# How do the Cinema Sins guys not get sued by movie studios? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197 "2014-04-15T19:18:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/1 "2014-04-15T19:18:32Z")
Not just Cinema Sins but also [WatchMojo.com](http://WatchMojo.com) and HISHE and probably bunches more… They make money by using clips of movies made by other people to create original content that people watch. Is that kind of thing okay as long as they don’t pretend to have made the movies themselves, or as long as they get money only from YouTube/Google (and from things like T-shirt sales off the website, and from doing commercials for Audible and Nature Box)? You don’t have to pay money to them for the content. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/2 "2014-04-15T19:31:22Z")
I am not that familiar with sites listed, but a VERY quick look suggests that at least one is a criticism site. You get a decent amount of leyway there. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/3 "2014-04-15T19:56:04Z")
I’m a fan of all of those, and I’m fairly certain that they’re generally protected under fair use as far as criticism and parody go. You also don’t often see them doing content on films still in the theaters, so perhaps another part of the idea is that even if it were infringement, it isn’t costing them enough to make it worth challenging them legally. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/4 "2014-04-15T20:03:25Z")
Parody and criticism are fair use. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/5 "2014-04-16T09:44:28Z")
HISHE don’t use clips from the film, they make their own animated versions. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/6 "2014-04-17T00:40:56Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I’m a fan of all of those, and I’m fairly certain that they’re generally protected under fair use as far as criticism and parody go. You also don’t often see them doing content on films still in the theaters, so perhaps another part of the idea is that even if it were infringement, it isn’t costing them enough to make it worth challenging them legally. > [@Quimby](#): > > Parody and criticism are fair use. Yep. Cite: [Fair use - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use#Fair_use_and_parody) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/7 "2014-04-17T02:20:07Z")
It’s also free publicity. And there’s no such thing as bad publicity. People will see Cinema Sins and then see the movie again to catch them. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/8 "2014-04-17T02:40:48Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Parody and criticism are fair use. That doesn’t stop aggressive IP “protectors” from suing or issuing takedowns. Cheaper to comply than to fight a bad takedown. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/9 "2014-04-17T04:20:29Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > That doesn’t stop aggressive IP “protectors” from suing or issuing takedowns. Cheaper to comply than to fight a bad takedown. You rarely see them going after sites like this. They’re more likely to go after somebody just posting clips for people to watch rather than a site which is commenting on the movies they’re showing clips of. The one I’m surprised is still in business is Mr Skin. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/10 "2014-04-17T15:23:33Z")
I’m pretty sure that Mr Skin is actively subsidized by the movie companies. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/11 "2014-04-17T21:10:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m pretty sure that Mr Skin is actively subsidized by the movie companies. I can believe that he’s getting paid by some of the soft-core companies to run their clips and promote their products. But I have a harder time buying the idea that companies like Lightstorm Entertainment or Lionsgate would be doing this. And I have an even harder time accepting the idea that established actresses like Kate Winslett or Halle Berry would consent to a scheme to use their nude scenes as publicity promotions. They’d be in a position to have it included in their contracts that the studio can’t release their nude scenes to websites or magazines. And the publicity would seem like a wash for the studios anyway. For every ticket or dvd they might sell to a guy who’d watch _Titanic_ or _Monster’s Ball_ for the nude scenes, they’re going to lose ticket and dvd sales on the guys who figure they’ll just skip the movie and catch the “good parts” online. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/12 "2014-04-18T00:05:18Z")
Oh, and if anybody is interested, I went back and watched some cinema sins videos. By far, Film Junkies “Honest Trailers” series is far superior. They often get lumped together, but everything about Film Junkies is way better. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/13 "2014-04-18T01:42:41Z")
Yeah, I can’t stand Cinema Sins because so many of their “sins”… actually aren’t. (Apparently Tony Stark “being a dick” to Pepper in IM3 is… a movie sin? Huh?) Honest Trailers and How It Should Have Ended are hilarious, though. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/14 "2014-04-18T03:20:07Z")
Oops, Screen Junkies. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/15 "2014-04-18T04:20:18Z")
Yeah the sense of humor of the Cinema Sins guys is a little more… silly than the others. They often offend people that way, but it’s all in good fun. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/16 "2014-04-18T05:10:12Z")
I don’t think Sins is very funny, that’s all. After this post, I watched a few of their videos (including the ones where they calculate real-world damage during action films, and they were all pretty boring. Like amateur writing, untrained delivery, and no timing whatsoever. I couldn’t even hear what’s going on half the time. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/17 "2014-04-18T12:43:08Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I don’t think Sins is very funny, that’s all. After this post, I watched a few of their videos (including the ones where they calculate real-world damage during action films, and they were all pretty boring. Like amateur writing, untrained delivery, and no timing whatsoever. I couldn’t even hear what’s going on half the time. I really like CinemaSins videos. I haven’t watched the damage calculations ones since they don’t interest me but the “Everything wrong with …” are fantastic. Funny, insightful, and well made. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/18 "2014-04-18T15:02:54Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > Yeah, I can’t stand Cinema Sins because so many of their “sins”… actually aren’t. (Apparently Tony Stark “being a dick” to Pepper in IM3 is… a movie sin? Huh?) > > Honest Trailers and How It Should Have Ended are hilarious, though. The “being a dick to [whatever]” is kind of a running joke (like “Scene ends without a lap dance” when there’s a hot girl). I like both EWW and Honest Trailers. I find both funny. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/19 "2014-04-18T15:23:45Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I like both EWW and Honest Trailers. I find both funny. I agree. They have two different approaches and they’re both good. I don’t see any need to pick one or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197/20 "2014-05-20T21:33:30Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7Z4J590PYjQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Everything Wrong With The Wolverine In 11 Minutes Or Less") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z4J590PYjQ) > [@](#): > > This video contains content from FOX, who has blocked it on copyright grounds. Interesting, maybe they are beginning to crack down, but they haven’t challenged any of the other movies they own. Yet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-cinema-sins-guys-not-get-sued-by-movie-studios/686197.md?page=2)