Doc U: Taking on the Big Guys and the Fight for Doc Rights

THIS MONDAY NIGHT!
Monday, February 21, 2011 in L.A.
Doors Open: 7:00pm
Discussion & Audience Q&A: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Wine Reception to Follow

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The Cinefamily
611 N. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

For nearly 30 years IDA has been on the frontlines in the battle for documentary filmmakers’ legal rights. 2010 saw some encouraging advances and even a few outright victories in this struggle in the areas of net neutrality, a federal shield law that protects documentary filmmakers, and a landmark exemption for documentary filmmakers under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The exemption provides documentary filmmakers with access to previously "locked" DVD content for fair use in their productions.
 
So what does all this mean for documentary filmmakers? Find out at IDA’s February 21 edition of Doc U, where those who have been fighting these battles and filmmakers who have felt their impact first hand will discuss the current state of the struggle, let you know what your legal rights are right now, and show you how to protect yourself when taking on powerful corporations in a documentary.

Come with questions! Get answers!

Panelists:
Michael Donaldson, Attorney
Christopher Perez, Attorney

Moderator:
Eddie Schmidt, President, IDA Board of Directors

Bios

Michael Donaldson, Partner, Donaldson + Callif
Michael C. Donaldson is an entertainment attorney who has been fighting for independent filmmakers for over thirty years.  As President of the International Documentary Association, he negotiated with the cable networks to prevent the wholesale migration of credits from the screen to the internet by organizing and leading the Documentary Credit Coalition. He served on the Advisory Committee for theDocumentary Filmmakers Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use and serves on the Advisory Committee of the Stanford Fair Use Project. He negotiated with Media Professional Insurance Company, Chubb Insurance Company, and other companies to offer fair use riders on the E&O insurance policies which allowed many films to be made under the fair use doctrine. He helped draft Orphan Works legislation, as well as, the Rome Resolution to harmonize Fair Use across the European Union.

In addition, he also wrote Clearance & Copyright, used in 50 film schools and winner of three national book awards.  He is also the co-author of The American Bar Associations’ Legal Guide to Independent Filmmaking.

Michael is an avid skier, world hiker, and award-winning photographer.  He won a gold medal at the 1998 Senior Olympics for Parallel Bars and a silver medal on the rings.

Christopher Perez, Associate, Donaldson + Callif
Christopher represents independent filmmakers through all aspects of the filmmaking process including financing, production and distribution.  As a member of University of Southern California’s Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic in 2008-09, Christopher appealed to the U.S. Copyright Office to allow documentary filmmakers secure an exemption from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) for extracting material from commercial DVDs for use in their documentary films under the doctrine of fair use.

Moderator:
Eddie Schmidt, President, IDA Board of Directors
Eddie Schmidt is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker, writer/producer, and commentator, as well as the Board President of the International Documentary Association (IDA). He has produced four feature documentaries that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, including the groundbreaking THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED, the powerful TWIST OF FAITH (for which he was nominated for an Academy Award), and the intimate musical tapestry, TROUBADOURS. For television, Schmidt has directed, produced, and written documentary and comedy specials and series for HBO, IFC, Lionsgate, PBS, A&E, E!, Current, GSN, and Adult Swim. As a pundit, he was featured in the Starz/Encore documentaries IN THE GUTTER and SEX AND THE CINEMA, and heard on NPR's THIS AMERICAN LIFE.  Since 2009, Schmidt has served as President of the IDA, a nonprofit community and resource for documentary filmmakers. Recently, Schmidt was Executive Producer of CANDYMAN, a seriocomic documentary about the rise & fall of the inventor of Jelly Belly jellybeans.

The evening's on-stage conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A, and a reception on the Cinefamily's backyard Spanish patio!

IDA members: $15
Non-members: $20

Join IDA now! For discounted admission prices and more!