Original ANH Stormtrooper helmet and Armor - Just the Facts

[Big Al]

Yes it is all a fraud. Ainsworth vacuumed formed the helmets and suits. He did not 'sculpt' the moulds as he would have you believe in his dvd. He produced that dvd for the court case and had over 18 months to do it.
The helmet was sculpted by Liz Moore and the suit was sculpted by me. He was given the tools to pull on.
He changed and changes his story continuously. The reason for the bad feeling against Ainsworth by so many people is because he lies and cheats and sees no problem with it as it just business to him. He is now even using the evidence I gave in court on his website to make his story more credible.
If you read the court judgement you will get an idea of his character.

Let me start by saying I am so sorry for your fight and what an honor it is for me to talk to someone like you. That is a terrible situation when someone else claims or plagerizes someone elses work...I did not realize what he has done.

 

[Big Al]

Where can I view a copy of the court judgement?

 

[Dpp1978]

High Court judgment:

Lucasfilm Ltd & Ors v Ainsworth & Anor [2008] EWHC 1878 (Ch) (31 July 2008)

Court of Appeal judgment:

http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2009/1328.html

Supreme Court judgment:

http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/decided-cases/docs/UKSC_2010_0015_Judgment.pdf

The most interesting one from a non legal point of view is the High Court one. The others are mostly an examination of the legal issues.

 

[Big Al]

High Court judgment:

Lucasfilm Ltd & Ors v Ainsworth & Anor [2008] EWHC 1878 (Ch) (31 July 2008)

Court of Appeal judgment:

http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2009/1328.html

Supreme Court judgment:

http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/decided-cases/docs/UKSC_2010_0015_Judgment.pdf

The most interesting one from a non legal point of view is the High Court one. The others are mostly an examination of the legal issues.

Thanks Dpp, some very interesting reading and I have only read through the first third of the summary opinion and report and I wanted to read it all before I made any comments but from what I have read so far I can't believe the English court found in favor of Ainsworth?...it's puzzling :confused

I will finish reading this tommorow thank you for your prompt post and links.

Big Al

 

[Dpp1978]

Thanks Dpp, some very interesting reading and I have only read through the first third of the summary opinion and report and I wanted to read it all before I made any comments but from what I have read so far I can't believe the English court found in favor of Ainsworth?...it's puzzling :confused

I will finish reading this tommorow thank you for your promt post and links.

Big Al

They didn't really. On every important (from the point of the substance of his case) issue of fact they found in Lucas' favour. The only really contentious finding of fact was the false attribution of the Stormtrooper sculpt to Nick Pemberton rather than Liz Moore. An oversight Mr Muir has gone out of his way to put right, at least in the enthusiast community.

Ainsworth lost on his copyright claim, which was a stretch by any standard. Any rights capable of existing are the property of Lucasfilm.

Lucasfilm lost on a legal point not a factual point. Lucasfilm had to win both on the facts (which they did) and on the law (where they failed) whereas Ainsworth only needed to be successful once.

It wasn't so much that Ainsworth won as Lucasfilm lost. Now anyone in the UK can make Stormtrooper armour without fear of reprisals as it has become public domain property. Ainsworth's PR is making it sound like a staggering victory for the little guy, but in truth he was very lucky.

On final appeal he lost an important jurisdictional point, which in theory opens the door for future litigation.

 

[Apollo]

Yes and a A BIG fraud at that :unsure

Is it all a fraud?

 

[Brian Muir]

Let me start by saying I am so sorry for your fight and what an honor it is for me to talk to someone like you. That is a terrible situation when someone else claims or plagerizes someone elses work...I did not realize what he has done.

Thank you for your comments.

I'm glad you've taken the time to read the judgement so you can make up your own mind on who is telling the truth.

 

[Big Al]

Brian,

I have read all 3 of the documents and it seems to me that for the most part, the English court did not believe Ainsworth and it was as Dpp said it was a matter of English law that made the whole matter null and void.

This brings me back to my point that if there were any photos or videos/films of you or liz sculpting the Stormtrooper that none of this would hold water. it would prove that AA did not create the tools and he would not have a leg to stand on.

I hope that these postings will bring light to what has transpired.

Like I said before, I'm just a hobby guy who stumbled on all of this while I was searching for tech to make my own stuff.

I have to be honest with you that I am more impressed with talking with you than I would be with Mark Hammil or Harrison Ford.

Star Wars is a big part of my life and has been since I was 13.

and the very first memory I have is the opening scene when Vader apperes for the first time.

I remember the chill that went through my body when he appered from the smoke.

From that moment on I was hooked!

My father bought me a Don Post Vader Helmet and later a Stormtrooper Helmet but my Stormtrooper Helmet was made of some sort of rubber and was a one piece.

I no longer have either one of them as my wife gave them to some underprivliged kids down the block when i was in my twenties.

I no longer have her either.

I converse with alot of people with the same interest on many forums and I will make sure that I will be a champion of your cause.

I have conveyed to you that I am not interested in politics and mostly interested in the tech but What is unjust is Unjust and you can count on me to respond and help spread the word about what has happened and the real story.

Your Friend Al

 

[Luke Skywalker]

I've been chipping away at this thread. I had no idea. I was aware of SDS selling SW stuff, I even thought of buying (that was over a year ago) from him. I had heard about the legal battle, etc. but assumed it was simply a "clamp down" by LFL. I think I now have a actual understanding of what is going on now. It's too bad people would try to take credit for work they didn't do and continuosly edit their "official" story.

It's a real shame you've had to deal with someone like that.

I'm a big fan of your work, Mr. Muir

 

[Clutch]

I'm just glad I found this site first before I drank the Ainsworth Kool-Aid.

 

[Luke Skywalker]

I'm just glad I found this site first before I drank the Ainsworth Kool-Aid.

Exactly my thoughts.

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

This is a serious matter and all but I just gotta chime in and say how awfully profound it is for me to be on a site that has someone like Brian Muir be a part of. Someone who was a part of something that radically shaped my imagination early on; that is something hard for me to kind of wrap my mind around. I dunno if "star-struck" is the right word but it is pretty close.

 

[Big Al]

This is a serious matter and all but I just gotta chime in and say how awfully profound it is for me to be on a site that has someone like Brian Muir be a part of. Someone who was a part of something that radically shaped my imagination early on; that is something hard for me to kind of wrap my mind around. I dunno if "star-struck" is the right word but it is pretty close.

I know Huh? Me Too!...I couldn't have said it better my self ! I concure!

 

[Supa troop]

This is a serious matter and all but I just gotta chime in and say how awfully profound it is for me to be on a site that has someone like Brian Muir be a part of. Someone who was a part of something that radically shaped my imagination early on; that is something hard for me to kind of wrap my mind around. I dunno if "star-struck" is the right word but it is pretty close.

it's a shame you don't live in the UK as Brian is guest of honour at the UK RPF prop party, and i hear he's not shy at putting his hand in his pocket and buying several rounds of alcholic beverage's for everyone too :lol

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

it's a shame you don't live in the UK as Brian is guest of honour at the UK RPF prop party, and i hear he's not shy at putting his hand in his pocket and buying several rounds of alcholic beverage's for everyone too :lol

Postpone the festivities and give me a year to raise the money, plan my trip, and all those other tiny details. :cry

 

[stormtrooperguy]

it's a shame you don't live in the UK as Brian is guest of honour at the UK RPF prop party, and i hear he's not shy at putting his hand in his pocket and buying several rounds of alcholic beverage's for everyone too :lol

I've been meaning to head over there again... it's been a few years!

 

[Brian Muir]

Thanks for the loyalty guys - I appreciate it. Although it's been a long road finally the truth is now spreading and with your continued support his lies are being exposed.

As for buying drinks just let me know what tea you prefer - cheers :lol

 

[CTF]

I love how this thread is still going.

 

[agentofzurg]

Just want to throw in a quick word here, and say thanks to Brian for his efforts in getting the facts out there...

I'm one of many who bought armor/helmet from Ainsworth before I knew the truth. Yeah, I did some research, and read rumors of how his armor might be re-cast from someone else's, but I went ahead and bought from him since 1) I didn't have to track down some low-profile armor maker, 2) I wanted my helmet and armor to match (color & material), and 3) I had the money, and reviews I'd read from owners were actually very good. Only later did I realize just how badly he's distorted the truth, or outright lied, about his role in the original armor - not to mention the worst of it, which is taking direct credit for someone else's sculpts. I get plenty of questions about my armor when I wear it, and I always direct potential buyers away from Ainsworth, and to the more respected armor-makers.

All that is really just to say, keep getting the word out. I'm doing what I can to do the same, and I wish I'd found this thread much earlier. Still happy with my armor, but I'd rather do business with good people...

-agentofzurg

 

[Brian Muir]

Just to finish on a light note