Blog
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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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2019: A year of changes
2019 was a year of changes, which brought us into a new reality. It was the year when a long battle with getting positive new copyright legislation through was finally overcome and the year when a completely new Parliament and Commission was elected.
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3 ways filmmakers support the SAA
The SAA was created in 2010 by 9 collective management organisations, with the support of the European screenwriters and directors whose rights they manage. Ten years later, the SAA has grown to 33 CMO members and is backed by a board of Patrons of 34 prominent filmmakers from different countries and working experiences.
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Shrinking space for filmmakers’ artistic freedom in Europe
Freemuse, an independent international organisation, has in a recent report, for the first time, put the spotlight on Europe’s alarming rise of populism, undermining of cultural diversity and use of restrictions on artistic freedom in several countries. The topic was discussed on 21 January by Members of the European Parliament and representatives from the creative and cultural sector.
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“What is an author if they don’t have the right to express themselves?”
Every year, the European Parliament celebrates European cinema and cultural diversity through the LUX Film Prize Award. The SAA is proud to participate to this celebration by organising a dinner, in partnership with FERA and FSE, gathering Members of the European Parliament, our members and the LUX Film Prize finalists. This year, our guests reminded us that freedom of artistic expression cannot be taken for granted and needs to be upheld and protected at all times.
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Figures don’t lie, filmmakers’ rights need to be strengthened
Every year CISAC publishes its global multi-repertoire collection report, taking stock of trends and development of the authors’ royalties collectively managed by 239 CMOs in 122 countries. The figures don’t lie: where an unwaivable right to remuneration is implemented, creators’ right to receive royalties for the exploitation of their works can be guaranteed.
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“Women at CISAC” - towards 50/50 in authors’ societies
On 4-5 November, representatives from the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) met in Lisbon to discuss how to advance gender equality within collective management organisations (CMOs) and increase women creators among members and on the boards. The SAA was among them.
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