DFA

Workshop - what happened?

The Documentary Filmmakers Association, Women of the Sun, the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property, American University and the Center for Social Media, American University,

were proud to present:

A special 2-day workshop and film screening focusing around the issue of expanding the utility of copyright “users’ rights” for documentary filmmaking.

Sponsored by the Ford Foundation, the NFVF, The City of Johannesburg, Underdog Productions and the Gauteng Film Commission this workshop is part of a joint project with American University’s Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property and Center for Social Media, which are working with filmmakers around the world to better understand and expand rights to utilize copyrighted material in filmmaking without license.

The event featured the launch of Untold Stories in South Africa: The Creative Consequences of the Rights Clearance Culture for Documentary Film, the final report of a year-long study of rights clearance and documentary film in South Africa.

The workshop began with a public screening and discussion with the director of The Order of Myths, a documentary that explores race, music and celebration at Alabama’s Mardi Gras, and which benefitted from a project in the U.S. working with filmmakers to understand users’ rights under copyright law. Click here to learn more about the film.

During the following two days at the “SAB World Of Beer” Conference Venue, in Newtown, workshops were conducted on how South African filmmakers can use and expand users’ rights under South Africa’s copyright law. All of the events were open to the public and free of charge for members of Woman of the Sun (WOS - www.womenofthesun.org.za) or the Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA – www.docfilmsa.com). The Opening and film screening was free to all.

The Agenda was as follows:

Thursday Dec. 10, 19h00 - 22h00

Film Screening and Discussion with Director: The Order of Myths
A Film by Margaret Brown
Venue: The Laager Theatre at the Market Theatre – Newtown
(Secure parking: Crn, Miriam Makebe St & Gwigwi MMrewbi St)
Free to all

Friday Dec. 11, 09h30 for Registration - 17h00

Workshop: User’s Rights Under South Africa’s Copyright Law: What are They and How Can Filmmakers Use Them?
Venue: “SAB World Of Beer” Conference Venue – Newtown
(Secure parking: entrance on Gerard Sekoto Street)
Free to DFA, WOS or BFN members and invited guests, a subsidised fee of R80 for others

Saturday, Dec. 12, 09h30 for Registration - 17h00

Workshop: Expanding the Utility of Users’ Rights: Implementing the Recommendations of the Cape Town Workshop on Copyright Clearance and Free Expression, March 2009.
Venue: “SAB World Of Beer” Conference Venue – Newtown
(Secure parking: entrance on Gerard Sekoto Street)
Free to DFA, WOS or BFN members and invited guests, a subsidised fee of R80 for others

Featured:

Peter Jaszi, Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law, Author of Copyright Law (2006) and Director of the Fair Use and Public Media Project.
Sean Flynn, Associate Director, Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property, American University Washington College of Law
Andrew Rens, Intellectual Property Fellow, Shuttleworth Foundation, Legal Lead for Creative Commons South Africa, co-founder and director of The African Commons Project
Marc Schwinges, National Treasurer for the Documentary Filmmakers' Association, National Board Member and Head of Communications for the South African Screen Federation & Independent Producer - Underdog Productions
Eve Rantseli, Women of the Sun
Margaret Brown, Independent Filmmaker
Freddy Ogterop, Visual History Archive, University of Cape Town, Author of Audiovisual Audit Report: The South African Liberation Struggle

Presented by:

Sasfed Member Organisation, NPO Number :51-722, National Association Founded 2007