Busy Week Ahead & a Lecture
by Michael B. Druxman on 09/14/13
September 16, 2013
This is going to be a busy week. On Saturday (21), I teach my 3-hour class, "The Art of Storytelling," at The Writing Barn in South Austin, so I'm going to have to prepare what I'm going to say.
We've entered the music and sound effects editing stage in preparing the CLARA BOW audio. Nancy McLemore, who is producing and voices the audio, is doing most of the work here, but I have to be available for consultations.
Speaking of CLARA BOW, a high school (?) drama student recently posted a 8 minute video on YouTube of her doing a condensed version of my play in a classroom. Though flattered that this actress liked my play enough to utilize it, once I discovered the video, I had YouTube remove it because it was a violation of my copyright.
I have no problem with people doing excerpts of my plays in classrooms. Indeed, I've been told that THE HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS collection of plays in quite popular with students for that very purpose. I encourage the practice, since it sells more copies of my work(s).
However, what I will not permit is for those classroom readings to be filmed and then uploaded onto the Internet. I doubt that any professional artist, were he/she aware that their work was being so exploited, would allow that.
Even when a play is licensed for a production, virtually every contract states that the production cannot be recorded without the author's specific permission. To do so can diminish the value of the work and is a violation of copyright law.
I know. "Everybody" does it, but...
The bottom line is that it is a form of stealing.
You have a creative week,
Michael
