Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons^™

An Evolving Landscape: Name, Image, And Likeness Rights In High, Adam Epstein -- Professor, Dept. Of Finance And Law, Nathaniel Grow -- Associate Professor Of Business Law & Ethics, Kathryn Kisska-Schulze -- Assoc. Professor Of Business Law

Vanderbilt Law Review

Amateur sports have entered a changing landscape. The onset of Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) opportunities at the college level has prompted over half of state high school athletic associations to likewise permit high school student-athletes to pursue similar financial opportunities. The purpose of this Essay is not to argue for or against the emergence of NIL opportunities at the high school level but instead to explore this newly evolving landscape, identify accompanying financial dangers, and propose a statutory framework that builds upon California’s Coogan’s Law—a measure providing financial safeguards to children working in the entertainment industry—to better protect minor …

Copyright Co-Ownership In Uncertain Times: How Security Interests Can Save The Day, Evie Whiting, Ashleigh Stanley

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Films and television series are increasingly being created undera co-production model, making copyright co-ownership a common occurrence in the world of Hollywood content creation. So long as each co-owner’s rights are pre-negotiated and specifically delineated in their contracts, the co-owners can rest assured that their rights to the project and any potential derivative works are safe. Or can they?

In the modern entertainment landscape, where tentpole programming and related spinoffs and derivatives are the gold standard of content creation, the proper protection of co-owned copyrights is more important than ever. But tenuous financial outlooks pose a looming, existential threat to …

The Non-Recording, Non-Artist" Recording Artist": Expanding The Recording Artist's Brand Into Non-Music Arenas, Suzanne Kessler

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The changing nature of the music business presents earnings challenges for both record labels and recording artists. Historically, labels and artists entered into recording contracts pursuant to which the artists created music which the labels funded, distributed, marketed, and promoted. Many artists made good livings from music sales, earning dollars per album, while the labels profited even more. However, as digital delivery, especially streaming, now supplants physical records as the primary music consumption manner, the money that labels and artists realize from music sales has significantly decreased. In particular, artists earn fractions of pennies per track streamed. Labels, too, are …

College Athlete Rights After O'Bannon: Where Do College Athlete Intellectual Property Rights Go From Here?, Victoria Roessler

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The recent O'Bannon v. NCAA decision, which gave student athletes a right in products that exploit their image and likeness, will have a profound impact on college athlete rights. This giant step forward will propel student athletes to fight for more intellectual property rights. Following the footsteps of professional athletes, these rights will likely include copyrighting sports moves, touchdown celebrations, and signature phrases as well as trademarking nicknames and touchdown dances. This Note encourages the adoption of a program giving student athletes these rights and allowing them to receive compensation, uncapped, that they would split evenly with his or her …

Guantanamo's Greatest Hits: The Semiotics Of Sound And The Protection Of Performer Rights Under The Lanham Act, John Tehranian

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

As Bruce Springsteen and Ronald Reagan, Jackson Brown and John McCain, and Tom Morello and Paul Ryan can attest, the exploitation of creative works for political or commercial purposes that run contrary to artists' ideals can stir passions and trigger lawsuits. Yet for performers who are not authors of the exploited works, there is little meaningful legal relief provided by the federal Copyright Act. Instead, such performers--from featured singers and dancers to actors and other personalities known for their distinctive traits--have leaned on alternative theories for recovery, thereby raising the specter of liability outside of copyright law for such unwelcome …

The Derivative Right, Or Why Copyright Law Protects Foxes Better Than Hedgehogs, Daniel J. Gervais

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

The derivative right is at the very core of copyright theory. What can and cannot be reused to create a new work impacts freedom of expression but also impacts the value of the markets for works and their various “derivatives.” The derivative right includes forms of derivation and adaptation, such as making a movie from a novel or translating a book. It also covers what this Article refers to as penumbral derivatives, which the US Copyright Act captures using the phrase “based upon” with respect to preexisting works. This leads to indeterminacy about the scope of the derivative right, which …

Performance Royalties For Sound Recordings On Terrestrial Radio: A Private Solution To A Public Problem, J. P. Urban

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

US copyright law provides for a digital performance right in sound recordings but does not provide for a performance right in sound recordings when broadcast over terrestrial radio. Proponents of this asymmetry posit that the difference relates to the promotional value of terrestrial radio to record labels, but this rationale has eroded in recent years. The recording industry experienced a drastic decline at the turn of the millennium, and record labels have attempted many creative approaches to bridging the profit gap. Major labels and radio conglomerates of late have begun negotiating private contracts that effectively extend the benefits of a …

Copyright's Creative Hierarchy In The Performing Arts, Michael W. Carroll

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Copyright law grants authors certain rights of creative control over their works. This Article argues that these rights of creative control are too strong when applied to the performing arts because they fail to take account of the mutual dependence between writers and performers to fully realize the work in performance. This failure is particularly problematic in cases in which the author of a source work, such as a play or a choreographic work, imposes content-based restrictions on how a third party may render the work in performance. This Article then explores how Congress might craft a statutory license to …

Drawing A Line In The Sand: Copyright Law And New Museums, Megan M. Carpenter

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Over the last twenty years, audience attendance at museums, galleries, and performing arts institutions in the United States has decreased dramatically. Major museums and galleries are considering ways to add engaging and meaningful value to the user experience with technology, from incorporating user-generated content to creating multimedia installations billed as "collaborative" works.

In 2010, the Dallas Museum of Art's Coastlines: Images of Land and Sea exhibition featured landscapes from 1850 to the present, as well as a sound installation composed by students and faculty at a local university, which played on speakers throughout the show and responded directly to the …

What's Wrong With U.S.?: Why The United States Should Have A Public Performance Right For Sound Recordings, William Henslee

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Article discusses the need for the United States to implement a public performance royalty for sound recordings. Under the current system, song writers are compensated for the use of their musical works, but performers on sound recordings do not receive any compensation. Radio and television stations currently pay the performing rights societies a royalty for playing the sound recordings, but they do not pay a performance royalty to the artists who perform the music and record companies that promote and release the sound recordings. Proposed legislation will add a performance royalty for artists and record companies to the current …

Cut In Tiny Pieces: Ensuring That Fragmented Ownership Does Not Chill Creativity, Henry H. Perritt Jr.

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The market for video entertainment is growing and becoming more diverse as technology reduces barriers to entry for small, independent moviemakers and distributors and increases consumers' ability to access the media of their choice. The growing complexity of the market, however, increases transaction costs for new entrants who must obtain licenses to copyrighted music, characters, storylines, or scenes that they incorporate into their movies. The entertainment bonanza offered by new technologies may not be realized in practice because of market failure. The purposes of the Copyright and Patents Clause are frustrated because creators of new works wishing to use new …

Guerrilla Radio: Has The Time Come For A Full Performance Right In Sound Recordings?, Lauren E. Kilgore

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Musicians and songwriters occupy a unique place in society as purveyors of composition and expression that impart an intangible benefit to society. Understanding the value of "Science and useful Arts," the Founders provided Constitutional protection for individuals spending time, money, and energy pursuing creative endeavors. Music defines generations and pivotal moments in history, and has rightfully taken its place at the forefront of human expression. When music began reaching the masses in the early twentieth century, both record labels and radio, even in its infancy, helped propel artists to the national spotlight. Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, and Pearl Jam all …

Dead On The Vine: Living And Conceptual Art And Vara, Charles Cronin

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA) broadened general copyright protection under U.S. law by granting to artists who have created certain copyrightable physical works of visual art, the moral rights of attribution and integrity. Since the time of VARA's enactment (and for some time before) many artists have worked with unconventional genres and media to produce art that is not comfortably accommodated among the visual art works contemplated by VARA. An increasing number of recent works of Conceptual and Appropriationist Art raise doubts about fixation and original expression, both of which are required for copyrightability which, in turn, …

The Tangled Web Of Ugc: Making Copyright Sense Of User-Generated Content, Daniel J. Gervais

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Even as a mere conceptual cloud, the term "user-generated content" is useful to discuss the societal shifts in content creation brought about by the participative web and perhaps best epitomized by the remix phenomenon. This Article considers the copyright aspects of UGC. On the one hand, the production of UGC may involve both the right of reproduction and the right of adaptation-the right to prepare derivative works. On the other hand, defenses against claims of infringement of these rights typically rely on (transformative) fair use or the fact that an insubstantial amount (such as a quote) of the preexisting work …

Illegal P2p File Sharing On College Campuses--What's The Solution?, Antionette D. Bishop

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Since the introduction of Napster in 1999, illegal peer-to-peer(P2P) file sharing has been a continuously growing problem for the music industry. According to the music industry, Internet users are allowed to copy and distribute millions of songs and other copyright-protected material illegally by using internet networks and P2P file-sharing software. To stop the illegal P2P file sharing, the music industry has taken action against the individuals who participate in illegal file sharing, as well as the parties that promote and facilitate the illegal activity, by filing numerous lawsuits. The music industry has successfully sought to hold facilitating parties, such as …

Dealing With Casual Piracy: Limiting Distribution Of Copyrighted Content With Digital Rights Management, Bimal J. Rajkomar

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This article argues that it is possible to implement DRM schemes without eroding the public's trust by offering consumers a choice between technologically-restricted and unrestricted content. Part I discusses how DRM have harmed voluntary compliance with the law. Part II examines the biggest copyright governance issue confronting peer-to-peer networks: casual piracy. Part III explain show a bifurcated licensing scheme can allow content providers to benefit from DRM without incurring its usual costs. Note that some music distributors and labels have begun to adopt this licensing structure.

Defending Artistry By Deleting "Dead Capital:" Sony, Grokster, And The Supreme Court's Lost Opportunity To Eradicate The "Substantial Non-Infringing Use" Doctrine, Joshua E. Carpenter

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The administration of copyright law manages the trade-off between the benefits derived from encouraging the creation of works and artistic protection and the cost of restricting access. Copyright law cannot work without a strong legal system that strictly reads the rights granted to those seeking the law's protection and against those seeking to find creative ways to avert the law's protections. Ironically, certain technology providers want protection against others' infringement on their technological creations, but they accept that their businesses base themselves on eroding the value of another's hard work and innovation. Sony allows technology companies to hide behind the …

A Bright Line At Any Cost: The Sixth Circuit Unjustifiably Weakens The Protection For Musical Composition Copyrights In Bridgeport Music V.Dimension Films, Michael J. Galvin

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

On June 3, 2005, the Sixth Circuit issued its final amended opinion in Bridgeport Music v. Dimension Films,' in which it held that any amount of unauthorized digital sampling from a sound recording is per se copyright infringement. The court justified this ruling on what it termed a "literal reading" of Section 114 of the Copyright Act, which covers the rights a copyright holder has in a sound recording. While such a bright-line rule may have some superficial appeal, the court's efforts at harmonizing current music industry practices with copyright laws written long before such practices were commonplace has resulted …

Moral Rights Protection In The United States And The Effect Of The Family Entertainment And Copyright Act Of 2005 On U.S. International Obligations, Brandi L. Holland

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Alteration of a motion picture has become legal as a result of the Family Movie Act, an attachment to the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act approved by Congress and signed by the President in early-2005. The "family movie" provision, championed by U.S. Representative Lamar Smith, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's Internet and Intellectual Property Subcommittee, indemnifies any company that makes filtered versions of movies without authorization from the copyright owners. Proponents claim the bill is a way to put content-filtering back into the hands of individual families, while critics claim their copyrights are violated whenever a company redistributes their …

Distinctly Delineated Fictional Characters That Constitute The Story Being Told: Who Are They And Do They Deserve Independent Copyright Protection?, Jasmina Zecevic

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Part I of this paper discusses the characteristics that make literary characters especially difficult to protect. Part II describes the historical treatment of literary characters and the two main tests used to determine whether they are entitled to independent copyright protection. Part III demonstrates that the two tests currently used are not adequate tools for determining when copyright law protects literary characters. Part IV explores the possibility of using trademark and unfair competition laws to offer partial protection to fictional characters. Part V presents an argument that literary characters do not need independent protection because they are already sufficiently protected …

Spam Vs. Ms. Piggy: An Entertainment Law Cautionary Tale, Candi Henry

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

In terms of blockbusters, 1996 was a good year for film. Action-packed movies like Twister, Independence Day, and Mission Impossible competed for ticket sales with popular comedies Jerry Maguire, The First Wives Club, and The Birdcage. The critical favorite, The English Patient, also made a strong showing. Together, those films grossed almost $1.2 billion in domestic ticket sales alone, yet it was the modestly-performing family flick, Muppet Treasure Island that arguably made the biggest impact in entertainment law that year. That impact was not, however, the result of a landmark ruling. Rather, Hormel Foods Corporation v. Jim Henson Productions serves …

Creative Industries In Developing Countries And Intellectual Property Protection, Lauren Loew

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

International intellectual property law (hereafter referred to as IP law) has an increasingly important significance for international trade and relations. From the music industry to the drug industry, intellectual property is a lucrative market, and both individuals and corporations have a lot to lose from the infringement of intellectual property rights. For example, music is a $40 billion worldwide industry. According to the Recording Industry Association of American (RIAA), the music industry loses approximately $4.2 billion each year to worldwide piracy. Although these facts bring to light the economic losses of industries and individuals from IP infringement, the global community …

A Winner Is Who? Fair Use And The Online Distribution Of Manga And Video Game Fan Translations, Jaime E. Muscar

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This note examines the legality of fan translations of Japanese comic books, known as manga, and video games distributed over the Internet, with special consideration given to the application of the fair use doctrine. Technology related to the distribution of media online grows exponentially compared to the law governing this technology. Although much recent litigation has limited the online distribution of traditional media, both copyright holders and courts have largely ignored a fringe segment of this distribution. This fringe includes manga and video games. Manga can be easily shared online by scanning images, and video games are now frequently converted …

The Downhill Battle To Copyright Sonic Ideas In Bridgeport Music, Matthew S. Garnett

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Note argues that the bright-line rule announced in Bridgeport Music should not apply where the disputed digital sample appropriates only the "sonic" ideas of the original work. The main thrust of this argument is that the Sixth Circuit's holding in Bridgeport Music is inapplicable where the disputed copying is a protected exercise of "fair use" reverse engineering; that is, where copying is necessary to appropriate the "sonic" ideas embodied in the sampled work.

Part II of this Note presents a brief history of digital sampling, including its application in the Hip-Hop musical genre. Part III presents a walkthrough of …

Some Catching Up To Do, Kara M. Wolke

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The analysis begins with a discussion of the purposes behind the WPPT and the international recognition of a general sound recording performance right. Part I discusses Congress' partial implementation of the WPPT through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) and the digital performance right. Part II explores the value that recognition of the full public performance right under the WPPT would create for the American music industry. Finally, Part III proposes a solution in the form of an amendment to the Copyright Act and the coordination of national and international performance rights organizations.

Copyright Infringement In The Indian Film Industry, Rachana Desai

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Note focuses on the largest of these industries: Bollywood, the center of Hindi language cinema. In recent years, nearly eight out of every ten Bollywood scripts have been inspired by one or more Hollywood films. Previously, this widespread problem was not visible to those outside of India. The emergence of the internet and better global communications, however, have made Westerners more aware of the cultural copy situation in India. In 2003, best-selling fiction writer Barbara Taylore-Bradford brought a copyright infringement suit against Sahara Television for allegedly making a television series out of her book "A Woman of Substance." After …

"It's Mine! No, It's Mine! No, It's Mine!" Works-Made-For-Hire, Section 203 Of The Copyright Act, And Sound Recordings, Adam H. Dunst

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Under Section 203 of the 1976 Copyright Act, assignments of copyrights by authors after January 1, 1978, are subject to termination starting 35 years through 40 years after the date of the grant, regardless of any term stated in the agreement. Congress intended that authors have the opportunity to repossess copyrights and enjoy future rewards of their creative works at a point in time when they have a better sense of their works' values and more bargaining power. This "second bite at the apple" protects authors from transfers for which they were inadequately compensated. To protect authors' interests, the Copyright …

An Analysis Of The Recording Industry's Litigation Strategy Against Direct Infringers, Kristina Groennings

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

In the fall of 2003, suing direct infringers may have been the only recourse left to the recording industry. The industry faced a long-term trend of a decrease in sales, due largely to file-sharing. The decline in album sales following the inception of Napster, from 1999 through 2002, had been the most dramatic in the past 30 years. CD sales were down from $13.2 billion in 2000 to $11.2 billion in 2003. The industry's victory in Napster was fleeting, as publicity over the issue increased awareness of peer-to-peer (P2P) technology and users flocked to decentralized networks like Grokster and KaZaa, …

Digital Music Sampling And Copyright Law, Carlos Ruiz De La Torre

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Copyright law governing digital music sampling is faced with two competing interests: first, the owners of recording and composition copyrights need to be reasonably compensated when their creative works are reused by sampling artists, but secondly, sampling artists should have a reasonable degree of freedom to rework fragments of existing recordings at a reasonable cost. A system needs to balance these interests and reduce the degree of uncertainty that arises when the use of a sample infringes a copyright. This Article will discuss the current state of the law as it relates to digital sampling and will then articulate five …

Termination Rights And The Real Songwriters, Geoffrey P. Hull

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Collaboration--the act of more than one songwriter writing a song--has seldom, if ever, been more popular or prevalent in popular music. A perusal of a recent Billboard Hot 100 singles chart revealed that 85 of the charted songs had more than one writer in their credits. Of the fifteen with single writer credits, thirteen were by the recording artists. The other two were remakes of decades-old hits. More often than not, especially on the pop charts, some of the co-writers are the recording artists or the producers of the recording. Many times these artist and producer co-writers have actually written …