VF48Hours Forum

in reply to themorgan:

I know, but it's just sad to deprive them of this opportunity. I'm just a big softie though.

in reply to Robstar Rapper:

That's very generous hearted of you, I'd just point out that if they did what they're accused of then they deprived themselves, no one is doing anything to them. And in fact quite to the contrary they are in fact depriving another short that probably didn't cheat from a rightful place in the finals.

If it was allowed to play then it opens a huge bag of worms.
Its a copyright issue, not a rules issue.
The organisers could be sued for breach of copyright.
Its a legal nightmare the comp can do without.
For me its a no-brainer- It must be removed

(I also agree with Morgan- I've not seen it etc and therefore it is an assumption based on what Sloppy Joe has stated)

Using copyright music without permission (assuming it was without permission and was actually the piece of music in question) is not only against the rules, it is against international LAW. I think it may be one of the more important rules...

If the organisers of the comp get sued for copyright infringement - it could be bye-bye 48hours... none of us want that...

in reply to R17:

I am certain that the contract each team manager signs with 48hrs means that if they break the rules/law, 48hrs is not responsible (having done all that is reasonably expected of them). So if anyone is getting sued, it would be the team manager...

in reply to Rowox:

So if anyone is getting sued, it would be the team manager...

Doesn't really work that way in practise though. If the 48HOURS organisers run a public ticketed screening of a film that includes uncleared copyright music then it directly makes them liable for the infringement. They may have an agreement that then means they can pursue action against the filmmaker, but ultimately it's 48HOURS that is legally responsible for their exhibition of the films.

Basically, don't fuck with copyright.

Agreed. If actually identified as a breach, then has to go. Only whilst editing, I picked up background music in our short that I didn't notice during the shoot. (And we couldn't reshoot). The music was obvious. I knew it would be a copyright issue and so laid on the music soundtrack loud for a few seconds until the actors voice came in, then edited that louder (than it needed to be). So even if an honest mistake, it maybe should have even been picked up in edit.

I saw the film in the heats and had no idea what the breach was so I watched it with great attention in the finals last night. The only thing I could work out was a split second ringtone on a phone (I doubt Shazam could have picked up what it was). The complaint was made out to be a blatant disregard to the rules. It appears to me to be an understandable oversight. To disqualify this team would be a travesty. They were a new, young team that made an awesome short, good story, great cinematography and editing. A few years ago a film that went pretty far in the competition had Billy Jean by Michael Jackson playing in the background for a couple of seconds and was not DQ'd and they were an experienced team who should know better, so in my opinion to DQ the team in question would be so unfair. Rules are rules but the world is filled with grey areas and this in my opinion is one of them.

in reply to clattybella:

Man if you can prove a team had Milly Jean By MJ then it should have been DQed for sure!! The Dr Dre track was more than a split second and you could clearly hear the lyrics I guarantee Shazam would pick it up - everyone can make their own decision when they see it in the screening room I guess.

Speaking of DQs - this one made the final, do you think it should have be DQ'd for getting the line wrong? I kind of think so... http://www.48hours.co.nz/screening-room/2014/taranaki/sphere/

Um finalists shouldn't be online until grand finalists are announced......

in reply to SloppyJoe:

Agree with Sloppy Joe. Any dialogue that is clearly incorrect should be disqualified. Otherwise - don't bother having any rules.

Just watched 'Pillar to Post' in the screening room and was surprised to hear the song 'Happy Birthday' in the middle of it.
This song is copyright.

Taranaki, get your act together.
This carelessness that is rewarded with a place in the finals and the film winning awards is dangerous for the entire comp.

Copyright is law.
You cannot breach it in this kind of way and expect to get away with it.

Its not simply a breach of rules, it is ILLEGAL.

C'mon... get it together

Who is the Taranaki supervisor for the comp?

According to the city info page:
anand@greencow.co.nz

I am blown away at this.

So wrong.

Putting it a film by mistake because you are a first timer? Forgiveable, but it goes no further.

But the city manager/judges being unaware of the implications of it and putting it into the finals, then giving it awards? Heads should roll.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2013/06/14/class-action-suit-aims-to-strip-warner-of-happy-birthday-copyright/

$150,000 for an unauthorised usage...

in reply to dramamike:

surprised to hear the song 'Happy Birthday' in the middle of it

Oooh, that is so wrong to be using that song. Just google it so goodness sake! Agree that hands need to be slapped with more than just a wet bus ticket.

Looking forward though ... there must be many, many 48 Hours films that get DQ after hand-in for reasons of copyright breach. We watched one the other night that used the online Tinder app which left me thinking: surely that's out of the running for anything. When the judges are watching everything (and they do have my sympathy on that front!) and they come across an issue that DQ's the film, I'm wondering if that reason could be captured and posted against the entry in the reviews database perhaps?

Then the team involved and more importantly, anyone else watching the film with the view to learning about what makes a good 48 Hour film, or what doesn't pass the test, would indeed get a better understanding of what the rules mean in practise. Seems at the moment there's a lot of grey around where boundaries do or don't fall so more and more teams are pushing out those boundaries and mostly getting away with it.

this is enough to bring me out of retirement, how hard is it to read and understand the rules and how hard is it to enforce the rules? if you are a finalist and have won best whatever for your district why then go and get instant DQ for putting your film up on line, of course that would never happen in this comp would it? as for copyright breach maybe somebodies arse should be sued to prove a point. and yes I have missed you guys as well.

in reply to dramamike:

do you thing greencow is there real name ?