Copyright and related exclusive rights are vital
Copyright and related exclusive rights are vital to film and television producers and their creative and distribution partners throughout the world, not merely as a means of exploiting the films, but as a powerful incentive to embark on the considerable economic risk involved in turning a creative vision into a finished film or TV programme.
Without the legal system of copyright, we would have nothing to sell and no way to pay our workers and business partners. Throughout all these key stages in the high-risk process of making and distributing a film or TV programme, the copyright framework provides the legal bedrock for the relationships between all the parties involved, upon which most transactions depend, and underpinning the economic value of the work.
Copyright fits the digital age
Copyright was essential to film and TV production and distribution in the analogue era; it remains essential today in the digital world, both to production and dissemination on the diverse linear and non-linear distribution services available to today’s audiences.
Copyright allows all contributors to be remunerated
Making a film or a TV production is a collective effort. Each production involves dozens, if not hundreds of creative, technical and business/financial contributors. Copyright provides for rights for each contribution and ensures that each contributor receives payment for his/her contribution to the resulting collective work.
Copyright allows audiences the best experience when watching a film or TV programme
Making a film or a TV production requires creativity, commitment and a high level of investment. All of these components serve to develop and to tell the best story on screen. Developing high-quality solutions in production also applies for distribution services : cinemas, broadcasters’ linear and non-linear services as well as online services of all kinds constantly invest in innovative tools to offer the best experience to audiences.
Copyright allows audiences a diverse offer in content and services offline as well as online
Copyright ensures more national, co-produced or regional, international film and TV productions available, more ways to enjoy them offline and online. This is the achievement of the past decade. Investments in legal online offers and in production are booming in each territory to the benefit of audiences – even though continued copyright infringement online remains a major challenge to the industry both in terms of recoupment of investments and seed money to develop new content.
Why territoriality is essential for the audiovisual sector
FIAPF is at the forefront of the debate around the dangers of undermining the ability for the audiovisual sector to agree territorial exclusivity.
Piracy: why rules applying in the offline world should also apply online
Illegal use of and access to our works is a serious threat for our industry and to the necessary recoupment of the significant investments in production. At stake is producers' and their creative and business partners' ability to continue to create new stories.
