|
Proscenia
Newsletter:Events -News - Jobs
February
2, 2003 DISCUSSION: Copyright - Multimedia ... is ... a lawyer's ultimate nightmare. The reproduction of copyrighted materials such as videos, articles, photographs, audio recordings, technical journals, and other materials without the permission of the copyright owner and without paying the appropriate fees, may be unlawful and could be costly to you or a company for which you work. The Fair Use provision of the copyright law allows the use of copyrighted material for such purposes as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple print copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research. For every other situation you will need to pay the copyright owner or obtain permission to use copyrighted material. What and what does not fall under the Fair Use provision is a complex issue. See Fair Use of Copyrighted Material,. a "Rules of Thumb" for the Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials. This University sit presents a four-factor fair use test to determine if a use of copyrighted material falls within the fair use definition of the copyright law. See the article at the bottom of this page for a discussion of recent congressional action to extend copyright protection to works about to become a part of the public domain. Here are three good sources I have found of value related to the use of copyrighted material in media works. Please note that the material you find at these sites is for informational and not legal purposes. Clearing Rights for Multimedia Works. This presentation address the issues that arise if the creator of a multimedia product decides to utilize pre-existing materials, as this is a very common starting point for many undertakings. The creator will find, however, that acquiring rights in existing works and protecting one's own works involve the same issues. Intellectual Property Law Primer for Multimedia Developers This web site primer will help you understand the legal issues in developing and distributing multimedia works. It is based on the Multimedia Law Handbook from Ladera Press, which has been endorsed by the Interactive Multimedia Association. Getting Permission to Publish: Ten Tips for Webmasters. This article not only to web development but the use of copyrighted material in any medium. Other references: Copyright Clearing Center, Inc. for text material Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., the largest licenser of text reproduction rights in the world, was formed in 1978 to facilitate compliance with U.S. copyright law. CCC provides licensing systems for the reproduction and distribution of copyrighted materials in print and electronic formats throughout the world. And, as always, if you'd like to be removed from this list let me know (garywf@oregon.uoregon.edu) Regards, Gary FEATURED STUDIO: Chambers Media Production - Eugene Chambers Media Production a full-service film, video and multimedia production company that provides: creative production services for entertainment, industrial and advertising clients - original specials, series and syndicated programming - production facilities rental for feature film and video production projects. Portfolio. TECHNOLOGY NEWS: Too Much Computing Could Give You A Blood Clot. A research team in New Zealand has discovered a man who developed an almost-fatal blood clot after spending up to 18 hours a day at his computer workstation. The clot developed in his leg and traveled to his lungs. Researcher Richard Beasley of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand said that the problem could be widespread, and advised people who spend long periods using computers to stretch their legs frequently. (Globe News/CNet New Zealand 30 Jan 2003) http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2226653a7144,00.html Source:NewsScanDaily. High-Tech Group Battles Hollywood on Copyright Issues. The Alliance for Digital Progress (ADP) -- a new Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group whose members include Microsoft, Dell, Motorola and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) -- will fight Hollywood's positions on access to digital music, movies, and books, and the entertainment industry's efforts to require anti-copying technology in digital entertainment devices. ITAA president Harris N. Miller says sarcastically that Hollywood leaders "would have organized to burn down Gutenberg's printing press, if they were alive during that period of rapid change and innovation." (AP/USA Today 24 Jan 2003) http://shorl.com/hyrogygogrovy Source:NewsScanDaily. Copyright Law is a Two-Way Street. Robin Gross, head of the new watchdog group IP Justice and former Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney, says copyright holders are taking unfair advantage of new technologies to restrict use of their content: "Sure, (digital technology) makes it easier for people to copy and share works, but digital technology also makes it easier for copyright holders to restrict what people can do with their works. So it's not fair to say that this technology is very harmful to these industries because it's actually providing them with more power than they've ever had before to control what people can do with their works. That point is often overlooked -- that they're controlling it to the point that they're taking away from the public side of the copyright bargain. So while it's not fair for consumers to copy and distribute copyright works in a fashion that doesn't compensate the creators, it's also not fair for the creators to use digital technology to take away the rights of the public. For example, making sure these works fall into the public domain at some point, or making sure that consumers are able to exercise their fair-use rights. It's simply not fair for the copyright holders to take all of the rights and have none of the responsibilities associated with copyright law." (CNet News.com 23 Jan 2003) http://news.com.com/2008-1082-981663.html?tag=fd_nc_1h Source:NewsScanDaily Copyrighting Freedom of Expression Kembrew McLeod, In These Times. Thanks to increasingly strict "fair use" laws, corporations can make websites that criticize their policies simply disappear. The power of corporations to censor was greatly expanded by the passage in 1998 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which was written by and for the lobbies that paid to push it through Congress the software, entertainment, pharmaceutical and other intellectual property industries. http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15026 Source:AlterNet Senate Delays Funding for Pentagon Surveillance Program. The US Senate voted yesterday to block funding of the Defense Department's Total Information Awareness (TIA) program, which when developed would use "data mining" techniques to scan for patterns in worldwide communications activity and use those patterns to identify terrorist threats. Calling TIA "the most far-reaching government surveillance program in history," Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said that by blocking R&D funds the Senate thereby "makes it clear that Congress wants to make sure there is no snooping on law-abiding Americans," even if the purpose of the activity is to prevent terrorist attacks against the United States. (Reuters/San Jose Mercury News 24 Jan 2003) http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/5020808.htm Source:NewsScanDaily SlimBrowser 3.45 http://www.flashpeak.com/sbrowser/sbrowser.htm SlimBrowser 3.45 is the latest version of a rather novel and helpful multiple-site browser based on a tab-page interface. Some of its many features include built-in Web page translation, a pop-up ad removal interface (with the option to recall windows blocked accidentally), and a automated form for filling out Web forms. Additionally, SlimBrowser has the capability to open a number of sites at the same time and the ability to hide sites. SlimBrowser is compatible with all systems running Windows 95 and above. Source: The Scout Report Open Source Encyclopedia Boasts 100,000 entries. One of the Web's first open-source encyclopedias, Wikipedia, has reached a milestone -- its English-language version has just published its 100,000th article, just two years after the project's inception. This past year particularly has seen a surge in growth, with editors adding 80,000 entries to the English version and 33,000 more to the other language editions. The Wikipedia is the result of collaboration among thousands of volunteers -- anyone may contribute and article, or edit an existing one, at any time. "People from very diverse backgrounds can agree on what can be in an encyclopedia article, even if they can't agree on something else," says Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales. Topics range from Internet terms, such as spamming and trolling, to more traditional subjects, such as unicycling. Each page features an "Edit this page" link, which users can click on to add their own revisions. Once a user has made an editing change, it is posted immediately. Users can also view older versions of a page, participate in a forum to discuss the page, view links or see related changes. These options facilitate an ongoing "peer-review" process among the Wiki community. To maintain some sense of order, a core group of regular contributors help monitor the site's recent changes to correct any errors and ensure that entries aren't vandalized. The project has proven so popular among its fans that it's spawned a sister project dubbed Wiktionary, a free multilingual dictionary and thesaurus. (Wired.com 28 Jan 2003) http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,57364,00.html Source:NewsScanDaily Net Users Value Web as Info Source, Question Credibility. Internet users increasingly view the Web as an important source of information, although at the same time they're more likely to question the validity of that information, according to the UCLA Internet Report. The report also found that users watched 5.4 fewer hours of TV per week in 2002, presumably to make time for more Web surfing. "The real growth we think in the Internet and the perception of it now is as a place you go to find things out. The Internet has made very few inroads as a place you go to be entertained," says Jeff Cole, director of the UCLA Center for Communication Policy, which conducted the survey. Of the 71% of Americans who use the Net, 61% characterized it as "very important" or "extremely important," compared with 58% for newspapers, 50% for TV and 40% for radio. But at the same time, only 53% of Internet users thought all or most of the information online was credible, down from 58% in 2001. "What we're finding, and what's reflected in this year's data, is that people are starting to get a little skeptical," says Cole. "I think it shows people are getting smarter or will get smarter." (Reuters/CNet 31 Jan 2003) http://news.com.com/2100-1023-982882.html?tag=FD_top Source:NewsScanDaily EVENTS and OPPORTUNITIES: Make Better Games Game Developers Conference 2003 March 4-8, Conference March 6-8, Expo San Jose, California Join the world's leading developers to create the next generation of games. Five days of more than 300 intensive sessions provide information and inspiration across all disciplines of game development. Register by February 5, to save up to 30% off GDC conference passes at: http://cgw.omessage.com/lrd1_AABstQAARywB Use Priority Code: CGW3D and save an additional $25. Film Festival Announces Winners (Source: The Scout Report ) Film festivals
have become immensely popular during the last few decades, and it seems
like almost every city or state now has some type of festival to showcase
the work of local, national, and in some cases, international filmmakers,
both young and old. Started by Robert Redford in 1981, the Sundance Film
Festival (held annually in Park City, Utah) has quickly grown into one
of the most prestigious celebrations of filmmaking in the world. Earlier
this week, the Sundance Film Festival announced its awards in the Independent
Feature Film Competition. Among the winners were "Capturing the Friedmans"
(which won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize), "American Splendor" (which
received the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize), and "My Flesh and Blood" (which
received the Documentary Audience Award). Other
Festivals JOBS RESOURCES: Flip Dog. Com. Add this search engine to your collection of web resources for finding both local and national job opportunities. Mandy.Com. Focuses on film and television producers and technicians. Guide: Careers In Multimedia. My standard reference for exploring a career in Multimedia. It will help you define the field and the types of careers you might find available. Source: Boston College. JOBS ANNOUNCEMENTS Web Designer -Eugene. Fast-growing biotechnology firm seeks an enthusiastic designer to create, program and maintain content of the Company's Web site: Requires: BS-CS or BA-Graphic Design or equivalent Experience in Web programming; prefer HTML, JavaScript, DHTML, CSS Strong Photoshop and design layout skills Knowledge of a mixed Mac/Windows95/DOS/Unix environment Prefer: Knowledge of other Web programming skills a plus Send cover letter, resume (including online portfolio URL) and list of references by February 3rd to: Molecular Probes, Inc. HR Dept./OR-WD 29851 Willow Creek Road Eugene, OR 97402-9132 www.probes.com Equal Opportunity Employer Published in The Oregonian on 01/26 Flash developer - Portland. Developer needed to take existing rich Flash content and optimize so that it can efficiently pass though dial-up modems (28K, 56K), so the end-user experience is unaffected. Must have experience with the "bandwidth optimizer" in Flash. More information: ProDox Job listings. Graphic Artist/CAD Portland. Environmental consulting firm seeks Graphic Artist, 24-32 hrs/wk in its Portland, OR office; w/5+ yrs tech graphics exp; Adobe, MAC, CAD exp req; team oriented, deadline driven; A/E or consulting exp pref. Send resume, work sample w/cvr ltr & salary hist to: HR, Shapiro & Assoc, 101 Yesler Way, Ste 400, Seattle, WA 98104. Equal Opportunity Employer Published in The Oregonian on 01/29 Computer/ Programmer Developer Support Eugene. Dynamic software company specializing in components for Windows developers seeks a people-oriented software developer with good communications skills to provide technical support and consulting for programming projects to customers/developers. Part time & full time entry-level positions available. Email resume to: jobs@sax.net or send to Sax.net, 2852 Willamette St., Eugene, OR 97405 Film Crew & Art Dept.- Portland. Employer: Pop n' Fresh Prod. Location: Portland Duration: wknds and one solid week, starts Tentatively March/April 2003 Payment is on a lo/no/deferred basis. This is a defferred paying indie feature shot on DV. We are looking for talented people to fill the following positions: Production Designer, Set Dresser, Script Supervisor, AD, Camera Assistant, Gaffer, Grip, Electrician, Make-Up, Wardrobe, Boom Operator, Sound Mixer, and Production Assistants. meals/copy/credit provided. Attach or include resume via e-mail. Apply to: J.K. Email: dj_tatranky@yahoo.com Desktop Publisher - Portland. For advertising co. Multiple program exp & speed req'd. $10/hr. Flex daytime hrs. 503-786-6140 Published in The Oregonian on 02/01 Graphic Designe - Klamath Falls, Oregon. Opening in corporate marketing department, located Requirements: * Proficient on Macintosh * Experienced in Quark, PhotoShop, Illustrator, Acrobat, PageMaker and Posterworks applications for Macintosh * Skilled in document setup for 4-color production * Knowledge of Mac Operating system maintenance and troubleshooting * Familiar with PC MS Office software * Detail oriented with strong communication skills * Ability to organize and maintain project archives and photo library * Enjoys fast-paced environment with deadlines * Skilled at producing multiple projects at one time * Experience with web site production, interactive CD-ROMs development and PowerPoint preferred * Successful candidate will pass drug screening Email jobs@jeld-wen.com of fax resume to 541-855-7425 Attn: Graphics Designer Position. Graphic Designer - Oregon City. Progressive telecommunications co SE of Oregon City seeks a Graphic Designer to produce & create yellow page ads for it's telephone directory. This will be a FT temporary position for 3-4 mos starting immediately. Requirements: 3-5 yrs exp in graphic design, proficient w/Mac, Freehand, Quark, Illustrator & PhotoShop. Will be expected to show samples of work. Company offers excellent benefits incld 401K retirement pkg & 125 Cafeteria Plan. Requires pre-employment drug screen test. Mail/fax or email cover letter & resume to: Human Resources Manager, 15223 S Henrici Rd, Oregon City OR 97045; fax: 503-632-4159; email: jobs@bctelco.com Equal Opportunity Employer Published in The Oregonian on 02/02 Graphic Designer - Portland. Creative person needed for leading auto parts mfr. Knowledgeable in web/print/multi-media. Must know Mac/PC, Filemaker Pro/ Lasso a plus. Easy hours, top pay + bnfts. 503-693-6608 Published in The Oregonian on 02/02 Graphic Artist/Marketing - Portland position for a small growing co. Must be a creative Graphic Artist w/ exper in logos, designs & artwork concepts, & have website & PowerPoint exper. Trade show & sales experience helpful. $35K-$40K depending on experience. Send resume: c/o Oregonian, Dept. 8044-M, Portland, OR 97201-3499 Published in The Oregonian on 02/02 Digital production artist - Portland. Need PT or freelance pro who can make our print ads & collateral look wonderful. Macintosh proficient. Fax resume or short note to 503-224-5839 Published in The Oregonian on 02/02 Senior Retail Design Professional -Eugene. Wanted for growing retail design firm making international waves in food store design. Our corporate headquarters is in Eugene, Oregon, but we operate on the world stage. We need (covet!) an experienced designer with the highest level of design ability, and presentation drawing skills. Mastery of hand-rendering, and strong computer illustration skills a must. Experience in retail architecture, lighting, merchandising/display, and graphic signing/design required. Specific experience in food store design makes you a front-runner. Check us out at www.kingdesign.com and dust off your portfolio. Interested pros send resumes via fax 541-686-8418. EOE; drug testing required. Location: OR Date: 2/2/2003 Source: Register Guard (Eugene) Web Content Editor - Eugene.Register Guard. Part-Time $14.78 to $22.93 per hour up to 19 hrs. per week. Createds and edits Web page content; selects material for Web pages; writes HTML and other Web-related computer code as needed; creates original content for the Web site; uses a computer to design, proof and upload web page; and acts as a backup programmer for all componets of the electronic information system, including audiotext. Schedule vaies. Applicants must have 4- year degree and complete application - Apply by February 14, 2003. WEB Content Editor, The Register-Guard, Human Resources Department P.O. Box 10188, Eugene, OR. 97440-2188. Get application and job description at www.registerguard.com or at 3500 Chad Drive M-F 8:30 to 5:00 PM. Illustrator- Eugene. Needed to write, not draw. Thinking skills of story-book illustrator needed for multi-media project. Independent Contract. Work with existing script & story-board to produce text-based visual description of audio program content for use by animator & computer programmer. Mail resumes to: Oregon Center for Applied Science, Inc., 1839 Garden Ave., Eugene, OR 97403; Fax: (541) 342-4270 or e-mail: hr@orcasinc.com No phone calls, please Location: OR Date: 2/2/2003 Source: Register Guard (Eugene) Prepress Specialist - Eugene. Position skills include scanning, electronic imposition, soft proofing, image setting, asset data base maintenance. Need experience with Mac based photo shop, Quark Xpress, Illustrator, Trapwise, Presswise. Familiarly with Windows NT servers & Heidelberg prepress equipment highly desirable. Seeking motivated self starter with good communication skills to work in creative quality focused work environment. Competitive salary, 401(k), benefits, vacation, etc. Send resume including work & salary history to BBD 2495362 The Register Guard, P.O. Box 10188, Eugene, OR 97440 Response to qualified candidates only. Location: OR Date: 2/2/2003 Source: Register Guard (Eugene) AN ADDITIONAL THOUGHT ABOUT COPYRIGHT Jan
23rd 2003 From The Economist print edition ( Economist.com
) This article is preprinted for educational purpose only A
radical rethink: The best way to foster creativity in the digital
age is to overhaul current copyright laws CRITICS have derided a 1998 extension of American copyrights as the "Mickey Mouse Protection Act" because it stopped early images of the Disney company's mascot from entering the public domain. But such laws, they argue, are no joke. Extending and strengthening copyrights, they claim, will help a handful of big corporations crush creativity in the digital age. On the contrary, say Hollywood studios and big record companies. Without stronger copyright protection, a wave of piracy will destroy their industries, depriving consumers everywhere of a broad choice of movies, music and books. Last week America's Supreme Court weighed into what is rapidly becoming a nasty worldwide battle about the scope and enforcement of copyrights, by rejecting a challenge to the 1998 law on constitutional grounds. But even as it upheld the law, the court expressed misgivings. Blistering dissents from two justices dismissed the 20-year extension of copyright as unwarranted, and even the majority's opinion hinted that Congress's decision may have been "unwise". The court's ambivalence is understandable. The growing quarrel over copyright is just one of the many difficult issues thrown up by the spread of the internet and related technologies (see our survey of the internet society in this issue). But of all these issues, the copyright battle is becoming one of the most urgent, and bitterly fought, because it could yet determine the future character of cyberspace itself. Both sides have a point. Digital piracy does indeed threaten to overwhelm so-called"content" industries. As the power and reach of the internet continue to grow, the illicit trading of perfect copies may well devastate the music, movie and publishing industries. The content industries want to protect themselves with anti-copying technology, backed by stronger laws. So far, they have been at loggerheads with technology firms about how to implement such schemes (see article). But a deal between Hollywood and Silicon Valley is likely eventually. Critics are right to fear that, when such a deal is struck, it will be in the interests of big firms, not the public. A grand new bargain The alternative is to return to the original purpose of copyright, something no national legislature has yet been willing to do. Copyright was originally the grant of a temporary government-supported monopoly on copying a work, not a property right. Its sole purpose was to encourage the circulation of ideas by giving creators and publishers a short-term incentive to disseminate their work. Over the past 50 years, as a result of heavy lobbying by content industries, copyright has grown to such ludicrous proportions that it now often inhibits rather than promotes the circulation of ideas, leaving thousands of old movies, records and books languishing behind a legal barrier. Starting from scratch today, no rational, disinterested lawmaker would agree to copyrights that extend to 70 years after an author's death, now the norm in the developed world. Digital technologies are not only making it easier to copy all sorts of works, but also sharply reducing the costs of creating or distributing them, and so also reducing the required incentives. The flood of free content on the internet has shown that most creators do not need incentives that stretch across generations. To reward those who can attract a paying audience, and the firms that support them, much shorter copyrights would be enough. The 14-year term of the original 18th-century British and copyright laws, renewable once, might be a good place to start. However,
to provide any incentive at all, more limited copyrights would have to
be enforceable, and in the digital age this would mean giving content
industries much of the legal backing which they are seeking for copy-protection
technologies. Many cyber activists would loathe this idea. But if copyright
is to continue to work at all, it is necessary. And in exchange for a
vast expansion of the public domain, such a concession would clearly be
in the interests of consumers. Copyright © 2003 The Economist Newspaper and The Economist Group. All rights reserved.
|