Although I know without doubt that imitation is without doubt the sincerest form of flattery, I am at present in somewhat of a quandary.
I'm not absolutely certain where to draw the line.
Or even which line to draw.
The question is, am I still sincerely flattered when an imitator just nicks my stuff, tints it blue, adds a link to a commercial poker site and knocks it out to the public with their name slapped all over it?
Ummm, I have a feeling I am probably not.
Not sincerely.
I have, in fact, mentioned that I think I am probably not to the YouTube management on a number of occasions recently, it being the case that five of the six parts of 'Gordon the Movie' have been hijacked and so treated so far. (They, the hijackers haven't got to Part 6, the final part, yet...)
Certain YouTube so-called "users" are hijacking my bits, tinting them slightly, and then adding links to online poker sites, either by cutting them into the film, or by adding them in the "more info" section.
I wouldn't mind, but the tinted versions are more popular than my bloody originals. They're getting my hits, and comments like " Post More...."
I never got any comments like that on my, erm, version.
(And how come I have to write 'my, erm, version' when it's my bloody film in the first place?)
I just get comments like "AAAH" which only serves to make me feel nervous.
Like they've seen through my game.
And a thin, measly, transparent, pathetic one it is at that.

So I was forced to Declare War.
Well, initially it was more of a policing action.
UK style.
You know, death squads, torture, garotting, sensory deprivation.
That kind of thing.

But I've since been forced to pep it up, bit by bit.
Initially I complained formally to YouTube via the internal complaints section, which takes some navigating in itself.
No response from YT, and more hijackings ensued.
So I complained a few more times, citing copying, copyright and commercial mis-use as issues.
(And got quite a bit less formal, as it were...)
Ditto. Zilch.
Then I started flagging the individual hijacked vids, citing them as unsuitable due to copyright infringement and as commercial spam.
Normally a call to arms for the YT hit squads.
Still no response.
I've now written to anyone whose left a comment on the hijacks, and told them the situation.
I've also added a comment explaining the situation on all "my" vids.
See? I have to put quotes on "my" now...because there are other my vids which are not actually "my" vids.
See, their my vids don't need quotes on like "my" their vids do.
It's really out of order.
I tried adding similar comments explaining what's what on their ( the hijackers) "my" vids, but the "users" who have posted my "their" vids quickly removed them! ( My comments that is, not my "their" vids.)
And throughout (this has been going on for about a month!) no comment and no action from YouTube.
And it's not just happening to me...each of the hijackers (I have four so far) has a list of 50 or so movies, none of which they have produced, and all of which are now displaying advertising.
The Horror.
As I've seen noted elsewhere, YT desperately needs a users forum. And a complaints response unit that actually responds to complaints.
Of course apart from that I think YouTube's wicked.
But as we say round here, "A Luta Continua!"

We next move discretely into neighbouring Cambodia.
The Horror.
The Horror.

FINALLY ONLINE, THE FINAL PART OF
"GORDON THE MOVIE".
FOR BIG SCREEN SATISFACTION, PLEASE USE THIS LINK TO VIEW ON YOUTUBE (RECOMMENDED).
(ON YT YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE WHOLE FILM ONE LUMP AFTER ANOTHER AUTOMATICALLY).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBDViXweiS8
MUCH BETTER THAN HERE ON MY SHITTY BLOG.



ALSO BELOW, PLEASE CHECK OUT THE PROGRESS OF ROB AND GABI, SHOOTING THEIR FILM AND DOCUMENTARY IN THE ALPS.
FOR MORE INFO ON THIS AND OTHER OF ROB'S FILM PROJECTS CHECK OUT www.thelonefilmmaker.com