Not Too Late For A Lawsuit Against Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven'
VideoOn Monday, the Supreme Court decided that a copyright infringement suit against MGM, which produced Martin Scorsese’s 1980 film Raging Bull, could go forward. The case involves a screenplay about...
View ArticleGet Ready For More Sherlock Holmes As Appeals Court Affirms Character Is In...
This week, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that Sherlock Holmes is in the public domain. That means Warner Bros. is free to put Sherlock Holmes in the next Lego movie, fans are free to...
View ArticleAereo Supreme Court Loss Could Affect Cloud-Based Innovation, And Open Door...
If we can’t stream video from remote antennas, can we listen to the music we have stored on Amazon or view the documents we have uploaded to Google Drive?
View ArticleSmart is the New Locked: The Copyright Office Prepares to Rule on the Future...
Software is no longer limited to computers, tablets, and phones. Everyday objects from sneakers to refrigerators contain software, which often allow our apparel and appliances to communicate with...
View ArticlePreparing for 'Mein Kampf' to Enter the Public Domain
On January 1, 2016 the copyright in Hitler’s anti-Semitic, racist screed Mein Kampf will expire in Germany, and the book will enter the public domain. A debate has erupted over how publication should...
View ArticleWho Should Own 'Happy Birthday to You'?
When someone in a movie sings “Happy Birthday to You,” or a group of waiters offers an a capella version at the next table, the Warner Music Group collects the fees. The company’s subsidiary,...
View ArticleCan the New Apple TV Finally Smarten the Living Room?
Shortly before he died, Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had “finally cracked it,” meaning the perfect television user interface. Today, four years later, Apple realized Job’s vision,...
View ArticleMyanmar And Its Film Industry Fear Election Could Mark End Of Period Of Freedom
Video Filmmaking for Democracy in Myanmar from Peter Decherney on Vimeo. On Sunday, the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (formerly Burma) is scheduled to have a democratic general election. It will...
View ArticleSearching for the Next Silicon Valley:Alec Ross Forecasts the Industries of...
Alec Ross was Hillary Clinton’s Senior Advisor for Innovation when she was Secretary of State, and he helped craft her groundbreaking open internet agenda. Since leaving the State Department, Ross has...
View ArticleStolen Oscars: History, Markets And Myths
Olivia Rutigliano (@oliviarutiglian) is a doctoral student in English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. She has done some fascinating research on the history of stolen Oscars, and in...
View ArticleIn Copyright Lawsuit, Star Trek Fan Work Gets Its 'Easy Rider Moment'
Axanar boasts high quality special effects, differentiating it from other fan work. (Courtesy of Axanar Productions) Paramount and CBS are suing the creators of a Star Trek fan film, Axanar, for...
View ArticleFox And The AFI Create An Opportunity For Women To Direct Franchise Films
The new partnership will make Fox franchises available to graduates of the AFI program, who will have the opportunity to pitch ideas for short films using Fox’s intellectual property.
View ArticleThe Supreme Court May Be About To Decide The Future Of Halloween Costumes
Today’s case is about cheerleading uniforms, not costumes, but it is likely more than a coincidence that the Supreme Court decided to hear its first ever fashion copyright case on Oct. 31.
View ArticleThe Supreme Court Grapples With The Meaning Of Fashion
On Oct. 31, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands, its first-ever fashion copyright case. Though most of the questions focused on the cheerleading uniforms...
View ArticleBatman's Little-Known Co-Creator Gets His Screen Debut
A new documentary on Hulu tells the fascinating story of Batman's long lost co-creator.
View Article