1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.



Models And Actors Only: Why?

Discussion in 'Managing Your Board' started by [&] sydlet., Feb 17, 2011.

Page 1 of 4
  1. Offline

    [&] sydlet. Call the Daleks.

    Member Since:
    Apr 15, 2008
    Total Posts:
    1,747
    Likes Received:
    45
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    South Carolina
    I'm sure I've asked this before, but...I don't think I've asked it of the admins. Why do you only allow models and actors for playbys? I know sometimes playbys have to be appropriate for the setting, but in a modern, everyday setting, why would you disallow the use of musicians, scene queens, ect? I once was told it would be too 'awkward' to use a particular playby if the admin could not find enough pictures of them. Another site says that PBs have to be well-known.

    I'm curious. Why would you put in this rule whether or not members found it to be hampering their creativity?
    [&] sydlet., Feb 17, 2011
    #1
  2. Offline

    Emilita a little strange

    • Template Coder
    • Support Skinner
    • Graphics Artist
    • All-Rounder
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Total Posts:
    3,735
    Likes Received:
    1,471
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Missouri
    • Awards
    I don't stick to models and actors, but whenever I make a site, I ban all play bys who are not celebrities. If they aren't already in the public eye and know that their pictures are out there (so models, actors, musicians, politicians, etc.) then by using them as your character's face you are putting them in danger.
    Emilita, Feb 17, 2011
    #2
    3 people like this.
  3. Offline

    Sadiekins Member

    Member Since:
    May 10, 2008
    Total Posts:
    751
    Likes Received:
    4
    Gender:
    Female
    Same as Emilita.

    I get a lot of unknown models and very little known actors. I myself use a Norwegian Musician so I guess my rule is "PBs in the Public Eye Only". One I run a real life board and so having someone use a cartoon/drawing would take me personally out of the game when posting and I know a few other people are like this too.

    Secondly, if I can't google and get a wikipedia page that explains you are someone who appears on red carpets at any given time (like musicians, models, and actors do) then how am I to know this isn't some unsuspecting person from myspace/facebook? Celebrities and models have pictures taken of them TO be distributed as many places as possible to advertise themselves because they are a brand. Bobby Sue puts their pictures up to share with their friends. I know I wouldn't want my face plastered all over the internet right now. I don't even let my friends put up pictures on facebook unless I see them first (at least ones I'm in). But if tomorrow I ran for office and put myself out on the public stage then go ahead and use me as a face claim.
    Sadiekins, Feb 17, 2011
    #3
    1 people like this.
  4. Offline

    Alandree Crazy Cat Gentleman

    • Graphics Artist
    Member Since:
    May 11, 2008
    Total Posts:
    1,955
    Likes Received:
    1,037
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    In a kingdom by the sea
    Pretty much what's been said. I've seen boards who ban musicians, and I really don't understand why. They use their image to promote their work just as models and actors do.

    Maybe it's because the focus of their careers are not on how they look, but on the music they create? :/ Not that it holds true, really. Like I said, image is a huge factor whether we wish it was or not.
    Alandree, Feb 17, 2011
    #4
  5. Offline

    Overlord_Fate Also, I'm awesome

    • Rapid Reviewer
    • Graphics Artist
    • Multi-tasker
    • Writer and RPer
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 16, 2009
    Total Posts:
    1,646
    Likes Received:
    839
    Location:
    Indiana, PA
    • Awards
    This is kind of how I feel about it, coupled with the fact that it just feels a little wrong to see someone who's not recognized. We insist on some kind of celebrity on our site, but it's for these types of reasons.

    People who disallow musicians and stuff are usually looking for a certain look to their site. Same reason there's sites out there that only allow models. They want everything to look uniform. Personally, this seems kinda freaky and counter-productive to me, but that's the thought behind it.
    Overlord_Fate, Feb 17, 2011
    #5
  6. Offline

    The Domster Hatty, Des, and Elijah's love interest

    Member Since:
    Oct 23, 2010
    Total Posts:
    3,451
    Likes Received:
    2,269
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Wherever the cute animals are
    • Awards
    IDK, I find it to be a horribly dumb rule.

    I mean, what if you have a site set in a fandom where there are aliens? What about those high fantasies? You'd be limiting the number of species that are able to be played because of such a rule.
    The Domster, Feb 17, 2011
    #6
    1 people like this.
  7. Offline

    Perfect Circle Just call me MegaMan X

    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Jan 22, 2009
    Total Posts:
    1,632
    Likes Received:
    834
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Gotham
    • Awards
    I agree with this. Image plays a larger role than we'd like to admit. Also, like Sadiekins said, if you can't google a particular person and find enough info on them then they might not be a celeb at all. So I figure most admin's like to play it safe and require well known PB's (such as models/actors) instead of a wider range.
    Perfect Circle, Feb 17, 2011
    #7
  8. Offline

    Emilita a little strange

    • Template Coder
    • Support Skinner
    • Graphics Artist
    • All-Rounder
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Total Posts:
    3,735
    Likes Received:
    1,471
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Missouri
    • Awards
    1. It's called photo manipulation. There are people who can do it.
    2. I have never seen a site with lots of playable races who don't look mostly human require RL play bys.
    3. What does that have to do with limiting RL play bys to models and actors or celebrities in general? It hardly matters if a human play by is someone famous or someone no one has heard of: they're still not going to look like an alien.
    Emilita, Feb 17, 2011
    #8
  9. Offline

    Emma The Father's heart is filled with love for us

    Member Since:
    Apr 27, 2007
    Total Posts:
    5,921
    Likes Received:
    10
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Christchurch
    I've seen a primarily alien site with only human PBs allowed. It was awful x.x Almost every alien looked exactly like a human, but with fancy powers.

    I don't understand why non-celebrities aren't allowed. I can understand it if it's a random person who might not want their face used for such a purpose, but if there's permission given, why not?
    Emma, Feb 17, 2011
    #9
  10. Offline

    Emilita a little strange

    • Template Coder
    • Support Skinner
    • Graphics Artist
    • All-Rounder
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Total Posts:
    3,735
    Likes Received:
    1,471
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Missouri
    • Awards
    Oh, that's awful. >_< Sure, the aliens I play look mostly human, but there on a fandom board and they're supposed to look mostly human and over half the races don't look human.

    Permission is really hard to prove. I mean, you can give me some note or something and claim it's them giving you permission, but that's really easy to fake. Even websites "by the person in the photo" can be set up dishonestly. Even then, if they're under 18 I don't think they can legally can consent. I think that their parents have to be the ones to consent to use of the photos. It's just simplest and safest -- for the board and for the subject of the photo -- to disallow all but famous faces.
    Emilita, Feb 17, 2011
    #10
    3 people like this.
  11. Offline

    Vanity Nah nah nah

    Member Since:
    Jun 21, 2008
    Total Posts:
    3,263
    Likes Received:
    1,110
    There was some girl on myspace who got stalked by the kids from 4chan, not just on the internet, but people came around to her house and threatened to rape her and stuff like that. I can't remember her name, but I recognise her face when I see it, and it's often used by RPers.

    She has asked for anyone who has her pictures to be take them off the internet, even though she gave permission for them to be used initially. That's why I wouldn't allow unknown people.
    Vanity, Feb 17, 2011
    #11
    2 people like this.
  12. Offline

    Emilita a little strange

    • Template Coder
    • Support Skinner
    • Graphics Artist
    • All-Rounder
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Total Posts:
    3,735
    Likes Received:
    1,471
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Missouri
    • Awards
    Are you talking about Jessi Slaughter, or did this happen to someone else too?
    Emilita, Feb 17, 2011
    #12
    1 people like this.
  13. Offline

    Vanity Nah nah nah

    Member Since:
    Jun 21, 2008
    Total Posts:
    3,263
    Likes Received:
    1,110
    No, I think it was someone else. I think her name was Casey or something.

    But I don't think it's important who it was. What's important is that permission to use somone's picture once isn't irrevocable, and isn't permission to save it onto your computer and use the picture whenever you feel like it.
    Vanity, Feb 17, 2011
    #13
  14. Offline

    Emilita a little strange

    • Template Coder
    • Support Skinner
    • Graphics Artist
    • All-Rounder
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Total Posts:
    3,735
    Likes Received:
    1,471
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Missouri
    • Awards
    Well, then, that just sort of goes to prove the point, doesn't it? Jessi Slaughter got death threats and such, and this Casey girl got threatened ... using a non-famous person is simply not safe for the person being used.
    Emilita, Feb 17, 2011
    #14
    1 people like this.
  15. Offline

    bohemianRHAPSODY Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 11, 2010
    Total Posts:
    689
    Likes Received:
    1,025
    Gender:
    Female
    Agreed. I believe something similar happened to Zoe Kimball as well, and she requested her images no longer be used on the internet. It's primarily for that reason that I disallow e-famous people, which does preclude a lot of scene people, but not all of them.

    As well, there are some celebrities, like Frieda Pinto, who have specifically requested their images not be used, so I don't allow those people to be used as faces either. However, if the person is an actor/model/musician/in the public eye person who hasn't requested their picture not be used, I'm totally fine with it. (I won't join model's only sites cause I have yet to find a single model that fit the look of any of my characters. Mostly because they are way too skinny.)
    bohemianRHAPSODY, Feb 17, 2011
    #15
  16. Offline

    Elenitsa a seadog looking for new crewmates

    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Aug 3, 2009
    Total Posts:
    4,934
    Likes Received:
    3,898
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Bucharest, Romania
    • Awards
    I fully agree with it. On my site, there are from actors (Hollywood and non-Hollywood, present and past, stars and featuring ones) to models, singers, sportsmen (eg a famous bullfighter for a NPC Spanish sailor) and even an European princess.
    Elenitsa, Feb 17, 2011
    #16
  17. Offline

    Alandree Crazy Cat Gentleman

    • Graphics Artist
    Member Since:
    May 11, 2008
    Total Posts:
    1,955
    Likes Received:
    1,037
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    In a kingdom by the sea
    :( I heard about that too. It just goes to show how many psychotic freaks there really are on the internet, and how close they can be to you, whether you realize it or not.

    So basically, I believe that using the face of anyone who is not intentionally using their own image to make a career for themselves (with actual monetary gain) should not be used as a PB. Internet celebrities really shouldn't be used unless they somehow make it big and start being featured in other media and start getting paid for their work.
    Alandree, Feb 17, 2011
    #17
  18. Offline

    Emilita a little strange

    • Template Coder
    • Support Skinner
    • Graphics Artist
    • All-Rounder
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Total Posts:
    3,735
    Likes Received:
    1,471
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Missouri
    • Awards
    Like Tila Tequila! She was in at least one movie (that I've noticed) and gets on the news and had a reality show and everything. She's moved from "internet celebrity" to "celebrity" because she's crossed over from being internet-only.

    Of course, you'd need a very specific character to use Tila. XD She's something of a character herself.
    Emilita, Feb 17, 2011
    #18
  19. Offline

    Alandree Crazy Cat Gentleman

    • Graphics Artist
    Member Since:
    May 11, 2008
    Total Posts:
    1,955
    Likes Received:
    1,037
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    In a kingdom by the sea
    Huh, i hadn't actually thought of reality stars before...I'd feel kind of weird using one for a PB, but I guess they'd technically count as paid celebrities...
    Alandree, Feb 17, 2011
    #19
  20. Offline

    Emilita a little strange

    • Template Coder
    • Support Skinner
    • Graphics Artist
    • All-Rounder
    • 'D Contributor
    • Community Challenger
    • Community Devoted
    Member Since:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Total Posts:
    3,735
    Likes Received:
    1,471
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Missouri
    • Awards
    It's a little beyond just a reality star for Tila, because she also does modeling, singing ... um, everything she can get attention for or get hired to do, entertainment-wise. But I'd definitely be more comfortable with someone who was one one reality show once than an internet celebrity.
    Emilita, Feb 17, 2011
    #20
Page 1 of 4

Share This Page