MAC Wk 1 Blog Response - Cherylee Gruber

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.

Cherylee's Post

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.”