Every day I work, I create video for my company that is seen by millions of people. But that video is protected by copyright that my company owns. I cannot post my work on youtube or anywhere. And that's a personal problem as I want as many people as possible to see my work. At the very least, I want my friends to be able to see it.
Additionally, not every piece is saved by my company. The best thing I ever produced (and was copied by Nike and NBA Productions, poorly, except for getting Marvin Gaye's version of the National Anthem, which is awesome) is gone forever. That is sort of devastating to me.
I understand the point of copyright but there will always be pirating. The trick is to embrace the new techniques and create a legal version of that. 5 years ago I suggested making shows available for download and I got laughed at. Every single person laughed at the idea. And now it's one of the biggest priorities of the company.
You just have to wait for the younger generation to get in there and try and change these laws. Like I said in a comment, the musical genius of an album like Paul's Boutique cannot really happen nowadays. That needs to change.
But you really have to give the law some credit. Being able to use any copyrighted work for parody or education is great.
Bryan, That is really too bad that you aren't able to share your work with family and friends. Would your company allow you permission to create a portfolio site of some sort? I know that as the "hired gun" they own what you create for them and with their materials, and there must be concerns about the possibility of those works going to help a competitor. Your situation reminds me on the one we read about where the artist used a photograph of Obama (taken by someone else) for a graphic piece and copyright issues arose. I hope you find a solution that is acceptable to you and the company you work for.
ReplyDeleteBryan. Great post. I was feeling your frustrations as I read your blog post about the art that you create for your company, and yet, you don't have the freedom to share what you have actually created because of copyright. I also think it is funny that your thoughts on making programs available for download were basically rolled over and pushed under the proverbial rug. Why does it always seem to be that when a great idea is produced, there is always the majority of the "big wigs" that think a radical way of thought is out of the realm of possibility?
ReplyDeleteI am curious though. Have you ever asked any of the ones that laughed at your idea five years ago about how they feel now? I hope that you have more opportunity to create change within your workplace and have the freedom to remix the culture that we live in! Good luck Bryan.
p.s. I wouldn't have laughed.
I agree that parody and education is great, it keeps the old from becoming non existent. However, piracy is a problem when the bootleggers are profiting from it.
ReplyDeleteBryan, I can sense your frustration, and I understand why you would feel this way. I agree with Catherine. It looks as if your company would let you create some type of portfolio, and I can't believe that some of your creations are forever lost. Even though you work for them, it just seems as if you would have some rights as well. Also, it's too bad your company shot down your ideas.Now that this idea seems to be the biggest in the company, do you wish you would have been more persistent initially? Sometimes we give up too easily. (I'm not saying you did...just asking.)
ReplyDeleteBryan,
ReplyDeleteYou and I are the minority group in this EMDT program, we both work for corporate entities, producing various rich media products for the company. You may want to look into forming your own production company and licensing your material under a dual license with your company and the corporation. I've been able to do so with the cooperation of our corporate legal area.
I worry a little about your last statement in your blog regarding the ability of using copyright material in education material. I fight this "educational fair use" battle just about everyday. My fellow associates will design and script a training video around a commercial music piece, I have to watch the "Slippery slope" of fair use in education and have asked them to re-write material to avoid copyright encroachment. We in the educational/training area need to watch this potentially "unfair" fair use.
Bryan,
ReplyDeleteI work in advertising, and I have to deal with copyrights on almost a daily basis. You seriously have to be careful when it comes to your work. Internet and media is such a big bredding ground of your work to get copied and ideas taken. And the worse part is you can get around copyright laws by just doing slight changes to your media work. The concept of copyrighting is to protect people's work from being stolen. However, when these laws were established no one had any idea the internet would on day come and take over. The premise is a good one, but the execution needs to be adjusted.
Bryan- I cannot imagine how that feels to not own your work and then it is not used and gone forever? Ouch! I have so many friends who are artists (various types) and I know they would also be devastated. I guess that is the nature of your business, however.
ReplyDeleteYou also are one of the few people I know who publicly acknowledge the use for parody or education. Many people do this, but I do not think they even think about is i right or wrong. I see that as a problem with the high schoolers I am teaching. They see nothing as sacred, everything should be theirs for the taking. Not asking, mind you, taking. They see no problem with piracy or stealing. They only think it is a problem if you get caught. Scary.
Thanks for sharing. No one knows how out of step the systems as much as someone, such as yourself, who has to work with said system.
ReplyDelete