1 Star (if any) For ** ABUSE & THEFT of COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL **:…read more
Henry George School in Chicago used my copyrighted content without permission, notification, or compensation (i.e., copyright theft) apparently as a misguided application of the Henry George 'common good' philosophy.
Chuck Metalitz and film curator Bob Matter (who also appears to have some association with Facets in Chicago), recently ripped off my hard earned movie, 'BookWars' - which I'm still actually paying off in terms of production costs. They screened it and advertised it publicly at their venue, the Henry George School in Chicago, without notifying the copyright holder/producer or offering any payment.
But there it was: publicly listed on their website calendar with a full description and synopsis. (*note 7/9/2015 - it looks like they have removed/cleansed the listing from their website; in any case screenshots of the listing are available as proof, if need be) A cached version of their original page can be found at http://www.gigablast.com/get?q=hgchicago.org+bookwars&qlang=&c=main&d=168821233413&cnsp=0 besides an archived version on my own website.
Even so, it's striking that they would spend more time trying to cover their tracks - i.e., remove the evidence from their website - than actually undertaking outreach proactively to copyright holder to license the work, or even to ask for a waiver, or to settle the situation after the discovery of the theft.
Had they been courteous and up front about their inability to pay a full screening fee, I would very likely have reduced the fee very very significantly, as I have done in the past with other pro-social and grass roots venues. Instead, Mr. Metalitz was defensive, disrespectful, disagreeable, and moreover demonstrated an air and attitude of entitlement to IP - Intellectual Property rights - that I found incomprehensible (besides being unfounded in law and practice)
I only found out about the screening through a random google search and then saw the ad and page (see above). Mr. Metalitz indicated at first that he had a right to screen the movie under the 'classroom fair use' clause; it was not in fact classroom fair use though, as per https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107 .
As a filmmaker defending misuse of the work on occasion, I've had to become fairly knowlegable about fair use. Mr. Metalitz himself admitted that members of the public attended the screening, which clearly defines the exhibition as public performance - and copyright holder is entitled to compensation.
Mr. Metalitz then proceeded to suggest, with links to an article he cherry picked somewhere, how IP (intellectual property) does not actually belong to the copyright holder, but is a common good, to be exploited at will by all.
Despite repeated civil outreach, his colleagues Bob Matter (the film curator who presumably was responsible for selecting the movie and arranging the screening) and another mystery man named Bob Jene, avoided any of my inquiries until I contacted Mr. Matter through the website of the lawfirm where he works, Freeman Kevenides Law Firm.
Thus identified, Bob Matter finally replied, stating that he would explain the 'misunderstanding' (but hasn't yet). Curiously, he also mentioned that Mr. Metalitz 'permitted' him to reply to my inquiry - is this a sort of cult?
Separately, Mr. Metalitz grudgingly agreed in the end that I was entitled to some fee and made a minimal offer which I don't find agreeable, especially after the onerous process of identifying the theft/misuse of content, then tracking these guys down and discussing this with them and proving that I had a right to recoup my investment.
Note: there are plenty of other films listed on their website, not sure of those are legit or not; in any case, filmmakers take note and, if this affects you, contact the Henry George School in Chicago to discuss.
In short, I think these guys (the Henry George School) have taken the philosophy of their namesake way too far, and it's now a case of the serpent eating its own tail. The proponents of the Henry George philosophy are now cannibalizing legitimate, small business owners' creative works which were 'fairly made', and this is specifically contrary to the original philosophy of Henry George himself.
I'm not an exploitive landlord: I'm a hard working media maker who put a lot of my own money, time and effort into producing this work (the movie they stole, 'BookWars') which is still being paid off and from which I'm entitled to recoup.
It's ironic that the Henry George School offers a local tour apparently in Chicago called 'THEY STOLE IT', outlining the co-opting of real estate etc in the area.
Sometimes the shadow is, indeed, darkest beneath the lamp...