Copyright law doesn’t protect ideas. It only protects the particular original expression of those ideas, once they are fixed in tangible form. But figuring out the difference between the ‘idea’ and the ‘expression’ isn’t easy."
While figuring out the difference could, indeed, prove difficult, easing this potentially daunting task is being able to frame and to isolate the issues involved—which is exactly what LegalEase, a column that debuted in the June 27 edition of SHOOT (p. 14), did.
Authored by attorney Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, a partner at law firm Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, New York, this first installment of LegalEase—an excerpt from it opened this column—sheds light on a Michigan jury’s decision to award more than $30 million to two men who alleged that Taco Bell stole from them the idea of using a Chihuahua in advertising. Taco Bell plans to appeal the verdict, contending that its ad agency, TBWA/Chiat/ Day, came up with the idea of the popular Chihuahua character.
LegalEase will appear the first week of each month, starting in August. It is one of several new columns, features and resources that SHOOT will introduce this summer, adding further depth, dimension and insights relative to industry developments spanning business and creative issues, branded content, mainstream commercialmaking, radio advertising and technology.
Addressing the latter area—specifically hardware and software—is Toolbox, a regular column that will be authored by Carolyn Giardina, SHOOT’s senior editor/technology and postproduction. The first installment of Toolbox appears in this week’s issue (p. 8).
Toolbox showcases how artists deploy the tools of their trade to achieve the desired creative end result. Artists will discuss their approaches and concerns relative to a particular project, while shedding light on the practical applications of varied tools. In some cases, artists will utilize tools in ways not originally intended by manufacturers and software makers.
This week’s Toolbox column examines a Loews Theaters cinema promo that contains subtle branding for Court TV. The project, "Clean Getaway" produced by bicoastal Crossroads Television, is a hybrid mix of advertainment and cinema advertising, two disciplines that are gaining momentum and generating discussion in the commercialmaking community.
Among the tools used to create "Clean Getaway" were the Panasonic Varicam variable frame rate camera, Angenieux HD lenses, the Snell & Wilcox HD switcher and the ARRI Arrilaser film recorder.
DP Trish Govoni discusses how the Varicam was deployed, and what her rationale was for the selection of the Angenieux lenses. Crossroads Television executive producer Dean Winkler assesses the performance and contributions of the Snell & Wilcox HD switcher. And Winkler and David Hayes, executive producer/co-founder of E-Film, Hollywood, offer their takes on the Arrilaser film recorder.
Toolbox presents a range of observations—both pro and con—relative to equipment and software. For example, Govoni expresses a reservation about a physical property of the camera. "The thing about video I still don’t like is the cable and being tethered," she says. "I operated mostly from an on-board monitor. Once they get the viewing system worked out, I think it’s going to be fantastic."
At the same time, Govoni had overall praise for the Varicam. "The best thing about the camera was the image quality," she noted. Of the experience, she related, "I’m trying to hold on to film and shoot as much film as possible. But this was a very pleasant introduction [to HD]. I was pleased with the [film-like] approach and not [having to] worry about [post] while shooting."
Govoni said she would definitely use the Varicam again. "It would be great to get the camera to run through the paces," she remarked.
