'Twilight' Town Tempts Copyright, But Summit Doesn't Bite

Forks, a tiny town of 3,000 nestled in Washington's Olympic Peninsula, has been christened by the people who live in this rainswept region the "logging capital of the world." But a town best known for its timber and trout fishing has in recent years become famous for something beside its gloomy weather -- vampires.

Stephenie Meyer 's decision to set the "Twilight" saga in this sleepy hamlet -- the latest in the franchise, "New Moon," opens on Friday -- has meant big business for an economically depressed area. Taking advantage of the newfound notoriety, however, is not without its risks, as local businesses flirt with copyright infringement every time they invoke the franchise.

Where once a mere 8,000 people found their way each year to a place so remote that elk idle on its airstrip, Forks now attracts more than 67,000 tourists annually. They come to retrace the steps of Bella, the book's lovelorn heroine; her befanged lover, Edward; and his vulpine rival for Bella's affections, Jacob (who later becomes a werewolf).

Those hoping to see the atmospheric, mist-infused setting of the 2008 film "Twilight" and its soon-to-open sequel "New Moon" will be disappointed: Those movies were filmed primarily outside of Portland, Oregon.

Still, there's plenty here to appeal to the "Twilight" faithful. "Twilight" bus tours take visitors to sites mentioned in the books, with a stop for a meal at Three Rivers Resort, which marks the treaty line the novel's vampires are forbidden to breach. "Twilight" souvenir stores line the town's main street, hawking everything from plastic fangs to Robert Pattinson posters. There's even a lounge that caters to "Twilight"-themed weddings and events.

In light of the newfound mania for all things Forks, the director of the town's Chamber of Commerce has become accustomed to answering questions as seemingly lunatic as where the best camping spots are to avoid vampire attacks.

Forks (pictured above) recently made national news when it was announced that plans were under way for a "Twilight"-themed restaurant in the heart of downtown with the working name of Volterra, presumably a reference to the Italian city where a coven of vampires in the second book reside.

"It's been a wonderful thing," said Marcia Bingham, director of the Forks Chamber of Commerce. "There were all these empty storefronts that are filling up with 'Twilight' stores. Tourism has taken off here, and when the next movie opens we're expecting it to get inflated again."

But for Summit Entertainment, the studio  that produces the "Twilight" movies, the town of Forks presents a challenge.

The company does not want to be seen as cracking down on a town that has been hard-hit by the economic downturn. And it does not want to alienate fans by suing those who feed their passion for "Twilight."

On the other hand -- Summit also can't be seen as failing to protect its own intellectual property.

(See a slideshow of famous fictional movie towns.)

"These franchises present a delicate balancing act where companies want to enforce copyright, preserve the right for sequels and derivative product, and create ancillary products that turn a profit, but they don’t want to be over-enforcing rights to the point where it creates a backlash among fans," said John Tehranian, an intellectual property and entertainment lawyer with One LLP in California.

For the most part, Summit has handled Forks with caution.

 

1 | 2 | 3