Posted by: Christian on November 21, 2008

Interview: Case and Andreas

First off, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Let's start by finding out how you started collaborating together.

Case:

I was developing the idea to have a place where every artist ripped in their own works could denounce the theft in a public way. One night many years ago I talked to Andreas to have a help about something very technical (I don't remember actually what it was) and together we decided to create RipperHunting. We had great help from Mikale Lindstrom too for the php part.

Andreas:

Believe it was in the start of the Ripperhunting project, Fabio had started a site to which you could report rippers which I joined for some reason I cant remember right now. But it lead to that I helped him out and become a co-owner.

When did you start Ripper Hunting?

Case:

OMG.... I think it was something like 6-7 years ago...

Andreas:

The domain was registered in 2003 I believe, but the site was first online under another URL for some time.

Where did the idea of Ripper Hunting come from?

Case:

I was talking through MSN with a guy who was complaining some works of him was stolen. So I asked if it could be useful to have a website where to denounce the ripper, showing the proof. He was very happy about the idea , so I started to develop the project.

Andreas:

Well, it was all Fabio's idea.

Have you had any person experience with your work being ripped?

Case:

I've been lucky until now because only the logo of the Imagewall, my personal website, has been ripped.

Andreas:

Yes, my website have been ripped 2-3 times, but a long time since last. Also some of my photographs have been used without permissions.

The web scene has changed a lot since the glory days of Ripper Hunting, do you think it's still necessary to have a community to fight this problem? Is ripping still a problem?

Case:

Rippers are always round the corner, ready to copy everything. What's is very surprising is that they don't understand why the original creator is very angry after their ripping!

Andreas:

It will always be someone who takes others work, so yes. I do believe more people knows today what's ok or not and the problem ain't that big as before.

What have you been working on since Ripper Hunting?

Case:

I and Andreas created Kreativika, a web communuity for digital artists and digital photographers but it lasted only two years. I'm actually founder and administrator of Fantasyana, a web community dedicated to digital or traditional art (www.fantasyana.com), and going to publish "Amazing Events" our first Art magazine (see www.fantasyanapublishing.com)

Andreas:

I have had a couple of idea's for web forums, an English photo forum and a Swedish forum for almost every kind of topics I started to work on, but they are resting at the moment, and hope to be able to launch them one day.

Mostly I have concentrated on my photography, and started a web hosting service and vBulletin skin site with some of my friends, their I have the role of web and skin designer and co-owner.

Nex project is to launch a new personal site, with my photo portfolio under the name ShutterSlave.com.

Thank you for your time, any last words?

Case:

Good luck with Ripper Hunting and make a good job with "our baby"! :-)

Andreas:

Stay safe, don't rip.

As a closing thought, I am extremely excited to see where ripperhunting.com can go from here. I always believed that Ripper Hunting had a greater message than just stopping the ripper. The message to explore the depths of imagination and let creativity flow. I can only hope we can bring together a community that is not afraid to explore the unknown.