Blog
-
Interview with SAA's Director: The film industry and the online market
As a part of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) open online course (MOOC), Cécile Despringre, SAA Executive Director was interviewed about creators’ remuneration, collective rights management, the film industry and the online market.
Read more -
Meet our member: Kopiosto in Finland
On 1st July, Finland takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU. Finland is the number one happiest country in the world, has 3 million saunas (more than they have cars) and Finns are the biggest coffee drinkers in the world (12kg per person per year). Kopiosto, the Finnish copyright organisation, has actively been promoting creative works for more than 40 years, and joined the SAA as a member in 2010.
Read more -
Growing awareness of culture for development
Culture contributes to 30 million jobs worldwide and represents around 3% of the world’s GDP (UNESCO). However, we are still far from policies that put creators at the centre of our booming creative industries and that understands their full potential and value in global development and cooperation.
Read more -
A not so unified Union...
At the Cannes Film Festival more than 500 filmmakers came together, urging EU citizens to vote in the European elections. Many EU citizens did vote, in fact the turnout was 51%, the highest in 20 years.
Read more -
Vote for culture - a catalyst for a better Europe
In the coming days, through the elections, EU citizens will decide the fate of the new European Parliament. Many are pondering whom they should vote for, but culture is definitively not the decisive factor shaping public opinion.
Read more -
3 ways the new European Parliament can support creators
In a few weeks, EU citizens’ will elect a new European Parliament. Looking back, the Parliament has done a lot for directors and screenwriters in Europe, and one could ask: Is there anything more to do? Yes there is.
Read more -
2018 in three words: The Copyright Directive
For the SAA’s small team, working in the European House of Authors in Brussels, 2018 can be summed up in three words: the Copyright Directive.
Read more -
When will the film industry pass the gender equality test?
Half of all Hollywood blockbusters fail to pass the Bechdel test, including the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, all Star Wars and all but one of the Harry Potter movies. One may think it is a simple test, but many films lack the requirements: two female characters who both have a name and talk to each other about something other than a man.
Read more -
Broadcasting and retransmissions – from a bad proposal to a hopeful directive
On 13 December 2018, the Council and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on the Broadcasting and Retransmissions Directive. This is a milestone for audiovisual authors to continue receiving royalties for the exploitation of their works included in TV programmes’ packages distributed all around Europe, whatever the technology used.
Read more -
‘This time I’m voting’ - for cultural diversity
Brussels’ European quarter is getting ready for the elections on 23-26 May. Political parties are finalising their lists of candidates for the European Parliament and organisations and interest groups are designing campaigns to engage citizens to vote.
Read more -
Op-ed: An EU Copyright law for the 21st century film and TV industry
The EU Copyright Directive, which is currently being finalised by the Council and the European Parliament, must include a principle of fair and proportionate remuneration to be fit for the 21st century film and TV industry, writes Cécile Despringre.
Read more -
How to exploit authors’ work without exploiting the author
How can screenwriters and directors ensure their films have the chance to be viewed by as many as possible and at the same time get fairly and proportionately paid for the success? This was one out of many interesting discussions at the dinner during SAA's event in the European Parliament, called ‘One Day in Strasbourg’.
Read more