Copyright in danger - Orphan Works bill USA and Europe???

[Reptil]

Your attention please for the following:
I thought the thread of KingDaddyO in the moan zone is EVERYBODY's concern:

Currently there's a law (Orphan Works Bill) in the works that is going to replace copyright laws. It is going, if I understand it's proposed content, to render all copyright useless, unless registered at one of several privately owned registry offfices. For a fee. If not registered anyone can take your art, since it's "orphaned". (Instead of copyright for the creator) So far the situation in the USA. In europe a simular attempt is being pushed, under the guise of "preserving national art" and "digitalisation of artworks".

Animation World Magazine

I'm afraid this is going to forever change the map for the worse, for independent artists, but ultimately for several industries. Does anyone have more insights into this? If this is really as bad as portrayed in the article? If so, notify others and let's do something about this ??

[drBill]

?? Haven't heard anything about it. Is this a part of the whole "creative commons" movement - or something different?

[Reptil]

Originally Posted by drBill

?? Haven't heard anything about it. Is this a part of the whole "creative commons" movement - or something different?

No, it's something different alltogether.
Creative Commons is what the copyright holder decides, for what kind of copyright covers their work.

please see also this thread, for a discussion:
IMPORTANT: Every artist should read this!!!

Whatever the danger might be, things are changing, and IMHO it's important to keep an eye on it.

[KingDaddyO]

FYI - I just posted Parts 1 & 2 of the Illustrators Partnership rebuttal, to an article titled 'Six Misconceptions About Orphan Works', which seeks to dispel the threat of this pending legislation. It is located in the moan zone thread which Reptil linked to in the above post.

Their response goes into great detail, about just why this legislation will be a huge concern - and from what I've read so far, there is nothing mythical about this threat in any way.

[KingDaddyO]

You can download them here:
The Illustrators' Partnership of America

[KingDaddyO]

FROM THE ILLUSTRATORS' PARTNERSHIP


A Reminder:
Tonight, Tuesday, May 6 at 6:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time (U.S.)
Don’t Let Congress Orphan Your Work
An open forum to oppose the Orphan Works Act


The Society of Illustrators
128 East 63rd Street
New York, NY 10065
Admission will be free


Panelists:


Terry Brown Director, American Society of Illustrators Partnership, Director Emeritus, Society of Illustrators

Constance Evans Executive Director, Advertising Photographers of America, artist

Dr. Theodore Feder President, Artists Rights Society

Brad Holland Artist, Co-founder, Illustrators Partnership

Cynthia Turner Medical illustrator, Board Member, Illustrators Partnership

William Vasquez Photographer, Co-Chair, Advertising Photographers of America/NY Chapter

This event will be streamed live here:http://video.cmitnyc.com/society/soi_2008_05_06.html
If you unable to access it tonight, it will be archived for delayed webcast, starting tomorrow


Also: stay tuned for a link to our push-button letter-writing website: Take Action/ Write Congress
The link to this advocacy site will be emailed to you directly


Please forward or post this announcement in its entirety to any interested party.


If you received our mail as a forwarded message, and wish to be added to our mailing list, email us at: illustratorspartnership@cnymail.com
Place "Add Name" in the subject line, and provide your name and the email address you want used in the message area.

[jeremy.c.]

I thought Mark Simon was pretty well pwned already on the internet for being a chicken little. The bill is not quite as described and isn't going anywhere.

[KingDaddyO]

Isn't going anywhere? How so?