Blog
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“Setting up a new European organisation was an exciting challenge I could not refuse.”
“Setting up a new European organisation was an exciting challenge I could not refuse”, said Cécile Despringre, Executive Director, when sharing her experience of developing the SAA over one decade ago. “10 years from now, I hope we will have a more harmonised Europe for audiovisual authors’ rights and remuneration, also for online demand. However, there is a risk for the European model to be overturned by a US approach that deprives authors of their rights”, warned Despringre.
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Artificial Intelligence’s impact on filmmaking
In recent years, there has been an important increase on the use of AI in the audiovisual and media sectors. This raises key questions on authorship and creativity.
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Making the economic case for culture
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on culture has been, and still is, devastating. While many policymakers understand the consequences of the crisis on our health, social life and wellbeing, few are aware of the important role that the cultural sector can play for the recovery of the European economy.
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Meet our member: SPA in Portugal
On the 1st of January, Portugal took over as Chair of the EU Council Presidency. The country is well-known for its port wine and football players, but less for being the home of one of the world’s oldest Universities and bookstores. “We are very old but at the same time we are very proud of our modernity”, said Paula Cunha when describing SPA, the Portuguese Collective Management Organisation, soon to reach a century of age.
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Time to secure a status for authors and artists
Of the total employment in EU27, 3,7% (7,3 million) people work in the cultural sectors and one third are self-employed (Eurostat 2019). COVID-19 has worsened their already precarious situation and left many without any regular income and difficulties to prove their eligibility for any possible financial support mainly designed for employees or businesses.
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The new Copyright legislation: Making the most for next generation authors
On 25 November, the SAA organised the event “The new Copyright legislation: Making the most for next generation authors” with the participation of filmmakers, policymakers and experts to discuss the authors’ right to remuneration in the new EU legislation.
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Meet our member: VG Wort in Germany
From July to December, Germany holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU. It has a population of 83 million and there are 13 Collective Management Organisations for the cultural and creative sectors. VG WORT is one of the biggest, founded in 1958 by authors and publishers together, and a member of the SAA since the start.
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Member States fail to meet the Audiovisual Media Services Directive deadline
The 19 September 2020 is the final day for EU Member States to transpose the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive into their national law, a legislation they agreed on two years ago (on 6 November 2018). This ‘upgraded’ directive further harmonises national legislation, not only on traditional TV broadcast but also on-demand services and video-sharing platforms.
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Filmmakers suffer, but COVID-19 is not the only cause
COVID-19 has taken us through emotions of grief, denial, anger and sadness. Hit by the second wave of the pandemic, the virus has demonstrated its force and resulted in the final stage: acceptance. We are slowly learning how to live with and adapt to our new reality. However, the symptoms of a fragile audiovisual sector were there long before the pandemic and the virus is not the only cause.
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What does Artificial Intelligence have to do with films?
Alongside tackling the COVID-19 crisis, the European Commission and the European Parliament have continued working on establishing a European approach for the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The SAA had a look at the topic to try to understand how AI is used in the audiovisual sector and what its impact on authors is.
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Authors deserve fairness, not charity
Living under lockdown, with social distancing, was once unimaginable but is now the new normal for most of us. Cinema, theatres and film production were among the first cultural activities to shut down, and they will be the last in line to be up and running again. However, the cultural sector continues to show resilience to mobilise, adapt and outlive the COVID-19 crisis.
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How COVID-19 contaminates the film sector
The last month we have seen the COVID-19 sweep through Europe like a whirlwind, leaving everyone affected and deeply worried. The impact is immediate and the long-term consequences yet to be seen. As public life is being increasingly restricted to ‘flatten the curve’, bars, restaurants, concert venues, theatres, cinemas and museums are being closed. While these measures save lives, they are very much impacting those working in the cultural and creative sectors.
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