Thursday, May 31, 2012

Wk 1 - Reading Blog - Copyright Issues


So, as we well know… Copyright law, media history, and file sharing are some of my favorite topics.  I finally finished all of my required “readings” and am ready to respond.  First, I find it interesting that some of my all time favorites are not included.  I have embedded them below for your personal viewing.  However, I did find little interesting jewels to reflect upon in the new stuff.

The Pirate Bay - Official Logo

I appreciated the differentiating between Intellectual property, Patent Law, Copyright law and Trademark.  It was an area that I was unaware of.  Secondly, I found it interesting that the next “battleground” is in the Re-mix.  Really?  I find that not nearly important as File Sharing in the war of intellectual property.  As seen in Good Copy, Bad Copy, many countries readily accept sampling, remixing, and even blatant film piracy, yet they have managed to change the business models to still make money.

A very interesting example was the Brazilian Techno Brega.  The model was an exactly flip from our system.  In Brazil, concerts are the main moneymaker and CDs are simply an advertisement.  In the US, concerts are used to promote the CDS.

The example of the Pixie’s and Techno Brega concerts being recorded live and sold upon leaving the concert.  I have been in the movie industry for years and this is exactly what I proposed for the film industry.  Sell the DVD at the movie theatre.  I was told that no one would want to buy the movie they just saw for full price… I beg to differ.  I feel it is the perfect time.  The audience is hyped and wants a permanent memory to take home.  Brazil is making it happen

I also found it interesting that Weird Al Yankovic’s music video footage, “Don’t Download this Song” was used in the film.  However, it was not credited.
PART 2 – Fair Use

There was some interesting information about Creative Commons.  My favorite quote was, “People like to pay the artists.  People don’t like paying corporations.”

All in all, I was left with a few questions…

As far as Full Sail’s EMDT Program: 
What about past activities that I may have already violated copyright law? 

I thought Fair Use covered me and now I realize that Fair Use is a process…. That I didn’t go through.  Poor Dr. Reo must be cringing at my Storm trooper comic.

Regarding Piracy in General:

Question One:  If the content can’t be bought, is it fair game to share?
Example: The Eyes on the Prize Documentary and others shown in the clip.

Question Two:  If an American film is uploaded somewhere in the world, the link is shared by Sweden, is downloaded by someone in Mexico, and sold to an American tourist… Who is the criminal?

Question Three:  If I post a link to stolen material, am I guilty?  (See Below)

Question Four:  Who is anonymous?  Really...

I leave you with some additional resources and a quote from Dan Glickman from the MPAA.  “We will never stop piracy – We just need to make it very difficult.”


Steal This Movie - Part 1 - The Pirate Bay 



Steal This Movie Part 2 - Post Trial Findings



Exit Through the Gift Shop - All about Art and the graphic art re-mix culture. - 
Features Shepherd Fairy



 RIP, The Remix Manifesto - More Girl Talk


All videos linked directly to YouTube.

5 comments:

  1. I found the differences in how other countries treat copyright interesting too. There are more differences than I had expected. I don’t think I had ever really thought about how other countries create and enforce copyright laws, but now I am even more curious. I thought you had quite an interesting idea in selling the DVD to a movie right after the audience sees it. The whole concert idea to it makes me think that it would work. There are many times that I leave a movie and I already look forward to seeing it again. Then again I am the type of person who can watch the same movie over and over, but I know that I am not the only one. And to be able to watch a film on the big screen and then immediately take it home if I like it would be great. Brazil seems to have some great ideas.

    I was also thinking about the possible copyright laws I have violated during the program. I know that I have always tried to use sites that offer copyright or royalty free materials, but I am becoming more aware of what the laws are. Thank you for the additional videos. I will have to check them out for more information.

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  2. Cherylee,

    You were thorough and informative as always in your blog post on Copyright Issues. I agree with you on the view of providing the Blu Ray/DVD version of the movie at the time of a movie's release to combat video piracy. The movie theaters will never go for it though because I believe they would lose too much money by people buying the movie and foregoing the theater. Personally, there would still be movies I would see at the theater for the ambiance, but for me those are few and far between.

    I liked your thought provoking questions at the end of your posts. To answer question one, now that I know "Eyes on the Prize" can no longer be sold and circulated, I really don't care if it can't be shared legally. If I can find a copy, I am uploading it and making it accessible everywhere I can.

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  3. I loved your questions under Fair Use... LOL (oh, is that phrase copyrighted??)

    Thank you so much for your added insight and videos. I really enjoyed watching them. I also liked your idea about selling the DVD as the folks leave the movie. I would soo buy so many movies, right then and there. I think I would buy more DVDs if I had the chance to buy it right after seeing the movie!

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    1. Cherylee,

      I enjoyed your blog posts regarding the reading for this week. Your perspective was very engaging and informative. I like the questions you posed as well. The question you asked about sharing being fair use? I agree with you, with that question. It seems like the more money someone has, the more likely to access any copyrighted works.

      You did a great job expressing how you perceived the readings.

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  4. Awesome analysis and observations about the "reading." I listed remix as the battleground from a legal content creation point of view, in part, because we need to have a way to recognize the normal process of becoming an artist has history begun with "copying" from the master until one is good enough to make one's own work... There's no question that "sharing" media that you have no permission to share is ... illegal. Etc., etc., etc.

    I do beg to differ about the comment about the CD making the money and the concert being the promo vehicle. The CD does make money, for the record company, money that tends to not make it to the artist (except the superstars who don't need the record company). Many artists whom I've read about and talk to say that they make their money selling T-shirts at the concerts and that's how they make their money.

    Finally, as for selling DVDs at theater, I love that idea, but not at $25 per disk. I believe in supporting artists (just bought an older Peter Gabriel recording directly from his site)... and I won't say anything else about what the record industry can do with their business model... ack.

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