THIS IS NOT OKAY.
I am absolutely livid right now. It's not OK to use intellectual property without permission. It's not OK to use people's life stories without permission. And it's DEFINITELY not OK to get people to play someone without their permission.
Here's the run-down:
A while back, a group who was part of the Creator Collective - Asia programme contacted me. They said that they wanted to use my story as Singapore's First Mermaid to create a video and "headline a pitch to Singapore Tourism Board. STB is looking for ideas for a campaign to get Singaporeans to buy into the latest tagline for their campaign, "Passion made Possible". They said that "this is a pitch video to STB, it will be very short and it won't be broadcast or made public... We get real clients like Lazada, Chan Brothers etc, and my group has Singapore Tourism Board as a client."
STB was unaware of these micro-happenings and is not at fault.
I sent them some underwater footage taken of me by myself and my contacts, as a sample for what filming underwater with me would look like.
Based on this knowledge that it was a pitch to STB and the impression the contact gave that it was an official pitch and prospective job, I agreed to meet up with them to find out more about the project.
It was only when I met them in person that the group clarified that this "pitch" was part of a campaign simulation competition held for all the Creator Collective groups, and was a student initiative.
I was unable to commit to the project and didn't hear back from the group again.
... Fast forward to today, when I realized with a shock that the group went ahead to produce their final presentation video using my story. Using my underwater videos, my IP. They had also taken some videos about me from YouTube - the video IP for these lay with other news companies who hadn't given permission either. Note that I'd not heard anything from the group in ages and had not in any way been informed that they were going ahead with my story. Neither had I given permission for my mermaiding videos to be used. None of the videos were credited to me, giving the impression that the group had filmed the underwater sequences themselves and that the impersonator (read on) was really me.
[/edit: we've realized that the group also snagged and ripped some videos of myself and the Singapore Mermaid School and our clients off YouTube. This means that 1) not only are there multiple infractions because all those people were featured in the group's presentation without knowledge or consent, but also that 2) Channel NewsAsia 's intellectual property has been similarly compromised, as one of the clips was created and published by them as a feature on us]
To top that all off - they roped in a random person to impersonate me in a faux-interview. She appears in the video subtitled and credited as me: "Cara/Syrena: Founder of the Singapore Mermaid School". Artistic liberties were also taken with my life story: e.g I have never lived by the ocean.
The real kicker? Using this video about my life story, my IP, and my abused, misrepresented image, this project was presented to STB (an organization I had hoped to work with in the future) and bagged the group 1st Prize in this year's Creator Collective competition and a $7000 grant cheque to fund their future projects.
Adding to all that, this has since been published on:
- YouTube (since taken down, but not before it garnered views)
- Instagram
- major news sites such as Straits Times
- Business Times + Business Times' Twitter
- and in print newspapers.
Here is the link to an album containing all of the evidence: https://drive.google.com/open?id=18auehI29f_bm5YCBU-YkrxC2A4Wh7h9q
We cropped out their IG usernames and blurred their eyes because I can't help being nice.
There might be other media outlets running the story of the win that I'm not aware of as well.
Call it a miscommunication all you want, but 1) to use someone's life story without permission 2) to use someone's IP without permission 3) to impersonate/allow impersonation without permission or a disclaimer is wrong in all books.
I'm not usually a confrontational person. I don't enjoy drama. But on the behest of the people in my life who have all supported me and journeyed with me through this hard-earned career, I have to speak out. To defend my name. My reputation. This brand I've built from the bottom up over years. My image, which I've honed to the standard of excellence that myself, my school, and my mermaids are known for locally and internationally.
I hope that the right people see this, and do the right things to correct this wrong. This shouldn't have happened.
UPDATE 1: I have posted a video to my page talking about recent updates.
UPDATE 2: Article posted by Rice Media, detailing both sides of the story. A highly detailed account - read it and decide for yourself what to think of all this. http://ricemedia.co/current-affairs-features-students-stole-work-impersonated-me-won-7000/
UPDATE 3: CC has finally connected me with STB. Her email, however, continues to victim blame. She also has attempted to change tack to claim that the phone call and request to silence my post was her own personal request. This is false. She made it extremely clear in 2 separate phonecall occasions to myself and my business partner that 1) STB had complained to CC that my post presents STB in a bad light and 2) It was STB who had told CC to tell me to take my post down.
UPDATE 4: I responded with an email addressing the victim blaming and the continued allegations CC/BNM continues to make.
I said that although I have considerable legal grounds, I want to give the groups a chance to voluntarily make reparations. I simply asked for 2 official public apologies: one by CC/BNM and one by Magnificent 7.
I also clearly stated that these 2 apologies would have to be vetted by me before circulation. (lest the 2 parties miss out or misrepresent certain events and clauses)
UPDATE 5 (MAJOR): STB replied this email, stating that they treat IP theft and impersonation very seriously. They also stated that they did NOT complain about my post to Joanne of CC/BNM, and never contacted her to tell me to take my post down.
UPDATE 6 (MAJOR) : I have received word from a reporter contacting me for my side of the story, that CC has gone ahead to issue an official statement cum press release focusing on winner disqualification.
Note that it's been radio silence from them to me.
UPDATE 7: I have posted my final statement on my page.
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