I dream of flying. I know folks who dream they can breathe underwater. I wonder if if dogs have different dreams or do they all dream of chasing things? All I can say is now I know why they don’t sleep in the center of the room: it would hurt if they got a running start.
As their site explains:
CMLP’s legal guide is intended for use by citizen media creators with or without formal legal training and focuses on the wide range of legal issues citizen and online media are likely to face, including risks associated with publication, such as defamation and privacy torts; copyright; trademark; access to government information; newsgathering; and general legal issues involved in setting up a business and finding a web host. You can access the guide here.
Knowing your legal rights and responsibilities is important for anyone who publishes online. The CMLP’s legal guide addresses the legal issues you may encounter as you gather information and publish your work. The guide is intended for use by citizen media creators with or without formal legal training, as well as others with an interest in these issues.
It seems to be pretty much the gospel now that Slumdog could never have rewritten the rules as it has without Searchlight’s help. Everyone marvels at their marketing campaigns, and how well they work. People say they’ve trademarked color, to the point if you use a bold singular shade in your campaign, folks feel you’ve copped a page from Ms. Utley.
I wasn’t aware of this until it was too late, but there has been a fair amount of inquiry within the community about how we can build better relationships with our representatives. There’s probably never been a more critical time or an important one than now for a host of reasons. There are critical issues being decided. The MPAA has had it’s budget cut by $20M! Although the studios’ issues sometimes conflict with the indies, generally we have all greatly benefited by their lobbying efforts.
“Filmmakers on the Hill” –
Location: Capitol Hill – Rayburn Building Room 2203
Organized in association with the Office of Congresswoman Diane E. Watson, Hosted by the Congressional Entertainment Industries CaucusFilmmakers come have your Mr. Smith moment. Formerly known as Advocacy Day, this Forum provides leading industry, legal and government experts the opportunity to discuss key issues that impact the independent film and media industry. In the past the panels covered varied subjects including: How to stimulate independent film production in the U.S.; creative new solutions for filmmakers struggling with financing, distribution issues and copyright licensing issues; new international financing opportunities and the role of governments in film production. DCIFF 2009 marks an expanded program with prominent speakers in two consecutive interactive panel sessions. This is a unique opportunity to hear concerns about the state of the independent film industry in the U.S..
9am – Meet & Greet – Meet your government representatives and other filmmakers.
10:00 – 11:15am: Session I:
A discussion of the ways in which American independent film strengthens the U.S. economy both domestically and abroad and how it is integral to the artistic and cultural profile of the United States. This industry is also an incubator for forward-looking digital innovation and technological advances. Considering its economic impact and cultural breadth in the global digital era, can legislation protect and nourish independent filmmaking and media? Data and research will be presented.11:30am. – 1:00pm: Session II:
The challenges of making independent filmmaking sustainable by discussing options, incentives and realities under the umbrella of small business, taxes, distribution and location production costs. In particular, independent filmmaking is a potential engine of small business growth. The discussion will take on existing issues and creative ways of conceptualizing independent filmmaking in the context of state government involvement and incentives.
Thanks to IFC’s Independent Eye I have now seen my favorite film of 2009. David O’Reilly’s PLEASE SAY SOMETHING won the Golden Bear for short films at Berlin this year. It’s about ten minutes long but packs a wallup of emotion, innovation, and experimentation into those ten minutes. My day has been made.
Tuesday’s post on A POWERFUL NOISE introduced me to Fathom. It seems like a great service but I have no idea about the pricing. I am curious to hear more from folks that have used it.
Fathom, the entertainment division of National CineMedia (NCM), is reinventing the who, what, when, where and how of cinema entertainment. It’s a revolutionary concept that uses NCM’s vast nationwide Digital Content Network to deliver truly one-of-a-kind entertainment events — all showcased in amazing High Definition with Cinema Surround Sound — to movie theatre audiences across North America. And each benefits from extensive marketing support.
Working directly with the country’s leading entertainment producers, Fathom offers unique marketing and distribution opportunities for highly coveted programming: live concerts, theatrical and DVD premieres, live broadcasts from The New York Metropolitan Opera, sports events, exclusive stand-up comedy engagements and much more.
The Digital Content Network is comprised of more than 14,500 digital screens, with 75% of the screens in the top 49 markets. This puts well over half of US households within 10 miles of the theatres, including Regal Cinemas, United Artists, Edwards Theatres, AMC Theatres, Cinemark/Century, Clearview Cinemas, Kerasotes Theatres, Goodrich Quality Theaters, Hoyts Theatres, Marcus Theatres, Malco Theatres, National Amusements Theatres and Georgia Theatre Company. Additionally, Fathom has limited distribution in local performing arts centers and theatres in specific markets.
Fathom’s technical staff receives, tests, encrypts and digests source content for seamless playback over the network to all participating theatres’ auditoriums. Each auditorium is tested for optimum audio and visual presentation prior to event day. Plus, Fathom has a dedicated “event management” department that manages all troubleshooting before, during and after the event to ensure its success.
It’s mostly been opera, concerts, and anime so far, but they have also presented This American Life and a live event with the film IOUSA. The full list is here.
Fair Share allows you to track your work and make sure it is being used by others in the manner that you’ve permitted — via Creative Commons. It’s a smart new idea that I first posted on InfoWantsToBeFree.
