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Full-Text Articles in Law
The Derivative Right,Or Why Copyright Law Protects Foxes Better Than Hedgehogs, Daniel Gervais Ph.D.
The Derivative Right,Or Why Copyright Law Protects Foxes Better Than Hedgehogs, Daniel Gervais Ph.D.
Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law
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 …
Wipo And The American Constitution: Thoughts On A New Treaty Relating To Actors And Musicians, Hannibal Travis Professor Of Law
Wipo And The American Constitution: Thoughts On A New Treaty Relating To Actors And Musicians, Hannibal Travis Professor Of Law
Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is seeking to reform U.S. copyright law. The WIPO Treaty on Audiovisual Performances (AV Treaty) would restrict the communication of actors' and musicians' performances without authorization. The treaty would probably make it illegal to display or show clips of performances, or make a movie or YouTube video by transforming or adapting other actors' or musicians' performances, particularly when the original credits and copyright information are dropped. This Article analyzes key provisions of the AV Treaty to ascertain whether they change US law, or merely globalize existing US doctrines. This Article describes the threat posed …
Performance Royalties For Sound Recordings On Terrestrial Radio: A Private Solution To A Public Problem, J. P. Urban
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 …
User-Friendly Licensing For A User-Generated World: The Future Of The Video-Content Market, Joanna E. Collins
User-Friendly Licensing For A User-Generated World: The Future Of The Video-Content Market, Joanna E. Collins
Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law
A picture may say a thousand words, but in today's artistic culture, video is the true king. User-generated remix and mashup videos have become a central way for people to communicate their ideas, to be a part of popular culture, and to bring life to their own artistic visions. Digital technology and the rise of user-generated Internet platforms have enabled professionals and amateurs alike to participate in the creation of web videos, which often incorporate popular content. But this has led to a growing tension between amateur sampling artists and copyright rightsholders. The current video-content-licensing scheme requires individually negotiated contracts …
Guantanamo's Greatest Hits: The Semiotics Of Sound And The Protection Of Performer Rights Under The Lanham Act, John Tehranian
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 …