Week 8 EOC: Legal Questions

1.       How does copyright affect spoofs or parodies?

2.       Is verbal consent good enough when you shot a video?

3.       What Isn't Covered Under Copyright?

4.       How do you go about making a film in a local business is it a contract agreement or just and ok from the owner.

5.       What are the rules for making a remake based on a classic film that has fallen into the public domain?

6.       If the film is based on a novel.  Does this mean anyone is free to go and remake the film as he wishes or do you still have to get the approval from the heirs of the author (author of novel), director, etc…?

7.       Can I use a song or other copyrighted work in my film if I change ... percent of it?

8.       Do I need to get my film rated before I can show it to an audience?

9.       Is it necessary to obtain a release from everyone whose face appears on camera?

EOC Week 7:Progress to finding a lawyer

I am waiting on the call back from my uncle. He is getting married next week so I guess I can wait for that. He lives in California but will be going to Italy for his honeymoon right after his wedding so I’ll probably even bug him on his honeymoon. I’ll just tell him that sometimes you just have to take one for the team. My uncle has his own production company but what I found out like a year ago he did graduate from the South Carolina School of law… Who Knew? I knew he was just a smart guy with a vision but I didn’t know he went to get his law degree as well. My uncle is a very busy man. I figured that much because he and his fiancée are just now tying the knot after 10 years. My aunt has to be a very patient woman to be marrying him. I guess it works out for them because they genially love each other and at the end of the day that’s all that matters. So far my project is going great I just have to continue to stay on top of things so I won’t fall behind. This isn’t a project that you just jam in all at once. I’m just grateful my lawyer is on the family because I don’t think I would in a good spot if they weren’t. It’s Vegas and I’m a college student I don’t even have money to offer a lawyers to answer my ten questions if it came down to it.

EOC Week 6: Illicit Trade

“Illicit trade is a burden to society and human progress. It distorts markets, attracts a heavy regulatory burden, destabilizes states and favors short-term profit over human development.” –Webforum.org The value of illicit trade is estimated to be around 650 billion dollars worldwide. Illicit trading from money laundering to human trafficking to even counterfeiting and drug trafficking. So many people are unaware of this unlawful crime and something needs to be done about it. People need to be informed about the damages it is doing to not only America but to countries worldwide. These drugs are coming and people are doing them and then crime rates go up because some drugs do make people violent to others. Even when women, children, and even men are being sold to become sex slaves or even work in child labored factories. PBS had a video talking about the economical virus called illicit trade in weapons, drugs, and people are changing the world. Illicit is a dark trade. It controls can even control the politics in some countries to even the food that is given out. This Is known as a dark trade to people and needs to be dealt with. This criminal network is changing the world at a rapid speed and is not slowing down at all if no one does anything about it. “Illicit trade breeds violence and corruption.”- PBS people are beginning to ask question on whether or not there are strategies out there to help fight against this virus.

EOC week 5:Apple-Samung Patent Battle

Samsung verses Apple patent war was a showdown among two big companies who both believe they were infringed on. Samsung was told to stop selling and the products that patents were infringed on. Apple wants Samsung to stop that older Samsung cellphone models be banned permanently because of the patent battle the two companies have. Both apple and Samsung believe that they were infringed on and both companies believe that both their patents were infringed upon that they lost money. The late owner of Apple Steve Jobs said “stolen product." When it came to Samsung operating system and how Google play store and android infringed on some apple patents.  The most famous phones in the case are Samsung’s Galaxy smart phones and tablets. Since then people have called the two companies school children and the government being the principal. Samsung phones didn't stay banned forever because Obama and his team overturned the ban. The ITC ruled that Samsung infringed on the swiping your finger across the screen patent. They never said that apple invented the swiping method across the screen but that did patent the method. Samsung has implied that they changed some ideas around to avoid crossing apple patents in future phones. Samsung has also said that the “negative ruling against them in the case could cause dire consequences for consumers. “Samsung also said that the ruling would have a shortage in cellphones to U.S carriers.

EOC week 4:Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden Leaked information that he stole while working for the NSA, he broke the law. When He was hired to work for the NSA he agreed to secrecy. Once he agreed to work for the NSA Snowden entered into a contract. The consideration of the contract was for Snowden to keep secrets and in return he would be paid. Even though Snowden did not leak this information for money, but because he felt the Government was doing people wrong by filing everything that any citizens have made digital. It is said that Edward Snowden used his security clearance to expose the United States government. In the Government article that pertains to Espionage Section 793 talks about activities such as gathering, transmitting to an unauthorized person, or losing, information pertaining to the national defense, and to conspiracies to commit such offenses. Section D of the Espionage article relates more to what Edward Snowden did, it talks about information being released about the United States Government that would hurt them in the long run or be used to the Advantage to a foreign country. When Snowden released this information and was just granted temporary Asylum in Russia which has caused a great amount of disappointment in the United States he also sparked a lot of debates among Americans.  Plenty of people were mad about what Snowden did but when they found out what the government was doing they were not so happy with the government as well. Taking people information and filing it is an invasion of privacy. Looking into your emails and keeping them is not right. I am not the type to be so extreme about what should happen to Snowden, but I do think he should have not leaked this information only because he was in a contract with the United States Government. Russia should have Extradited Edward Snowden, but they didn’t. He should have stayed in America and let the Justice System try him. I’m not saying America has a bad justice system but Snowden did break the law.

EOC:week 3 Rolling Stones

                The Boston Bombing Suspect appeared on the front cover of The Rolling Stones magazine latest issue. 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was known by many as his friends and people around him as a great kid. He claimed he didn't want to have to kill innocent people but the United States government kills innocent Muslims every day in Iraq or even I Afghanistan. He and His brother used pressure cookers that would act as bombs were set off at the marathons finish line. These bombs killed 3 people the youngest being an 8 year old boy, and injured 300 people with flying shrapnel.  Tsarnaev and his brother’s conduct did intentionally cause injuries to the victims so there go factual cause. He took full responsibly for the attack and said “I can't stand to see such evil go unpunished. We Muslims are one body, you hurt one, and you hurt us all," The other brother who was known to friends as Tim was an aspiring Olympic boxer. The both were to the public just as American as everyone else around. They smoked lots of weed as well according to friends. The oldest brother Tim was gunned down by police when they caught up to him he was found in a boat. Many Americans are mad about Jahar being on the cover of this magazine. He and his brother planned this attacked and went through with it. “There have been more than 25 plots to strike the United States hatched by Americans, most of which were ill-conceived or helped along by undercover operatives who, in many cases, provided their targets with weapons or other materials.”- Janet Reitman. Both of these brothers had no Duty Due care when planning this attack. They could have killed so many others as well that day. This is also a case of Ultra hazardous Activity because of the fact they had explosives that can do harm to people. The building around them also set fire. Arson is both state and federal crimes. There is so much this case will bring out and the victims will get justice. There no other option.

EOC Week 2:Stand your Ground Law

Florida was the first state to have the Stand Your Ground Law. The stand your ground law means Justifiable use of Force can be used if you feel your life is in danger. If you feel your life is in danger you have the right to protect yourself at all cost even if it means deadly force. This Law has been under speculation because of the George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin case that took place in Sanford, Florida where an unarmed 17 year Trayvon Martin was killed by the Neighborhood Watch Captain George Zimmerman.  George Zimmerman said that Trayvon Martin attacked him and he had to shot him because he was smashing his head on the concrete and he felt he was about to die. The media got involved in this case because George Zimmerman was not arrested until weeks later and was charged with second degree murder. He was proven not guilty of 2^nd Degree Murder. Hugh Duvall a Criminal Defense Attorney said “A verdict of "not guilty" can mean a verdict of "not proven.” The prosecution did not have enough evidence to prove George Zimmerman guilty. Now this law has brought people from different states to either defend it to disagree with it. There has been protest concerning the stand your ground law. Florida Governor Rick Scott met with protestors and said “There will not be a special session to change the stand your ground law in the state.” I can see how the Stand your Law could help someone in situations that you need to use force but when a Teen is killed and they don’t live to tell their story who really knows what happened besides the one who is still alive. Anyone can go out and pick a fight and then kill someone. What about the person who is killed there story is not told because their life was ended. George E. Curry wrote in an article “Trayvon Martin was just standing his Ground.”