The YouTuber could have been earning tens of thousands of dollars.
A YouTuber recently uploaded a Darth Vader fan film with the understanding that nobody would make any money off the final product. Now, though, he said the film has been unfairly copyright claimed by Disney, and he's shocked by what's happened.
Before making the fan film, titled VADER EPISODE 1: SHARDS OF THE PAST, the YouTuber named Star Wars Theory said he came to an agreement with Lucasfilm that said he could upload his video but that he couldn't monetize the ad revenue he'd potentially earn.
Ultimately, he decided to make the film for the love of the Star Wars franchise. Since he released the video on Dec. 21, it's racked up nearly 6.5 million videos, and he estimated that he would have earned about $80,000 so far if he could have monetized it. That, he said, would have paid him his film production costs and given him a head start on a second episode.
But Star Wars Theory said Walt Disney Music Company and the Warner Chappell music company put in a copyright claim for the music composition. That means the money that wasn't supposed to be earned by anybody is now going to those companies, and the film that was supposed to be commercial-free, per the agreement between Star Wars Theory and Lucasfilm, will now have advertisements. It's upset Star Wars Theory—who said he hired a composer to create original music for his film, meaning it shouldn't have been copyright claimed.
Neither Warner Chappell nor Disney immediately responded to a Daily Dot request for comment. Star Wars Theory told the Daily Dot on Tuesday that he was told by Warner Chappell that if he disputes the claim, his channel will get a strike and the video will be deleted.
YouTube's copyright claim system has been a hot-button topic for the community lately. YouTubers like TheFatRat, AngryJoeShow, and Smelly Octopus have recently made videos discussing how their work has been unfairly claimed by third parties, meaning the revenue they would have made on their videos now goes to somebody else.
As YouTube explains, a YouTuber can appeal the copyright claim, but the appeal doesn't go to YouTube. Instead, it goes to the person or company who originally claimed the video. Eventually, if the YouTuber continues to unsuccessfully appeal the claim, their channel could face punishment from the platform.
Update 1:18pm CT, Jan. 18: In a video posted two days after his story went viral, Star Wars Theory revealed that the copyright claim by Warner Chappell had been released and his fan film, once again, wasn't making anybody any money.
Which is just the way he wants it.
"Lucasfilm stepped in and told Warner Chappell they can't take the money on this," Star Wars Theory told the Daily Dot in an email.