Chronotorious? Anyone heard of this before?

[FaustWolf]

Yeah, Square Enix is obviously not the first company to approach for starting up something like this.

A smaller company that has some intellectual property lying around which doesn't fit into its long-term business plan, and at the same time doesn't mind profiting from said property through a licensing and royalties arrangement, might be the way to go. I'm keen on learning more about the history of fan licensing in the doujin music community, and what lessons might be learned from it.

[ZeaLitY]

Since doujins are such a popular activity in Japan, it makes sense that anime and game companies are prepared for and have a storied history of looking the other way or granting license, which could also allow them to make money. Start-up fan games would be a totally different matter.

[mav]

The licensing deal here probably isn't as strange as we're making it out to be. I mean, I'm impressed that these guys are allowed to release their music for profit, but I'm not completely surprised.

Oh and these guys instantly win for having a song named B.A.M.F.--that's just great.

[Zephira]

I'm not getting the reference there, but the song sample is awesome. It's always amazing how many different directions people can take these songs in.

[KebreI]

BAMF=Bad ass mother fucker. Its a fitting title.

[maggiekarp]

WHY DO I WANT THIS SO MUCH

[FaustWolf]

I'm curious as to which company holds the rights to the Chrono series music. Was it even Square Enix OneUp Studios had to approach, or a separate company/entity/person entirely?

I'm just catching up on this sort of thing and find it all mindblowing, including the cross-cultural and artistic considerations. It seems to me from a purely economic perspective that there may be an opening in the future for licensed fangaming. An intellectual property that's just sitting there and doing nothing is like money dumped into a no-interest bank account; there's a profit incentive to move the property into something on which there will be financial return.

All that stands in the way besides red tape is the intellectual property holder's fear that the property might be tainted by poor-quality fan treatment. If the doujin music industry has already been successful in overriding this fear, its example provides a glimmer of hope for opportunity elsewhere. Just a glimmer, but great movements have to start with something.  

EDIT

All that stands in the way besides red tape is the intellectual property holder's fear that the property might be tainted...

...

BAMF=Bad ass mother fucker.

I rest my case. Something tells me the IP holder that granted OneUp Studios the license for this wasn't even worried enough to micromanage the artists. Either that or they just didn't know what BAMF means.

[Zephira]

How is BAMF poor fan treatment? That seems like a compliment for the writing and character development.
Thought maybe they didn't know what it meant... I didn't, I thought it was "Battle at Magus' Fortress". Guesswork is fun.

[FaustWolf]

I fully agree. However, I just have this feeling that Square Enix (or whoever owns the intellectual property that is Yasunori Mitsuda's and Nobuo Uematsu's music) wouldn't have chosen to label one of their tracks "Badass Motherfucker." Or anything that could be readily associated with that phrase. It constitutes a transfer of artistic freedom from the licenser to the licensee -- and the establishment of full trust between the licenser and the licensee -- which is way beyond the wildest dreams that entered my mind when I first discovered this.

Chronotorious is proof that there exists a market where intellectual property holders grant licensing to fans in which the fans have full artistic freedom. I'm just now learning this, and I'm just giddy with fascination.

EDIT: Wait, do we know for sure it doesn't stand for Battle At Magus' Fortress? If it's Magus' theme that's being arranged, sounds plausible enough. Maybe it was left purposely vague, as a play on the meaning commonly associated with the acronym.

[V_Translanka]

Whenever I see "BAMF" I think of Nightcrawler from X-Men...I didn't know it could BE anything else...While looking for an appropriate image of the blue-furred marvel, I found this pretty awesome (despite or enhanced by the Hello Kitty, I can't decide) tattoo...>_>



I was thinking Chronotorious was going to be another Chrono mixtape/mashup featuring Notorious B.I.G. (or at least that song Notorious)...

[KebreI]

Over all I like the samples, but several of them sounds like there done on a synthesizer. Its a pretty big turn of for me.

[FaustWolf]

I feel really bad for discovering this on the eve before the BAMF music video contest ends. Entries are due today I think.
 

http://www.baddudesmusic.com/music_video_contest.html

Here's one of their takers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxPpjInTZOA

That would've been hard to beat anyway.

[Truthordeal]

I thought I recognized some of the title styles and the crappy transitions! That guy's using Corel Video Studio same as I do.

That being said, it wouldn't have been too terribly difficult to beat, FW, especially for someone with a more advanced editor or just more experience. I wish I could've heard about it sooner and entered, but then again, I doubt I would've put as much tedium into it as this guy must have. Besides, I hardly have adequate footage.

So don't feel too bad.

EDIT: Eh, on second thought, I probably still wouldn't have entered. The actual music doesn't appeal to me that much and I doubt that the prize would have been adequate motivation.

Prizes:
      1 Signed CHRONOTORIOUS CD
   
      1 Signed Limited Edition Poster
   
      1 $50 GameStop Gift Card
   
      Your video featured as the **OFFICIAL** CHRONOTORIOUS Music Video.

Yeah, no thank you. I want neither your CD nor your damn autograph.

[ONSLAUGHT]

I would have entered. That seems pretty easy to top(sorry if I come off as cocky but with over 10 years experience and a green screen, transitions are pretty easy to top).

However, 3 hours, surgery, and no preparation. No way can I do it not even if Jesus got me all my equipment set up and plenty of people to help support.

[Zephira]

Damn, I wish I had known about that contest. I don't know about you, but that seems like a damn good prize to me. $50 GameStop card? More money towards Starcraft II! Limited edition poster? Great! Hang it on your wall or ebay it!
Too bad this wasn't publicized more.