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P. N. Guinn writes...

First, I just want to say that Gargoyles is one of my all-time favorite shows, and I often return to it when I'm lonely and I'm always pleased by how fresh episodes like "Vows" remain after many viewings many years later. I'm also a big fan of Young Justice--to be honest, it took a while for the show to win me over 100% (of course, very high expectations were in place, both because it's a DC animated property and because you were working on it), but, I'll admit I've watched the Brazilian "leaks" up through "Unusual Suspects" and those episodes are pitch perfect, so, great job, and many thanks. I'm VERY excited for what's next.

Now, on to my questions:

As several people have pointed out, Brazil and Turkey are ahead of the US in terms of airing schedule. I don't know if you're aware, but fans have undertaken to sub the broadcast episodes back into English. I know you have mixed feelings on the subject of fanfiction, but I wonder if you have feelings on the practice of fans sub titling your work, originally created in English, back into English with their own translations? (And if you do have feelings/ideas on the subject, would you care to share?)

And while we're on the subject of fanfiction--I know a lot of authors who engage their fans have a public policy of not reading fanfiction, and you're among these. IIRC, the reason is because you don't want to incur the risk of being sued by a fan who claims you stole their work. I'm a law student and something of a nerd/geek, so I'm intensely curious to know where you picked this idea up. I'm taking copyright right now, and two of the doctrines we've learned seem to be in contradiction with the viability of this fear: (A) The idea/expression distinction (ideas are not protected under copyright, only their expression, so the idea of having Prospero on Gargoyles, even if you got it from another source, would probably not be considered infringement since the idea of having Prospero on Gargoyles is probably too abstract, whereas if there were a specific fanfic which predated a Gargoyles comic by five years and the Gargoyles comic carefully followed the plot of the fanfic, that could be a case of copyright infringement). And, (B) Infringing works are deprived of copyright protection, so if a fanfic infringes on a copyright (which, presumably almost all fanfic does, unless fanfic is fair use), it would have no copyright protection. (Here a critical question is whether fanfiction is fair use, which is an odd little quirk of the law, in that it's a well-known black hole in the law of copyright that seems unlikely to be adjudicated, and therefore, unlikely to ever be resolved.)

Of course, I'm not a lawyer (yet) and this is by no means intended to be legal advice, and I'm also not suggesting that you read fanfiction (personally, I'd rather you produce your awesome original stuff than spend time reading fanfic). But as a law nerd, I'm intensely interested in the relationship between perceptions of the law and the law on the books, and to what extent the law (and perceptions thereof) impact professional practice.

Thank you both for your wonderful works, and for your time.

Greg responds...

1. I am HORRIFIED that people are watching episodes for the first time on YouTube - and in a different language no less. Given that those episodes were due to air in the U.S. in a matter of mere weeks, I think it's appalling that anyone would choose to watch them that way. So then having someone sub or dub it back into English seems beyond preposterous - and again mildly HORRIFYING. Just be patient and watch the shows as they were meant to be watched. Don't spoil them for yourselves.

2. I learned this fear from corporate attorneys at EVERY entertainment company that's ever employed me. And I've also learned this fear from personal experience from fans and others who have filed lawsuits or threatened to. And that's the key. It's not about who has a valid case, it's about who can make me miserable by filing suit - and how I can protect myself (as much as possible) from exposing myself to that misery.

Response recorded on July 17, 2012

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Anonymosly Writes writes...

Hey Greg why your not consulted on Scheduling

Greg responds...

I'm not important enough in the grand scheme, I guess.

Response recorded on May 16, 2012

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Craig writes...

Hi Greg,

Loving Young Justice up here in Canada!!! We are expecting our first son in April and I have all the episodes taped for when he is old enough to watch them.

My question is how often do you receive feedback from the Cartoon Network? When would you know whether to begin on season 3? Keep up the awesome work!

Greg responds...

We receive feedback from Cartoon Network all the time, but 'feedback' and a 'pick-up' are two different things. In theory, they could pick the show up at any time, but I don't expect any definitive answer for weeks, if not months.

Response recorded on May 14, 2012

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Anonymous writes...

Hello Greg.i would like to ask a few questions about your job because i am interested in going into the directing business.
1. What exactly is your job(the name of your job)?
2. Do you enjoy it?Do you ever get bored?
3. What did you have to study in college for this job?
4. What would you say are the most useful school subjects that should be learnt for this job?
I appreciate if you could answer these questions. And you are also a role model for me and i really love Young Justice.

Greg responds...

1. My title is Producer. And sometimes I'm also the Writer. And even, on occasion, an Actor. I'm also the Story Editor - but that's pretty much covered by my Producer credit.

2. I do enjoy it, and I NEVER get bored, but I do get very, very tired sometimes. Exhausted even. Our schedules can be brutal.

3. I don't know if I "had" to study this, but my B.A. is in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. My Masters is in Professional Writing, with an emphasis on Play Writing. Plus I studied a bunch of other things too, including history, languages, a little bit of physics and math, etc. And a lot of literature - and Shakespeare, in particular.

4. Learn to read critically. Learn to write. Learn to PROOFREAD!!! Learn to rewrite and revise. Etc.

Response recorded on May 07, 2012

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Blizzard Sprite writes...

Hello, Mr. Weisman.

My questions today are more closely related to television programming. So here goes.

1. Have you viewed the new ThunderCats on Cartoon Network that debuted last year? Assuming so, what did you think of it?

2. Have you viewed any of the original episodes of the ThunderCats cartoon? Assuming so, what is your opinion of the old show, and how do you think it compares to the latest incarnation?

3.The original ThunderCats cartoon met the 65 mark episode needed to go into syndication, and produced episodes beyond it. While many of the new episodes were entertaining, I could not help but notice, in my opinion, a decline in certain qualities of the show. One of the areas hit hardest, in my opinion, was the writing in the episodes. This seemed to manifest itself in terms of more predictable scenarios occurring, less creative solutions to the problems that arose and eventually lackluster storylines. ThunderCats wasn’t the only show to suffer from this though. Cartoons like Captain Planets, which also surpassed the 65-episode mark, began to experience a bit of a lag, and lost many of the original voice actors/actresses who made their characters so exceptional.
4. So my question is what exactly happens to a show behind the scenes after moving beyond syndication? Is a show’s storyline only plotted out for 65 episodes and not expected to pass it? Or does the writing team have to brainstorm an entirely new set of ideas for episodes beyond? Are new writers assigned to the program or the old ones retained? Are the initial voice actors/actresses replaced with new people, choose not to renew their contract or different causes altogether?

Thanks for the time.

Greg responds...

1. I haven't had time to see it, but I really like the people involved with it.

2. I did a long time ago, when I was working on a single script for a different reboot that didn't see the light of day. But you need to understand that I never saw it when it first came on, so I have no nostalgia for it.

3. I just have no opinion on this. I only saw a handful of episodes.

4. Every case is different. And obviously, I have no idea what went on with ThunderCats.

Response recorded on May 07, 2012

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Anonymous writes...

I was just reading the Toonzone interview with the late Dwayne McDuffie (http://www.toonzone.net/news/articles/36545/toonzone-presents-an-interviewtribute-to-dwayne-mcduffie) and he describes the difference between Story By credits and Teleplay By credits on Justice League, and how there may be a lot more writing done by uncredited main writers on the show. Is this similar to how you work on your shows?

Greg responds...

Yeah, more or less.

Response recorded on May 04, 2012

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Nathan writes...

1. What was the gem in Misplaced called?
2. Where did Ultra Humanite get his scar across his mouth?
3. Do you know why Young Justice Invasion only has 20 episodes instead of 26?

Greg responds...

1. Ambre Jeune Perdu.

2. It came with the body. (For more on this, see issue #19 of our companion comic book.)

3. That's how many Cartoon Network ordered.

Response recorded on May 03, 2012

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Jayel20 writes...

What's was the budget for the first season of young justice
Ps big fan of just about all our work

Greg responds...

That's proprietary information.

Response recorded on May 01, 2012

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John Pannozzi writes...

Do you think there's a way Disney and Marvel could be convinced to consistently pay royalties (including royalties paid to estates of deceased creators) on reprinted material like DC Comics does?

Horror comics legend Steve Bissette publicly announced that he is boycotting all Marvel products due to Marvel not paying any money to Jack Kirby's family (and keep in mind that Steve has noted that DC still pays him royalties for reprints of his Swamp Thing stories, and that he and John Totleban got paid when their co-creation John Constantine was adapted into that movie with Keanu Reeves.), there's been speculation that reprints of Alan Moore's Marvelman/Miracleman have been held up by by the fact the artists (included Rick Veitch, who has had trouble with Marvel in the past) didn't sign away their rights, and I think Don Rosa of Disney Ducks comics fame has refused to work for Disney again because they don't pay him royalties for reprints of his works.

Any ideas on how to get Disney/Marvel to remedy these situations?

Greg responds...

First off, I can't confirm or deny any of your statements. I have no idea what Marvel and/or Disney and/or DC is or isn't providing royalty-wise. Second of all, I'm not a lawyer.

One might easily argue that I should be more educated on this subject, but one can't deny the fact that I'm NOT. And I'm just not going to speak to issues I'm ignorant of.

Response recorded on April 30, 2012

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Lavariel writes...

Dear Mr. Weisman,

Thank you for all the wonderful work you've done from Gargoyles, to Spiderman, to Young Justice. Been a fan for years.

1) From your experience, what was more enjoyable to work with? Working on a show that was completely yours to control - Gargoyles - from character development, plot, and storyline? Or Spiderman and Young Justice where the basics has already laid out?

2) Was there more pressure to succeed working on Gargoyles because it was original and the creativity was your to control? Or was there more pressure to work on an adaption on Spiderman and Young Justice because the bar has already been set?

Greg responds...

1. They're different. Gargoyles is my baby. But in terms of the actual work, I don't think I had any more or less fun working on SpecSpidey, W.I.T.C.H. or YJ.

2. I think the pressure rises with each series, but I blame the internet more than anything inherent in the series. (I blame the internet for a lot, which is not to say I could go back to living without it.)

Response recorded on April 24, 2012


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