Colleen Tuma

EDU 200
12/4/14

Bound By Law
Is a lawyers guide (in the form of a comic book) through copyright laws and the loop
holes surrounding documentary making in present day. The book starts with Akiko putting her
documentary A Day in the Life of New York together from the footage she took around the
city. Akiko has a dilemma on her hands. She doesnt know if she can use her footage or not due
to copyright Laws. On her quest through the strange and twisted land of Copy right Laws she is
guided by two figures from the land of Limbo.
The first issue that is discussed is artistic work considered to be in the Public Domain.
Public Domain is when a work is produced by the federal government or published before the
year 1923. As Akiko is explained the nitty gritty details attached to the works considered to be
in the public Domain. As she grasps this concept she is thrown a curve ball and told that there
are newer works that are also in the Public Domain the reasons they are vary from the
authors not complying with renewal notices or other such formalities which cost them their
copyrights.
The next issue that the two figures bring to Akikos attention is fair use Law. This Law
permits use of Copyrighted material for the strict use of the material for Criticisms,
Commentary and other such uses. The figures go on to explain the ins and outs of the sticky
and confusing loop holes within the Fair Use Law. There is no concrete set of regulations for
the use of this art. Anyone could be fined or brought to court to restrict the use of this artistic

content. One such example of this was filmmaker Jon Elses Sing Faster the Simpsons was
accidentally caught in the background on a TV in one of the clips. For this Fox demanded
$10,000 for the rights to the 4.5 second clip in the back ground of the film. Film isnt the only
form of art that can be copyrighted, music and pictures can also get you in some form of
trouble if they are copyrighted. If this is so, then you must find the rights owners and buy, or
ask for permission. Another form of fair use is Parody. For example Parody is the taking of an
image and transforming it into your own version.
Obtaining copyrights whether short term or long term is an ordeal in itself. Copyrights
can also expire and need to be obtained again. Or they will be in free domain for the rest of the
public to use. The figures explain that the copyright laws have a delicate balancing act to
conduct, so they dont deter artistic endeavors in the future. Or cause issues concerning misuse
of anothers artistic work. Not everything around you is copyrightable, but a good chunk of it is.
The task is figuring out what is fair game and what is under lock and key.
Trademark logos are another copyrighted material that you have to track down the
owner and either get them to allow you to use it, they might ask you for a fee for its use, or you
may just be told no you cant. So if you cant get the ok, and you dont want to pay the fee
then you just have to cover up the trade mark in your piece.
Toward the end of the book Akiko thinks that as long as she has a good understanding
of the limits of copyright laws, then she is all set to make her documentary without any worry.
She is quickly reminded of Errors and Omissions Insurance fair use is then decided by an army
of lawyers if they find any material which may in their opinion go against fair use laws then the

director of the piece will have to cut the section out or cover it up some way. Or else not be
covered by the insurance company concerning such areas of possible infringement.

Flipping the Classroom

Flipping the class room --- exposing students to new material outside of class. Then in
class clarify harder material, through the use of discussion among the students with the teacher
to clarify any misconceptions or problems that the student will have about the subject.

Pros & Cons

Pros --- using classroom time more efficiently, focusing on the areas of a subject that the
students need help on. Allowing the teacher more time to focus on the students need rather
than only having the last fifteen minutes of class time to help them.
Cons --- the student may not look at the subject material on their own, the student who
may need the most help may not ever voice any of their misconceptions about the subject the
teacher may not find out about it until it is too late to correct it in that school year.
Implementing --- I would implement this technique in my class room by assigning
chapter readings and light homework before the classes in order to have more time to go indepth or help have a better grasp on the subject. For future implementation I think video
lectures, which the student can have access to, and questionnaires about the lecture would be
a better pre class assignment.