lose.
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - FrankAtl - 08-03-2018
(08-03-2018, 07:53 AM)AHill Wrote: I'll be interested in seeing how all this turns out. Tommy Mac is a talented woodworker, for sure, but had he not quit the show (rather abruptly), he wouldn't be in this situation. PBS and other networks can be a real pain with this kind of stuff. While not the same situation, I remember when David Marks called it quits on Wood Works. He said he didn't own a single show that he'd recorded. But, he sells them on his website, including plans for the projects he made, so he must still get some kind of royalties on them.
Here's a link to the original complaint filed by Tommy Mac. I tried to see if I could find other court documents, but most places want you to pay for them.
https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.198005/gov.uscourts.mad.198005.1.0_1.pdf
I skimmed through the complaint. He has some good points in the complaint, but it's also contradictory in places (e.g., he claims WGBH did not inform him they had applied for a trademark for the name of the show, but the complaint also quotes an email from the show's producer to Tommy Mac where she says they had done so). He's asking for them to cease using the name "Rough Cut", cease using his image to promote the show, and he also claims damages, but does not specify how much. I'm not a lawyer, but Tommy Mac's claim of common law trademark might hold some water. The law also says that if there's a dispute, the law defers to whoever legally filed for a trademark. If number of lawyers determines who wins, Tommy will lose.
David Marks bought the rights to the Woodworks shows from DIY. It took a while but he finally did it. That's why he can sell the DVD's.
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - stav - 08-03-2018
I miss that show. Marks was a great woodworker and teacher.
I hope things work out for Tommy.
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - Admiral - 08-03-2018
(08-03-2018, 07:53 AM)AHill Wrote: I skimmed through the complaint. He has some good points in the complaint, but it's also contradictory in places (e.g., he claims WGBH did not inform him they had applied for a trademark for the name of the show, but the complaint also quotes an email from the show's producer to Tommy Mac where she says they had done so). He's asking for them to cease using the name "Rough Cut", cease using his image to promote the show, and he also claims damages, but does not specify how much. I'm not a lawyer, but Tommy Mac's claim of common law trademark might hold some water. The law also says that if there's a dispute, the law defers to whoever legally filed for a trademark. If number of lawyers determines who wins, Tommy will lose.
I noticed that his law firm did not have a specific expertise in intellectual property litigation, more of a general litigation firm. The complaint reflects that. I would have counseled him to retain IP litigators, as its easy for a generalist to get out-lawyered in this area.
But reading between the lines, there was trouble in paradise before the SHTF breakup, so there's clearly a backstory. But I think that Tommy has a point here, and PBS overreached on using his marks as well as trading on his image. Interesting he's seeking a Lanham Act injunction; that would put a kibosh on the show, as well as any repeats....
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - handi - 08-03-2018
I am certainly no expert, but PBS has a LOT more expertise in this subject area of law than Tommy likely did at the beginning. I would be hard pressed to believe that they did not have things locked pretty tight legally.
We will see what the courts decide.
RE: Rough Cut lawsuit - FrankAtl - 08-06-2018
(08-03-2018, 05:21 PM)handi Wrote: I am certainly no expert, but PBS has a LOT more expertise in this subject area of law than Tommy likely did at the beginning. I would be hard pressed to believe that they did not have things locked pretty tight legally.
We will see what the courts decide.
That's what I think too.