The law is there you know...but this is not enough!

The law is there you know...but this is not enough!

Patricia Covarrubia   March 29, 2012   No comments:

The Chilean ‘Camara de Diputados’ (Chamber of Deputies – MPs) approved draft agreement No 526 which demand the enfocement of Law 20,243. The draft gives support to actors who see their rights economically and morally infringed by TV channels.

The draft enforces Law 20,243 (effective since February 2008) that protects the rights and intellectuals heritage of audiovisual performers. The draft agreement notes that the “...actors and actresses are legitimately requiring to the television conglomerates and cable operators to respect their intellectual property rights and comply with current legislation” .

In this regards, Law 20,243 Art 3 provides for payment of a fee which cannot be waived for the use and reproduction of audiovisual media in which they perform. The news informs that it has been reported that free TV channels when artist have demanded the respect of their rights, they have been threatened with closure of dramatic area (i.e. soap opera), reductions of salaries and/or reducing casts. [no quite an amicable table of negotiations]. So, what is next? I mean, there is a Law that establishes rights and obligations that clearly the said TV companies do not care, so...do you believe that a draft emphasizing or remembering that they need to do so will change they behaviour? It is good indeed to see that ‘Camara de Diputados’ are given support BUT...is this enough?

The draft agreement No 526 can be found at this link (in Spanish).

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Actores de Chile contra canales de TV abierta por derechos de Propiedad Intelectual

Actores de Chile contra canales de TV abierta por derechos de Propiedad Intelectual

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr   March 27, 2012   No comments:

En la industria de las teleseries y telefilmes de Chile está teniendo lugar un conflicto entre los intérpretes audiovisuales y algunos canales de televisión abierta, relacionado con los derechos de propiedad intelectual. En efecto, los artistas audiovisuales agrupados en Chileactores acusaron a los canales de televisión abierta Canal 13, Chilevisión, TVN y Mega, de continuar obligándolos a firmar contratos que contienen cláusulas que los obligan a renunciar a sus derechos de propiedad intelectual.

En una declaración publicada en el diario El Mercurio el 25 de marzo recién pasado expresaron que “[a] pesar de las dos exitosas movilizaciones convocadas por Chileactores, de los intentos de llegar a acuerdos con los ejecutivos y de las demandas presentadas en contra de los canales en el 6to juzgado civil de Santiago por incumplimiento de la ley, éstos insisten en imponernos en los contratos una serie de cláusulas a través de las cuales nos obligan a renunciar a nuestros derechos de propiedad intelectual”.

Afirmaron que “conocemos nuestros derechos de propiedad intelectual protegidos por la ley 20.243, vigente desde el 5 de febrero del 2008. Sabemos que nuestros derechos a percibir una remuneración por la comunicación pública o radiodifusión de nuestras interpretaciones realizadas por los canales de TV.- son de carácter irrenunciable e intransferible”, agregó el comunicado público.

Por lo anterior, solicitaron a los parlamentarios que no aprueben las indicaciones al proyecto de TV digital que beneficien a dichas estaciones mientras éstas continúen con esta práctica “ilegal”.

Enfatizaron que “[t]ales renuncias a nuestros derechos no son válidas por cuanto la ley expresamente declara que se trata de derechos irrenunciables e intransferibles .Por lo tanto, estos contratos no pueden constituir prueba en procesos judiciales a favor de los canales de televisión”, expresó Chileactores, enfatizando que “rechazamos cualquier indicación en el proyecto de ley de TV digital que favorezca los intereses de los canales abiertos, mientras ellos no cumplan con la ley 20.243 [que regula los derechos morales y patrimoniales de los intérpretes de las ejecuciones artísticas fijadas en formato audiovisual]. Hacemos un llamado a los parlamentarios a rechazar tales indicaciones, mientras persista la conducta ilegal de los canales de TV abierta”.

Finalmente, la declaración hizo hincapié que se trata de derechos que “son distintos e independientes a los regulados en los convenios por pago de autorización de repeticiones y ventas al extranjero de determinados productos audiovisuales, suscrito entre los canales de TV y la Corporación de Actores de Chile al amparo de la ley 17.336”.

“Todos los actores firmamos estos contratos bajo la amenaza de perder nuestra fuente laboral, existe por parte de estos empleadores un abuso de dependencia”, cerró el comunicado.

Fuente: www.chileactores.cl / www.mer.cl

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The Colombian Law called ‘Fanny Mikey’ is not funny business

The Colombian Law called ‘Fanny Mikey’ is not funny business

Patricia Covarrubia   June 24, 2010   2 comments:

Last week (17/06) the Colombian Congress approved the ‘Fanny Mikey’ Law which seeks to protect economic rights (royalties) to soap opera actors and actresses when productions are later sold and broadcast in Colombia and abroad. The Law now waits for presidential approval.

The law called “Fanny Mikey ", named after a Colombian-Argentina actress who died over a year ago, was approved in the Senate by 57 votes in favour and 5 against.

The Minister of Interior and Justice, Fabio Valencia Cossio, said that this initiative recognizes that artists “have the right to receive royalties for their performance and work, as their contributions to the cultural heritage of Colombia must be translated into economic and social aspects”. I could not agree more. It is my understanding that Colombia is one of the major Latin American exporting countries of television productions, including soap operas, dramas and other series. Therefore, while the law appears to grant economic rights to just the artist, it is I believe of importance to the Colombia country as well. The reason is that the development of a country is to distribute the resources generated in all regions and in all sectors.

Maria Eugenia Penagos, actress and now director of the Actores Sociedad Colombiana de Gestión (Society Actors Management) achieved to unite 183 artists for the support in moving forward the Fanny Mikey Law. She mentioned that with this law, "We will raise the right to remuneration for public communication”. Penagos explained that for each broadcast of a drama in which an actor participates, he receives a percentage. If at home, the money raised will go to the Actores Sociedad Colombiana de Gestión; if overseas, to their societies. She adds that the amount to be paid will be set up by the parties involved (producers and actors) and it will be done in accordance with international agreements. If no agreement is reached, a judge will set it up. She gives an example from Argentina where last year it started collecting royalty for actors at 0.8 percent.

There is clearly a difference between paying fees for services that have been agreed in the contract concerned and another matter is royalty – don’t you think?

Yet, many questions arise from this law, for instance: will the royalty be for the actors’ lifetime or for a defined time period like cinematographic works that are protected for 80 years calculated as from the completion of the production (Art 26)? Who will be controlling later broadcasting and international sales? To this effect, how will it be controlled?

Colombia Copyright Law here.

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