'Crowd in a Box' sues 'Inflatable Crowd' for patent violation - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 07-06-2007, 06:01 PM

http://biz.yahoo.com/hfsb/070626/062507_100122128.html?.v=2&printer=1

'Crowd in a Box' sues 'Inflatable Crowd' for patent violation

You've seen them in Million-Dollar Baby, Be Cool, and Ocean's 13: stands crammed with spectators cheering for the hero. But in the movies, sometimes not even the extras are real. To cut costs, filmmakers dress up inflatable vinyl torsos to intersperse among real people in crowd scenes.

Now the two startups in the market are squaring off in court. Crowd in a Box (crowdinabox.com), which holds patents issued in 2004 and 2005 for the use of inflatable humanoid figures in background scenes, is suing Inflatable Crowd for patent violation.

Joe Biggins, owner of Inflatable Crowd (inflatablecrowd.com), declines to comment on the suit but says he came up with the dummy idea independently in 2002, while working on the crew of Seabiscuit. Since then Biggins, 35, has become the market leader, placing his inflatables in more than 50 feature films, while Crowd in a Box has five (plus five TV shows and 22 commercials).

"He seems to have better connections in Hollywood than we do," admits Crowd in a Box co-owner Mark Woolpert, 58, who anticipates a court date in November.

dawsongirl · 07-07-2007, 01:05 AM

Who knew such a thing existed?

Crowd-In-A-Box must be jealous.

TJL · 07-07-2007, 04:23 AM

Seriously, no inflatable judge and jury would ever see this go to trial!

07-06-2007, 06:01 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	'Crowd in a Box' sues 'Inflatable Crowd' for patent violation http://biz.yahoo.com/hfsb/070626/062507_100122128.html?.v=2&printer=1 'Crowd in a Box' sues 'Inflatable Crowd' for patent violation You've seen them in Million-Dollar Baby, Be Cool, and Ocean's 13: stands crammed with spectators cheering for the hero. But in the movies, sometimes not even the extras are real. To cut costs, filmmakers dress up inflatable vinyl torsos to intersperse among real people in crowd scenes. Now the two startups in the market are squaring off in court. Crowd in a Box (crowdinabox.com), which holds patents issued in 2004 and 2005 for the use of inflatable humanoid figures in background scenes, is suing Inflatable Crowd for patent violation. Joe Biggins, owner of Inflatable Crowd (inflatablecrowd.com), declines to comment on the suit but says he came up with the dummy idea independently in 2002, while working on the crew of Seabiscuit. Since then Biggins, 35, has become the market leader, placing his inflatables in more than 50 feature films, while Crowd in a Box has five (plus five TV shows and 22 commercials). "He seems to have better connections in Hollywood than we do," admits Crowd in a Box co-owner Mark Woolpert, 58, who anticipates a court date in November.

07-07-2007, 04:23 AM	#3
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Seriously, no inflatable judge and jury would ever see this go to trial!
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07-07-2007, 01:05 AM	#2
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	Who knew such a thing existed? Crowd-In-A-Box must be jealous.