Make America Infringe Again: Trump campaign video pulled over Batman copyright A video for President Trump's 2020 re-election campaign has been pulled offline for copyright infringement. The two-minute ad, which featured Trump walking around to a thunderous soundtrack that happens to be the score of the movie Dark Knight Rises, appeared yesterday but was swiftly taken down after the copyright owner – …
What a colossal bunch of bell-ends. It’s bad enough that they come up with ridiculously over-baroque laws like DMCA, it’s quite another that they think that they can blatantly flout all copyright law (even that which is reasonable). One law for Trump and the GOP, another law for everyone else.
Now I realise that some people will point out that Hillary doesn’t exactly have scrupulously clean hands but I get the feeling that she genuinely wants to do the right thing overall (even if she unscrupulously cuts corners along the way) and at least if she did bend a few laws she wouldn’t rub everyone’s nose in it.
Put another way, if the Left and the Right were dogs then they’d both shit on the pavement - but the Right wing dog would do it in the middle, where maximum footfall is, in plain sight and then deny it, whilst the Left wing dog would discretely wait until it thought no one was looking and lay it (mostly) out of the main path.
That's just silly, clearly the dogs would shit on opposite sides of the road where the opposing foot traffic would fall, both in clear view and, if they could, they'd piss on your shoes as you walked past as well. I mean the DMCA passed with a unanimous vote IIRC. Not so much as a peep of dissent from either side.
Meh, the Trump campaign isn't the first and won't be the last to fall foul of the silly fair use eliminating law.
It's not Hillary Clinton vs Donald Trump. That was over two year ago. Looking back to shoot at enemies doesn't seem a good strategy as they fade into history and we face a rather different world.
I personally would love to have Peter Buttigieg and Donald Trump talk about the vision thing and the issues, live on TV. I'd bring popcorn.
I can see it already. There's a bomb set to destroy Gotham (again...), and the "stop" button on the timer is in an indestructible box with a small hole over the button.
Commissioner Gordon: We need someone with small hands! A child, perhaps!
Police lackey: But sir, all the children have been evacuated. It's hopeless!
[Batman swoops down dramatically from the rooftops.]
Batman: I hear you gentlemen are having a small handful of trouble?
[Batman reaches his curiously small hands into the box and presses the button, cancelling the timer and simultaneously revealing his secret identity.]
Police lackey: [gasp] It's Bruce J Wayne!
Batman: Commisioner Gordon, I need this man sent away to an internment camp immediately.
Commissioner Gordon: Right away, Batman. And thank you.
[Brief scene of Catwoman poledancing while Bruce goes around grabbing all the dancers in a strip bar. Music rises. Fade to black.]
This movie stuff is easy! I believe it's time to give up my day-job! Icon for the bomb in the box.
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It is remarkable that the White House comms team didn't seek to license the music, perhaps because they were concerned it wouldn't be approved.
Well, given Herr Drumpf's absolute disdain for any of the laws of the country1, that his campaign staff ran this out in clear violation of said laws should surprise no one with a pulse, and most of those without one. Of course WB wouldn't grant this asshole rights. Just more lawlessness from the Law-Breaker in Chief.
1Except, of course, the Libel laws, which he wants strengthened to insure he can pop anybody who has the audacity to state that the Emperor has no clothes. That law he'll insure gets enforced.
I seem to recall previous complaints about Presidential campaigns using music without permission, notably by artists who were opposed to that candidate, were overridden because Presidential campaigns had an exemption from the law. Though a quick Google proves me wrong
Counts?
You mean counts, right?
I'm fairly sure he means counts.
I'm going with counts.
Now personally, if I'd had to answer that question, I'd have suggested "Outrageous fucking cockwombles who wouldn't recognise the concept of "Civic Duty" if it broke in to their home, shat on the carpet and stole the cat" but it doesn't scan so well.
There is no record of the works in ASCAP or Warner Bros/Chappell Music's music licensing databases... Bit of a legal dilemma for WMG and Hans Florian Zimmer to begin with, what would be the legal basis? an exemption filed with ASCAP or 'image'?! This is like trying to claim copyright when there is no US Copyright Office record of the copyright or licensing, let alone claiming a 'use' argument... The score states as of 2013, Warner Olive Music LLC (all rights - ASCAP) ... I'm sure the political campaign has a valid and appropriate political campaign ASCAP license as per this document: https://www.ascap.com/~/media/files/pdf/advocacy-legislation/political_campaign.pdf
Hans and WMG would have to prove they are not acting out of political discrimination, and provide a reasonable way to license the use of such.
To conclude in my opinion as a BMI registered songwriter/musician: The only claim that would be valid is Hans Florian Zimmer's 'creators copyright' under the Berne Convention (Part of UCC and it's applicable treaties under the UN).
"This is like trying to claim copyright when there is no US Copyright Office record of the copyright or licensing"
In other words, not a problem at all. Copyright exists from the moment a work is created, with no requirement to register or license it in any way.
"Hans and WMG would have to prove they are not acting out of political discrimination, and provide a reasonable way to license the use of such."
No they wouldn't. There is no requirement that any work must be available to be licensed for use by others. A copyright owner can allow or refuse the use of their property to anyone they like without any need to provide a reason. Even the ASCAP link you obliging provided explicitly states that any works that would usually be available under a general license can be withdrawn for specific political campaigns with no restrictions or provisos, and that even if a license is granted a user could still be subject to both civil and criminal action under a variety of other non-copyright related laws, including an artist being allowed to sue simply because they don't like being associated with a particular political campaign.
"This is like trying to claim copyright when there is no US Copyright Office record of the copyright or licensing"
...which is perfectly legal. Copyright applies the instant the work is fixed in a tangible medium. Registration is not a requirement.
Ah yes. the old “we ignore the law because it would have stopped us from doing what we want” excuse. Normally works fine over there, I wonder what happened..
What I find interesting is the tacit acceptance that they made a mess of the job. The incessant repeating of "make America great again" seems to me implicitly acknowledging that it either hasn't happened yet, or that they screwed up..
"the Mueller report finding there was no collusion with Russia"
I thought the report concluded they hadn't found any, not that there was none to be found. You know “while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him”.
Absence of evidence not being evidence of absence, and all that.
♫ The MAGA hat is falsely red,
It covering Drumpf's smarmy head
And when the citizens grow stiff and cold,
Their hearts' blood dyed, Drumpf steels their gold. ♫
♫ So raise the phony red hat high,
Beneath its shadow all will die,
Though Drumpf will flinch and Drumpf will sneer,
He'll keep the red hat hiding his hair. ♫
to emerge about Trump when he wants to distract everyone from whatever inadequacy or stupidity he has been indulging in.
His opponents will take the bait and give him free publicity, telling everyone what a terrible, immoral person he is.
But for Trumps voter base, extra-marital affairs with pornstars, models, and even prostitutes (sufficiently expensive, of course), are ASPIRATIONAL
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