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cc-licenses - Re: is there something like "unintended commercial benefit" ?

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Subject: Development of Creative Commons licenses

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  • From: "J.B. Nicholson-Owens" <jbn AT forestfield.org>
  • To: Discussion on the Creative Commons license drafts <cc-licenses AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: is there something like "unintended commercial benefit" ?
  • Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 13:38:32 -0600

Joachim Traun wrote:
1. Is the including of a piece of music in a movie a derivation of the
original work even if the work is left untouched?

I'd say yes, unless a fair-use snippet of the music is used. But the CC license in question might let you build on the work under certain conditions (the ShareAlike licenses mean your movie would be licensed under that same ShareAlike license, the NoDerivative licenses require understanding of what makes a derivative work. This information is described in the license text).

2. If the music is issued under noncommercial-license, is it legal to enter
festival-competitions with your movie? Because if you would win something
that would be "commercial benefit", or wouldn't it?

In the past, the line delineating what is commercially beneficial has been debated on this mailing list.

I hold the opinion that if the work is used in a commercial context (background music at a typical commercial clothing store, for example), or intended to make one money (as opposed to prestige within the community or a high grade in school, for example), it's a commercial use of the work. Getting a non-monetary award for one's film at a competition doesn't strike me as a commercial use of the work, even if the winner becomes famous and makes Hollywood movies for which they are paid. I think there is a difference between getting an award that helps make one famous versus the clothing store example. The clothing store is using the music with the intention of putting would-be shoppers in a buying mood. The award ceremony intends to celebrate the work of the filmmaker.

3. Are the "royalties" for commercial use of "non-commercial"cc-music fixed
or is that different. Do I have to ask the author directly, or is there
anyone else I could contact? Or is that ASCAP anyway

If you want to use a non-commercial CC-licensed work in a commercial work, I believe you need to negotiate a different license with the copyright holder. I imagine that if the people or organization you negotiate with are not members of ASCAP or BMI, ASCAP or BMI have nothing to do with your negotiations.




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