Re: Digital transfer of videotapes

From: Colin Seeger <seeger[_at_]ozemail.com.au>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 19:34:13 +1000

On Fri, 26 Feb 1999, Sue Welsh <welsh_S[_at_]fairfield-city.k12.oh.us> wrote:
>
> My district is considering purchase of a system to deliver videos to
> the classroom which would involve transferring all of our videotapes
> to a digital file which could then be accessed through a server by
> multiple users. (1) Illegal? (2) Change of format? Opinions, please.

Short answers:

(1) looks like a "substantial reproduction" to me and unlawful without

    all owners' permission

(2) change of format = a reproduction and probably leads to public

    performance once it's been done and the system put into operation

If any of my films were involved, I'd be unhappy if the action were not licensed. The amount of the fee would be negotiable. Laudable as an educational tool but so are photocopiers and I ger royalties for educational packs. Can't see a reason to think otherwise of this one. Sorry!

CS

"Galvanising Ideas"

Colin Seeger, Consultant, Management of Intellectual Property. P.O Box 3227, Tamarama, Sydney, Australia 2026 Tel: (61) (02) 9365 1186, Fax (61) (02) 9365 1286 Received on Mon Mar 01 1999 - 08:34:42 GMT

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