You know who also wants to avoid a copyright lawsuit? Me! I remixed some music and would like to show it to the other people. Too bad that if they like it, I will never ever be able to monetize it or will even have to delete it.
While we are at it, I’d also like Kurvitz, Rostov, and Hindpere to make another Disco Elysium game.
While we are at it, I think Sci Hub is the greatest invention of the modern science and many scientists would agree - you can just look up how many papers thank Alexandra Elbakyan and her efforts.
While we are at it, I’d love if companies could use each other’s discoveries to speed up tech advancements rather than hoarding patents.
Have you heard about patent trolling? Is that a good system that encourages good and moral behaviour?
I could go on. You paint such a black and white picture - copyright is good because tech giants bad - I can only assume that you are driven by blind ideology and not what’s actually good for us as peers. Ask yourself what’s better for common good
So actually, your remixed music you could play live, as a DJ.
But to SELL it you’d need the permission of the songwriters and record labels, and probably agree some sort of split on the royalties. But is that actually so unreasonable, given it is their work you’re using? Have you sent them your remixes and asked if you can release them?
> So actually, your remixed music you could play live, as a DJ.
No, you can't. You have to procure a license to DJ publicly. A Public Performance License is offered by most of the major music conglomerates, or you have to find a venue that has or will pay for such a license. Profiting off infringement worsens your situation legally, but any copying and distribution by any means of copyrighted material is illegal without a license.
Yes - sorry, I should have been more precise and said "in a licensed venue".
One additional point, in response to your comment: public performance licences are for events or venues, not DJs.
So if you are DJing in club, you are covered. Indeed, there are even specific technologies that log what DJs are playing, built into DJ hardware, and report back to collective licensing bodies so that the rights holders in the tracks played and mixed are properly compensated.
However, my point was less about the intricacies of licensing, and more about the ability to play the music to people under a "blanket" licence. There is no equivalent licensing framework for releasing remixes as recordings.
> Have you sent them your remixes and asked if you can release them?
You have no idea what you are talking about. If something’s technically possible, it doesn’t mean that it is possible in reality or that people haven’t tried what you propose.
I know absolutely and very specifically what I’m talking about here, yes.
So what does the process to license this piece of media look like?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgO7i40-Ce8
I don’t really know what you mean.
But I’ll try to answer what I think you’re asking.
YouTube is a directly negotiated licence - ie it doesn’t fall under any of the statutory blankets, and is licensed territory by territory. Most rights holders are able to license for multiplied territories and often globally. But if soemthing was not licensed for a particular territory in which you were based you would not be able to watch the music video.
The recording and publishing need to be separately licensed by the record label and publisher(s), with the performance and mechanicals handled differently, and potentially flowing via a CMO or mechanical licensing society. The video will be provided by the record label - and they generally own the copyright in the video as a work for hire. If there are sample in the recording they will have been cleared by the label for both the recording and publishing. If there’s an interpolation of a song that will be negotiated and licensed with the publisher(s) or writers as a derivative work.
YouTube uses Content ID to identify the works being exploited, and uses that to account to rights holders.
Is that what you were asking?
Yes, you are of course technically correct, the best kind of correct. I think you are describing a nightmare, brother. You are describing hell.
I didn’t say it was a perfect system. I often say, professionally, that the infrastructure around music rights and licensing is insanely complicated - and as you have personally experienced it can be very frustrating, confusing and dispiriting for creators. But I’m not really sure what the alternative would look like.
> While we are at it, I think Sci Hub is the greatest invention of the modern science
Maybe a while ago it was. It no longer accepts new papers since 2020 and there are much better alternatives available are this point (STC Nexus)
but at the same time, I bet, you don't want a new disco elysium game to be made by Hasbro.
Actually, I do.
I want dozens of them. And then I can play the one with the best reviews.
Of course, without copyright meaning that people have to pay for the games, the chances of those games being made is pretty slim.
Honestly I wouldn't mind that, don't even really see a downside really, Hasbro can make one and the old members of the ZA/UM cultural association can make one, and I'll play whichever one is best! (Who knows, maybe Hasbro has something hidden deep inside it wants to utter out into the world!)