Unofficial MMPR Film - Is it time to ask for your money back?
 

Let us begin by looking back.

A no-name director looking to make a splash decided to cash in on the nostalgia of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and decided to create his own dark gritty version of Power Rangers. He created a trailer featuring the return of Lord Zedd in a slumlord like role declaring revenge on the Power Rangers. It was dark, it was gritty, and a lot of people jumped on the hype wagon immediately.

With surging popularity, Dominic (the director) took his film to Kickstarter, to have the fans fund his project. Now, there's many accounts from various people who claim to know Dominic or people that used to be his friend, and many claim the only reason he was doing this was to get his name out there, that he actually had no real passion for Power Rangers past a few memories when he was a kid.

Drama ensues on RangerBoard when Dominic comes across as a douchebag to fans while urging them to give him cash so he can make this film. The actors visit hospitals telling kids they're the Power Rangers (which they are not). Dominic goes as far as to say "I don't care about the haters - they're going to watch it anyways, so what do I care?" (not verbatim).

The MMPR Film is banned from discussion at RangerBoard. Not long after, it's banned from RangerCrew as well. We opened discussion here and tried to keep it positive, even having various actors pop in to promote the film and answer some questions. I was in talks to have an interview with Dominic, to help him clear the air a bit about the bad press he had received.

Nothing came of it. He never replied to my E-mails. I even offered the courtesy of him pre-approving questions as to not allow the interview to take an unnecessary negative spin. For whatever reason - we were just not that important to him.

Now let's look at the Kickstarter.

Started over a year ago, the Kickstarter raised $41.907 of it's $18,500 goal. The original promise was that this would be a short movie-like film. After the goal was reached, numerous updates followed asking everyone to donate $5 so they could make even more cool things.

After the Kickstarter ended and time progressed, the "movie" changed to "web episodes". Already failing to meet the promised product, fans had the right to ask for their money back. The promised release date was January 2014. Nothing was released. Yet another milestone reached for fans to have the right to ask for their money back. Another release date is given - April 2014.

It is now July 2nd, 2014, a full year after the Kickstarter has ended. The only thing given was a quick trailer. The cast has gone quiet (though they do bug the actual Power Rangers to get their endorsement of their film). The director is all but gone. Three months since the promised release date and still no release date at this time. Instead, we're getting "mini-episodes" to explore the background of the movie that honestly, no one really gives a damn about at this time.

So - is it time to get your money back? Sound off.

Sounds like someone took the money and ran. And the really sad thing is that, legally, I don't think there is anything anyone can do about it. Hunt him down maybe?

I figured nothing would come of this, I never donated any money, I had hoped it might turn out to be cool, but now I agree, people who got ripped off should ask for their money back.

I was pretty sure that this would be a flop the moment the "I don't care" statement came out.
Didn't think it wouldn't even be made at all, though.

It is 100% time for refunds.

This project has been a sham from the beginning. This Dominic has been well documented to be in this for money. Now of course these people should want money if they're doing work. But you don't go in and make a craptacular illegal wannabe product based on a beloved children's series that you have zero expertise on, just to hopefully elevate yourself to "real" directing gigs. That's terribly shady, as was his general attitude to the entire project.

That being said, even if you ignore the blatant money grab aspect of these "professionals" where the hell is the product people paid for? With the footage they'd already given us you'd have thought a decent chunk of the supposed film had been done already. Given the additional year since funds were raised you'd again have to assume that what became webisodes would have to be done as well. What kind of fools do they take this fandom for to assume they'll give up their money and just wait happily indefinitely? Clearly a lot of people did just that and I'm sorry they did, but the legal ramifications of such a project even existing should have been a red flag to anyone who even thought of donating to this thing.

In any case it seems that at every turn this project has failed to meet deadlines. The various individuals involved with it will not speak ill of it despite mounting evidence to show that this whole thing has been one huge debacle. I guess I can respect these actors for trying to talk well of the project, but I honestly question the validity of anything they've said on various message boards and social media. Do they not realize this thing was infringing on copyrighted material? They say Dominic told them he straightened out the legal concerns with Saban which is just a bold faced lie. So again I question whether what they had to say was true at all.

All in all this thing was never going to make it. I've said that from the beginning. Saban should rightfully lay the smackdown on this project for being an absurdly blatant infringement on their property. I suspect this Dominic person finally realized he was going to be in serious legal trouble if he brought this thing out and took the money and ran.

Yea... Not even the 1st episode was released as promised before. This seems like a load of bull to me as of now.

I've pinned my fandom hopes on Zordon of Eltar and Teenagers With Attitude, to be honest.

even zordon of eltar is borderline infringement. its too bad about this, as I had low expectations for this mmpr film and as such was prepared to be delighted. on top of that, the people we did have that stopped by seemed genuinely cool, its too bad their gone
I am not sure how kickstarter works, is it even possible for these people to get their money back legally or are they SOL?

They should get thier money back but I don't think they can. And the PR fanbase is too small to make such a big noise so its not like this douche's credibility is gonna go down the drain either

there's no denying it: this is thievery. And not just any form of thievery, but thievery orchestrated by a con artist. Whoever this person is needs to be arrested and put through due process. Anyone who fell into his con needs to be compensated.

I didn't donate, I never wished to donate, and I'm glad I never did donate. Besides, those costumes were stupid. It kind of doesn't deserve to see the light of day.

Why would anyone have given money to this in the first place? I'm sorry you've been scammed but you deserve some kind of punishment for being so dumb in the first place. Hope this time they learn.

Noramlly I'd be like, "Locke, how dare you say that!" but I actually kind of agree with you.

Considering the state the PR fandom was in last year (Megaforce was shit, Super Megaforce was going to be shit with no hope in sight) people probably saw this in a positive light.

But now we have the reboot movie coming up and Dino Charge. If anyone did this now I think people would be more skeptical.

So would it be proper to call Dominic a Shisno? :p

Ha! RvB joke. :lol

In all seriousness though, the people who donated to this should be reimbursed in some form.

Projects like this and Dragon Ball Absalon make me glad that I didn't give a penny to these guys. I had a bad feeling about this project since day one. This movie has became like Godzilla: Zero Hour all over again which was a Godzilla vs. Gamera fan film back in the early 2000's.

Even a year ago though, a random guy you've never heard of asks for thousands of your dollars with only the promise of a theoretical movie a year down the line. Why would you say no to an offer like that?!

The internet is a great thing blahblah but it does sometimes blow my mind the things that pass on the internet that just wouldn't fly in the real world. If I walked into your office tomorrow, asked for twenty thousand dollars and promised you some kind of product a year later you wouldn't even consider it but on the internet..? Lemme think it over...

The only legal ramifications are if they failed to deliver on their donation rewards section (ie: "you will be in the movie!"). Those individuals have due legal recourse - they entered in to an agreement on the reward section and have yet to receive it.

For those who just donated like $5 or whatever, you'll get nothing back. However, with no actual updates other than promising that Episode 01 will be released "as soon as its ready" and trying to tide people over with "here's some really horribly made short episodes to tell you about the scenery and locations", they have failed to deliver on every single thing they promised.

Teenagers with Attitude and Zordon of Eltar have done a much, much better job. The difference between profiteer and fan? Maybe.

And this is why I don't participate in Kickstarters.

Plus, this film is pretty much irrelevent once more news about the Lions Gate film comes out.

It was irrelevant once they made claims that they were going to be as resourceful and effective as Saban Brands with the very franchise their fan film is based off of illegally.

If you ask them on what's going on the movie, they will likely tell "We're still working on it". I know smaller movies that are not big budget Hollywood movies take a longer time to finish, but I wish they will give us more updates on this thing.

It's like the Game Show that TGWTG did by asking for money for a Game Show that they set up sometime last year and nothing has shown up since then.

After donating to three things on kickstarter and ever getting the gift/reward from one of the things I've backed (despite the fact that the three things I've backed have produced what they needed the money for), I knew not to donate to this.

My experience with kickstarter/indiegogo, and people who keep their word on their gifts/rewards has made me skeptical of donating to anything, unfortunately.

I don't think anyone can get their money back, but I think they do have a case in regards to not getting the item they donated for.

I think everyone who donated to this mistake deserves a full refund but unfortunately that may never come to past.

I have my doubts with anything Kickstarter and after this debauchery from con artists wishing to use MMPR as a vehicle to stardom I sincerely think Kickstarter will have to redo its business model if it wishes to remain in business.

I also hope karma comes to the scumbags who stole the money meant for this nonsense. Even if MMPR is past its prime it at least needs more respect than this.

Yeah Kickstarter is helping the careers of con artist. They need to get all the inventor's, artist's real information and make them accountable for the money they received, if they can't pay it back give them jail time. Is like when I got scammed first time on ebay, I paid with a money order thinking I was getting the real vhs of Saint Seiya in spanish. Turns out they were bootleg, and I did not get my money back.

And this is exactly why I will never participate in Kickstarter. I find them to be scams. Hell, even Sony themselves said they are not trustworthy for them to be willing to use them.

Of course, there is one thing I must ask, what fan MMPR movie? This is the first I have heard of any such thing. Nevertheless, why would anyone give money to some nobody without any actual proof that he was legit?

If people are that gullible, I should start a Kickstarter that I'm going to build Zedd's palace on the moon.

Now I want to create an account at Rangerboard again and talk about this fan film.

wont that get you banned there...

There's nothing wrong with Kickstarter in and of itself. It's the individuals setting up the projects that can be the issue. I've gone in on a number of things over there over the last couple of years without a problem. That said, I also try to do a bit of research before opening my wallet, but anyone can make a bad investment now and again.

You can't just ban someone for bringing up a movie.

Forever Red.

Heh.

As for the movie... KB I'm glad you made this thread. Someone had to.

Rangerboard and RangerCrew have both disallowed any and all conversation on this film on their boards due to the rather negative reaction the fans give it as well as the fact that the creator of the film acted like a giant prick on those forums.

Unofficial MMPR? Pardon my ignorance on this, but wouldn't that infringe on the rights of... whoever currently has the official rights to MMPR? Could their legal department go after people for investing in this, knowing it to be unofficial and unlicensed?