Director Of New Moon Says Jailing Of Girl For Snippets Of Video Of His Movie Is 'Terribly Unfair'
from the it-is,-isn't-it? dept
While he has no official say in the matter, it is still worth noting that Chris Weitz, the director of the movie New Moon has said that he thinks it's "terribly unfair" that a 22-year-old girl was jailed and now faces felony charges because her attempt to film some of her sister's birthday celebration caught less than four minutes of New Moon on her video camera (found via Copycense). Weitz is not the copyright holder and has no real say in what happens, but he does note that he's talking to Summit Entertainment, the studio who made the film, to let them know of his concerns, to see if there's anything that can be done.Of course, what should be done is that the law should be changed so we don't have these ridiculous situations at all. And hopefully he would stand behind such a proposal. In the meantime, it's just yet another in a long line of examples of the law creating punishment that is way out of proportion with the "crime" when it comes to copyright and copying of content.
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Filed Under: camcording, chris weitz, copyright, felony, jailing, new moon
Companies: summit entertainment
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I am sure i just saw a squadron of flying pigs and a fissure opening in the ground with snow coming out.
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WTG Mike!
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Not sure where you live but an hour is 60 minutes here there for the length of the movie is 122 minutes.
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Let me take 1 min segments 4 times every 1/2 hour during the movie to "pirate" it and then sell you for a few bucks.
Would you buy? Would you EVEN download that?
Not to mention it probably only have 50-25% of the movie screen since she's filming her sister, not the movie.
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Even if various people aren't willing to amend copyright laws there should still be a more common sense approach to these things.
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Wait until 24 songs will get you 24 years consecutively ....
.... welcome to the wonderful world of IP maximalism, and have a nice stay
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This is why I oppose restrictive copyright laws. This should be an obvious case of fair use. I think a plaintiff should be required to establish that infringement is not fair use before even contacting the defendant to stop cases like this. Even if the defendant 'wins' they wind up with a massive lawyer fee.
Now lets wait for the trolls to appear, set up the 'guy-on-the-street selling bootlegs' straw man, argue that we are all freeloading pirate lovers, and this case is no different than large scale for-profit piracy.
Why is quoting text not only perfectly acceptable, but required for academic writing, but quoting snippets of TV, music, or film for a video of your own is automatically assumed to be infringement?
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Really? Well, can I have my phone in the theatre? Most phones now have video cameras built in. How about my iPod? The new iPods have video cameras too.
Legal Dictionary Definition of Fair Use: "A use of copyrighted material that does not constitute an infringement of the copyright provided the use is fair and reasonable and does not substantially impair the value of the work or the profits expected from it by its owner"
Lets see, incidentally capturing a few minutes of a movie in the background. Sure sounds to me like a fair and reasonable use of the material, and would not substantially impair the value of the work or profits expected from it. It sounds like YOU are the one who needs to learn what the term really means.
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What you are in effect saying is that if I invite you into my house and you pull your car keys out of your pocket, I can call the police and have you thrown in jail because I don't think you should have your car keys in my house. Right?
Yes, it's private property. If they want to kick out anyone who brings in a camera they can. But saying it should be a _felony_ is nothing more than a complete perversion of the rule of law.
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Of course it's terribly unfair.
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I emailed Muvico to tell them I was gonna boycott them. Got this bland statement back:
The unauthorized video recording of a motion picture while it is being exhibited in a movie theater is illegal under federal law and under the laws of more than forty states, including the State of Illinois. According to a study commissioned by the Motion Picture Association of America, illegal film piracy costs the movie industry billions of dollars each year, and illegal camcording in movie theaters is the source of over 90% of all illegally copied movies in their initial release form.
In order to combat the increasing theft of copyrighted films, the motion picture industry has encouraged theater owners to adopt a “zero-tolerance” policy prohibiting the video or audio recording of any portion of a movie. Specifically, theater managers are instructed to alert law enforcement authorities whenever they suspect illegal activity. Theater managers have neither the expertise nor the authority to decide whether a crime has been committed. Law enforcement professionals determine what laws may have been broken and what enforcement action should be taken. It is then up to prosecutorial discretion to determine the seriousness of any charges that might be leveled.
In our continuing effort to educate our guests about the illegality of film piracy, Muvico prominently places a number of posters and signs within its theaters alerting moviegoers of its “zero-tolerance” policy with respect to the camcording of films in its auditoriums.
Beatriz E. Gerdts
Administrative Assistant
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Nice and bland. Effectively says "Not our fault, blame the law...."
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Re: I emailed Muvico to tell them I was gonna boycott them. Got this bland statement back:
At least you got a response. I emailed them and it was ignored. Maybe it's time we set up pickets outside their theater.
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Shouldn't crap
What a crock.. we live in a so called free society, its probably not wise for me to wave a camera around in a cinema but saying I "shouldn't" is pure crap.. I am innocent until they prove that I have done something illegal...
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Another act of civil disobedience?
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Honestly its not the law that needs changing, but perhaps law enforcers who do not know how to use good judgement. We all know what the copyright laws are intented to do. Arresting a girl for capturing 4-5 minutes of a movie during a birthday party IS NOT WHAT IT WAS INTENTED TO DO!!
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It's not even copyright infringement!
She would have to violate one of the grants of copyright (such as distribution) to have committed copyright infringement. She has done nothing that should be against the law even in the land of overbearing copyright.
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The Real Crime
Anyway, if I was trying to enjoy a movie, and some group of folks were being loud and obnoxious brandishing video cameras and having a "fun time" I would have given a standing ovation to the police as they were carted away...
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There is only 4 minutes recorded
come on, what the fuck do you need a movie camera in a movie theater for?
If your taking movies, YOU ARE RUINING WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO. Whatch the fucking movie. Sit down bitch, shut the fuck up, and turn off the god damnc camera. If I appera ANYWHERE in your movie, I will shove the camera up your sweet ass and then slam dunk you out the door. She deserves to go to jail. For all the above reasons along with the charge.
You people are pitiful.
fucking idiots.
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Should people go to jail for being rude? Did the incident take place in the bulk of the theatre or in a private "party" room?
Either way, I am glad to know I am a pitiful fucking idiot.
Thanks for that.
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Maybe we should just kick your fucking ass next time instead of having you arrested. I like that idea better anyway.
f.o.a.d.
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Or you know, dan, you could have seen that they did rent out the room so they wouldn't interrupt anyone.
That's a good idea, I'll have to see if our theater will let me rent out a room for a birthday party.
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what do you think of that there sunshine.
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1) I think some theater managers should SUE for libel, for claiming they have fake credentials when some of them DO have the expertise........
2) The RIAA doesn't have the expertise not the authority to decide whether a crime has been committed...it just lives in a fantasy world where it BELIEVES it does.
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HOw about he offer to pay her legal fees
Like go see her in jail to see what your film and industry are doing to the world buddy
he wont its prolly his publicist saying you better say somehting rather then sincere
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Don't whine, it's your own fault
Add to that 8 years of facist rule under bush the younger and this is what you get.
To be honest, I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd been sentenced to the stocks in the nearest mega-mall.
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Common Sense Prevails!
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