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Unit G322, Section B 18march
Unit G322, Section B 18march
MEDIA PRACTICES.
LOS 18/03/2014
FOR EXAMPLE: WARNER BROS OWN DC COMICS AND THEREFORE OWN THE
RIGHTS TO ALL OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE DC UNIVERSE.
FILM RIGHTS
WHEN AN EXISTING STORY (BOOK, PLAY, COMIC) IS MADE INTO A FILM THE RIGHTS HAVE
TO BE BOUGHT FROM THE AUTHOR THE PRODUCT IS THEIR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
E.G. WARNER BROTHERS BOUGHT THE RIGHTS TO MAKE THE FIRST 4 HARRY POTTER FOR
1 MILLION. (THEY BOUGHT THE REMAINING 3 WHEN THE FIRST HAD BEEN A SUCCESS).
FILM MAKERS MAY OPTION A SCRIPT MEANING THEY ONLY PAY 10% OF THE FEE AND
THEN PAY THE FULL AMOUNT IF THE PROJECT GETS THE GREEN LIGHT (GOES INTO PRODUCTION) .
THERE IS NORMALLY A TIME LIMIT ON AN OPTION USUAL TWO OR THREE YEARS. IF THE
FILM ISNT MADE IN THIS TIME THE RIGHTS CAN BE RE-SOLD.
FILM RIGHTS
ESTABLISHING WHO HAS THE RIGHTS TO MAKE
A FILM OFFER RESULTS IN LONG LEGAL BATTLES AND THE DELAY OF A FILM BEING MADE.
WATCHMEN TASK:
GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES (ALSO USE SEARCH ENGINES), AND RESEARCH THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE ENCOUNTERED WHEN PRODUCING AND DISTRIBUTING THE WATCHMEN FILM DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE FILM RIGHTS. WRITE NOTES AS QUESTIONS WILL FOLLOW
HTTP://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2008/09/20/MOVIES/20WATC.HTML?PAGE
WANTED=ALL&_R=0
HTTP://ARTICLES.LATIMES.COM/2009/JAN/16/BUSINESS/FI-WATCHMEN16
WATCHMEN (2009)
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO MAKE A FILM VERSION OF WATCHMEN
SINCE 1986, WHEN PRODUCERS LAWRENCE GORDON AND JOEL SILVER ACQUIRED FILM RIGHTS TO THE SERIES FOR 20TH CENTURY FOX.
IN 1991, FOX PUT THE PROJECT INTO TURNAROUND AND WAS MOVED TO WARNER
BROS
THE DIRECTOR TERRY GILLIAM WAS SET TO MAKE THE FILM BUT LATER
ABANDONED THE PROJECT BECAUSE HE DECIDED THAT WATCHMEN WOULD HAVE BEEN UN-FILMABLE. SUBSEQUENTLY IT WAS DROPPED BY WARNER BROS.
IN 2004 THE FILM WENT TO PARAMOUNT PICTURES BUT AGAIN IT WAS PLACED IN
TURNAROUND WHEN THE LEAD DIRECTOR LEFT TO WORK ON OTHER PROJECTS.
IN 2005 LAWRENCE GORDON TOOK THE FILM BACK TO WARNER BROS WHERE IT
WAS EVENTUALLY BROUGHT TO LIFE.
20TH CENTURY FOX FILED A LAWSUIT TO BLOCK THE FILM'S RELEASE, STATING THAT
THEY STILL HAD THE RIGHTS TO THE FILM AND THAT LAWRENCE GORDON WAS SUPPOSED TO RESUBMIT WATCHMEN TO FOX EVERY TIME HE CAME UP WITH A CHANGED ELEMENT.
WARNER BROS FOUGHT THIS CLAIM BUT EVENTUALLY THE STUDIOS EVENTUALLY
SETTLED.
THE FILM WAS RELEASED TO CINEMAS IN MARCH 2009 A YEAR AFTER THE ORIGINAL
RELEASE DATE.
KEY ISSUES
FOR A QUESTION ON ISSUES RAISED BY MEDIA OWNERSHIP YOU WOULD BE EXPECTED TO PRIMARILY WRITE ABOUT THE FOLLOWING KEY AREAS:
PIRACY
Look at the articles on the below websites and answer (write down ) the following questions What is film piracy and how is it committed? Who are FACT? What does FACT stand for? Who benefits from piracy? Who loses out due to piracy? What are the figures? http://www.launchingfilms.com/who-gains http://www.fact-uk.org.uk/about/ http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/film-and-music-piracy http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25575298