YouTube Personality Entrapped by Machinima Contract

Robert Hastings writes, "Earlier today a popular YouTube personality known as “Braindeadly” posted what he claims to be his final upload to the popular video streaming site. Within, he bid a somber farewell to the significant audience he has built since his channel was brought online less than a year ago. The video runs at only 1 minute and 9 seconds and is set against the backdrop of the sort of doleful melody one might hear at the tragic end of some Nicholas Sparks romance. In the case of Braindeadly, whose real name I could not find, this tone is effective in carrying his message."

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Make a deal with the devil...

[zeal0us]

Yep. Always read what you're signing. Make sure to check the fine print too.

[TekoIie]

Thing is greed will always get the better of someone no matter who you are. Machinima were okay a few years ago and now they're nearly as bad as the gaming publishers (not quite but they're approaching that sort of status).

[RobertDevious]

Absolutely. I have to say that I think Machinima's stance of "you're with us for life" seems more than a little draconian though. This entire situation is creating some really bad press for the company and I don't doubt that Braindeadly will be out of his contract within the next month or two. It wouldn't surprise me if I am wrong, but I don't think I am.

[Sev]

I don't feel bad at all. He should have read what he was signing, or hired a lawyer to read it over if he didn't understand it.

He signed, he has to abide by the contract. I'm sure Machinima paid him well for his channel and this contract, who is he to just "get out of it". That's the whole point behind contracts.

So boo hoo, kid. Next time you'll read or hire a lawyer. Life lesson learned.

[TopDudeMan]

I think the reason why that clause is there in the first place is to ensure he doesn't leave and start his own rival company, once he has taken all of their fans.

[WeskerChildReborned]

Exactly, but people are whining about it on Youtube videos and to me, that sound's pretty fishy that he would get a lifetime contract while most other partners only get yearly ones so this could just be an attempt to boost his popularity by having people spread his name(like they're doing on Youtube). Point is, people should stop hating on Machinima because he wasn't smart enough to read his contract when he signed it.

[Tony-Red-Grave]

the new intrigues but Machinima is complete crap to me. Sorry for offensive language but they seem to be less and less worth watching.

That aside people should read what they sign.

[FlashXIII]

I guess a young man learned a lesson the hard way. While in truth he should always read what he's signing, he is young so cut the guy some slack.

[Sev]

I'm sorry, but no slack is deserved. He has to be at least 18 years old to sign the contract, so he is an adult. You want to make money, you want to sign contracts, then you have to learn to play with the big boys. Machinima is a corporation and have to protect their assets. This kid should have asked his parents or hired a lawyer. Shit, there's even free legal advice out there.

Sucks he made a mistake, but he can learn from it. But nobody should feel bad.

[FlashXIII]

So you never made a mistake like that when you was younger? I made LOADS and learned from each of them. Maybe you're some sort of ultra smart Harvard grad who is immune to mistakes or some BS but for many of us, we learn from our mistakes and that is all what this is.

[xCaptainAmazing]

It clearly states at the bottom of page 3 that the contract is perpetual and has no end date.

Then again, it's still possible for him to get out of it. He just needs to find a way to convince them to terminate his contract without breaking any of the clauses.

Just find a way to repeatedly piss them off in a way that isn't against anything you signed and they'll likely ditch you.

[TopDudeMan]

Honestly, I thought the video was meant as a joke when I first saw it.

[WeskerChildReborned]

I kinda don't believe it cause why would most other partners get yearly contracts but this specific guy get's a lifetime contract? Their is just something that's not adding up cause this guy isn't even that popular until yesterday, when people kept talking about him on Youtube.

[RobertDevious]

I don't believe that Braindeadly is fabricating the situation. It is certainly possible that Machinima is feeding him false information about his own contract, though I am not going to accuse them of that. It's just possible is all. At the same time Braindeadly could be misunderstanding things, but that also seems a bit far-fetched.

[XboxInnovation]

Who, what? Never heard of em

[TheModernKamikaze]

Even thought I never knew him I still feel bad for the guy.

[Kurylo3d]

BOYCOTT machinima

[ginsunuva]

But we dont buy anything from them in the first place

[Kurylo3d]

They make money off of us none the less via advertising... if you boycott them they cant make money off advertising.

[ShottySnipa417]

Ad-blocker would like to speak with you.

[OhReginald]

@kury

ummmm....

1. Its a free service.
2. It was his CHOICE to sign the contract in the first place
3. you are retarded

[Kurylo3d]

1.)boycotting doesnt just mean dont buy from them.. it means dont give them any hits.. they make a ton of money off advertising.

Boycott them as a company.

2.)Sure... give a nieve kid a peice of paper to sign with no legal expertise because of hte promise of money. Do you really think he questioned how nice they were being to him, probably lieing through their teeth as they spoke to him and told him the contract meant something totally different. Do you really think that he expected the outcome? Do you really think he could afford a lawyer, most young men cant. Cant say for sure in his situation.

3.) Im retarded why? cause I dont support corporations that blatantly take advantage of the legal system to keep the little guy down. I dont agree with people controlling me and everything I Do.

I mean look at what they did to him... its one thing to say you cant work for a competitor while your still employed with this company... but its quite another thing to say you cant do your stock and trade ever again.. even if u decide to quit. I bet he can fight this in court if he had the money.

Think about it.. your current employer you dont want to work for anymore, but your not allowed to get a job doing what you went to college for ever again... hmm.. that is whats retarded. And you are the one who is retarded for supporting something so rediculous.

I for one will boycott ever viewing anything from that site ever again. They cant make money off advertising if they have no one to advertise too.

I mean damn.. just imagine if every company did this... people would have no rights. Machinima doesnt own youtube.. and they do not own the internet.

I mean damn.. they went and told him he cant have a youtube page ever again. Thats like the equivilant of your boss telling you your not allowed to have a facebook page ever again n life cause you worked for this company... its rediculous. Its social media. They dont own it.

[fatboyfsx]

@ Kurylo3d

That's pretty smart of you just assume this: "probably lieing through their teeth as they spoke to him and told him the contract meant something totally different"

By the way in the video he said he couldn't afford a lawyer, so you can say for sure in his situation.

oh, and... I mean damn... its rediculous. I mean damn... its rediculous. I mean damn!

[Reborn]

Hmm, don't they have to give him back his rights after 5 years? I remember something with another firm in California?

Or was that a one-off? I'm not lawyer, but next time he'll make sure he's 100% aware. Plus, come on. He's accepted it's his fault. He didn't try and blame Machinima for it. He's noted it's his own fault.

[WeskerChildReborned]

Yea but he basically is putting it all on Machinima for posting the reason he's leaving Youtube and even posting pictures of the contract.

[RobertDevious]

Just to clarify, Braindeadly was NOT the one who posted the contract to Reddit. That was a user called MachinimaThrowAway, who apparently works for the company in some capacity.

[Emilio_Estevez]

Solution, have someone else set up a new channel and 'work for them'.

[Adityac]

Why can't he just violate some terms or conditions and get himself fired?

[xCaptainAmazing]

because then they can sue him for breaching contract. he needs to find a way to make them hate him without breaking any rules.

For example, he could create videos that barely meet the requirements of his contract, and purposefully tank the channel.