Intellectual Property Law Commons^™

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 …

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 …

Video Game Music: Where It Came From, How It Is Being Used Today, And Where It Is Heading Tomorrow, Michael Cerrati

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This article addresses the many facets of the video game industry and the exceptional role that music has played and continues to play in this expanding industry. Part I tracks the history of music's role as video games developed over the years. Part II discusses the manner in which music is obtained for use in video games and the contractual setting in which this takes place. Part III comments on the current state of the video game industry, exploring ways to shift the paradigm from one that is publicity-driven, to one that recognizes the importance of music. The final section, …

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 …

D.I.Y. After Dastar: Protecting Creators' Moral Rights Through Creative Lawyering, Individual Contracts And Collectively Bargained Agreements, Rick Mortensen

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Part I examines the scope of Dastar and argues that it is sufficiently narrow to permit some false attribution claims based on section 43(a) of the Lanham Act. As support, Part I examines district court cases after Dastar as well as pre-Dastar attribution cases that are still arguably good law. Part II examines the Second Circuit case of Gilliam v. ABC, Inc., in which the Monty Python comedy troupe successfully enjoined ABC from showing a mutilated copy of its work, as a model for pursuing right of integrity claims. Part II will show that this case is still good law, …

Scuffling For A Slice Of The Ringtone Pie: Evaluating Legal And Business Approaches To Copyright Clearance Issues, Carmen K. Yuen

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

A cell phone goes off, but instead of "Brring," you hear the disco swirls of ABBA's "Money, Money, Money." The tune is rather revealing about the potential of the U.S. ringtone market. Consumers are enjoying an increased selection of MP3-quality ringtones, but the music industry is grappling with a host of legal complications. The new ringtone format is unprecedented, and copyright law offers little clarification on which royalties are due to whom. As a result, labels, publishers, ringtone companies and performing rights organizations are avoiding litigation, and negotiating innovative deals instead. Are private business solutions enough to resolve the ringtone …

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 …

Not All Copyright Infringers Are Created Equal: Why Federal Income Tax Is A Proper Deductible Expense For Non-Willful Copyright Infringers, Christine Ballard

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Case law is sparse on the issue of tax deductibility for non-willful infringers and, as such, cases representing copyright, patent, and trademark infringement have been used interchangeably in an attempt to develop a rule. It is necessary to point out, however, that there are different standards for obtaining and protecting these three different types of intellectual property. As such, this Note will first analyze the remedies available for copyrights, patents, and trademarks to determine whether different standards should apply regarding the deductibility of taxes from gross infringing revenue when determining actual damage awards. Next, this Note analyzes arguments that have …

Frozen In Time? New Technologies, Fixation, And The Derivative Work Right, Patrick W. Ogilvy

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This note will explore the adequacy of the scope of the derivative work right as it applies to new technologies and discuss how that right should be expanded to compensate for technological developments not foreseen when the current Copyright Act was enacted in 1976. The note will also provide a recommendation that could resolve all of the issues raised throughout. Part I provides a more detailed background of the jump-and-skip technology being used as an example to represent all referencing works. Part II first discusses and analyzes the present state of the derivative work right. It then addresses the purposes …

Cracks In The Great Wall: Why China's Copyright Law Has Failed To Prevent Piracy Of American Movies Within Its Borders, Jordana Cornish

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This note examines the current state of China's intellectual property rights protection as it relates to movie piracy. Part I examines the different types of film piracy occurring in China and the current severity of the problem for the United States motion picture industry. Part II traces the history of copyright law in China and examines China's commitments under the international copyright treaties it has signed with the United States and other nations through its recent accession to the WTO. Part III discusses why movie piracy in China is still on the rise despite these commitments and highlights why cultural, …

"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 …

Sola, Perduta, Abbandonata: Are The Copyright Act And Performing Rights Organizations Killing Classical Music?, Amanda Scales

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Note first explores the special concerns faced by classical composers and the distinctions that make classical composition inherently different from popular songwriting. The Note also discusses some of the more recent developments under the Copyright Act that affect composers of art music, most notably the Copyright Term Extension Act and the Fairness in Music Licensing Act. The Note then analyzes the adverse effects that the current state of the law has on classical composers. Ultimately, this Note offers suggestions for composers who wish to protect their works while retaining their artistic integrity and continuing the traditions of classical music, …

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 …

The Reality Of Reality Television: Understanding The Unique Nature Of The Reality Genre In Copyright Infringement Cases, J. Matthew Sharp

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Because copyright law is meant to protect creativity, there must be a means by which the U.S. government can offer some guarantee to the creators of a reality show that their creative output will be guarded against copying which diminishes the show's value. Therefore, this note seeks to answer the question: "what can we do to provide a reasonable level of protection against infringement to the creators of a new concept for a reality show?" Part I of this note provides a brief overview of the law regarding copyright infringement with particular emphasis on the unique protection afforded a compilation …

Legal And Practical Aspects Of Music Licensing For Motion Pictures, Vad Kushnir

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Most motion pictures contain both original music composed specifically for a particular film and preexisting music (usually popular songs). In order to use preexisting music in a motion picture, the movie studio must obtain the appropriate music licenses from the copyright proprietors. The process of licensing music for use in a motion picture can potentially involve three different types of music licenses. First, the movie producer must obtain a "synchronization license," which will allow the producer to synchronize the musical work with the on-screen visual images and to use the licensed musical work as part of the motion picture in …

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, …

Copyright Issues For Sound Recordings Of Volunteer Performers, Stephen Adams

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Is copyright jurisprudence ready to handle a situation where three and four hundred people own a copyright in a single work? The copyright code does provide solutions for this type of situation, but the solution provided may not be the best one. This Note discusses how this situation may arise, and it recommends possible solutions to alleviate it. The first section will present a brief history of copyright law. The second section will explain the purpose of the termination of transfers encoded in section 203 of the Copyright Act. The third section will discuss the importance of the employment relationship …

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 …

Why Is Betamax An Anachronism In The Digital Age?, Jiarui Liu

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Article aims to examine whether, as some courts indicate, the Sony doctrine is largely irrelevant in cyberspace. If the answer is no, how should courts properly apply the Sony doctrine to protect copyright holders' legitimate interests and further the innovation and prosperity of Internet technologies? This Article argues that the Sony doctrine should be given the widest application possible and not be subject to any preconceived formula. In the digital age, the test of "capable of substantial noninfringing uses" is still well suited to advance the ultimate objective of copyright law contemplated by the Supreme Court as well as …

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 …

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.

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 …

Too Much Of A Good Thing: Deciphering Copyright Infringement For The Musician, Joseph K. Christian

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Imitation may indeed be flattering, but at least in the world of music, too much imitation is illegal. Copyright law protects "original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression. "It guarantees the owner of a copyrighted work the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, display, and publicly perform the work, among other rights. To the owner of a copyright in music, that means that no one else may perform the musical work, or make or distribute copies of the original manuscript or a recording of the work, without the permission of the copyright owner.'

The Music Industry's Failed Attempt To Influence File Sharing Norms, Steven A. Hetcher

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Digitization and related technologies such as file-sharing software and wireless communications are revolutionizing how intellectual content is distributed and consumed. At the same time, the ways in which consumers have chosen to use this technology are challenging how characteristics of intellectual property ownership are defined. Some of the important rights promised to owners under the Copyright Act may begin to appear as little more than formal guarantees if the explosive trend toward unauthorized copying continues to expand. As a result, the content industry has viewed the ever-expanding footprint of digital media as a mixed blessing. While this technology promises vastly …

Practice Before The Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel In 17 U.S.C. § 111 Distribution Proceedings, Mark J. Davis

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The 1976 Act showed foresight in extending the section 115 compulsory phonorecord license model to secondary transmissions under section III. Congress' intent was to encourage flexible market forces to set the value of cable rebroadcasts. Instead of statutory rates, they fixed minimal guidelines for the distribution of collected retransmission royalties. Originally an obscure and very technical section of the Copyright Act, the impact of section III has expanded with the merger of cable television, radio, cable, satellite, and broadband distribution of digital media. The millions of dollars in royalties paid annually by cable systems provide a tempting target for copyright …

New Media, New Rules: The Digital Performance Right And Streaming Media Over The Internet, Joseph E. Magri

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Streaming music over the Internet, or what otherwise is known as webcasting or Internet radio, has the potential to become the single most revolutionary means of music transmission ever developed.' In order to appreciate the potential impact of Internet radio, it is helpful to understand that Internet radio has the ability to venture far beyond the at-home personal computer that is tethered to a wall and logged-on to the Internet. With advances in wireless broadband technologies, such as wireless fidelity or Wi-Fi, and the growing availability of Internet content via mobile devices,' Internet radio will soon become widely available on …

The Digital Music Dilemma: Protecting Copyright In The Age Of Peer-To-Peer File Sharing, Natalie Koss

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This paper seeks a resolution between the need to eliminate copyright infringement and the desire to encourage new technology. This paper will suggest that the music industry would be better off directing resources toward solutions such as compulsory licensing, royalty collection, and working with hardware manufacturers to discourage copyright infringement. These solutions would allow the industry to take advantage of file sharing now rather than expending resources in court where the desired result of ending P2P programs may never come.

Solutions Are On Track, Beth A. Thomas

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Note discusses the need to solve the copyright problems caused by digital file sharing over peer-to-peer networks and the possible solutions that would be acceptable to both the media industries and the public. While it is likely that the problems caused by file sharing will not decrease significantly by placing post-sales control in the hands of the artists, it is probable that legislative and industry driven technical counter-measures will be able to decrease illegal file sharing in an acceptable way.

Part I outlines copyright in general and how digital technology is pushing at the boundaries of copyright law. Part …

Business, The Arts & The Role Of The Copyright Act, Keith C. Hauprich

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Two recent court decisions examined, addressed, and adjudicated parallel issues potentially determining the scope of rights of legions of recording artists and freelance authors. While the core of each case centered on the fact that the agreements between each of the respective litigants did not expressly grant (or reserve) the exercise of the particular rights in dispute, the decisions of the courts have seemingly antithetical results. A review of each court's application of the governing law to the disparate facts of each case presents an interesting illustration of the relationship among business, the arts, and the role of the Copyright …

The E-Rated Industry: Fair Use Sheep Or Infringing Goat?, Christina Mitakis

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Note explores the copyright issues presented by the litigation between companies that sanitize movies for viewing by the general public and the studios and directors involved in the creation of the edited movies. Collectively, these companies comprise what is generally referred to as the e-rated industry.' Certain companies within the e-rated industry use digital editing software to edit profanity, sex and violence from popular movies, while other companies provide software allowing viewers to edit their own DVDs. In all cases, this editing is done without the consent of the moviemakers. CleanFilms, which rents out e-rated movies, defines e-rated movies …