Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?

2014-04-08 Thread Jessica Rosner
Universal owns Paramount films made between 1928-48 so EMKA is likely
their shell company.

On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 9:29 AM, Bob Norris b...@filmideas.com wrote:
 I got curious Kim. I looked up Pointed Heels. As Jessica says, Paramount 
 Pictures Corp is the copyright holder, along with Emka, LTD. Had never heard 
 of Emka. Turns out to be set up with the sole function of overseeing the 
 Pre-1950 Paramount Pictures library. A corporate shell deal.

 I gave up on Happy Days. Too many to sort through. But infinitesimal percent 
 chance that Fox let the copyright lapse.


 On Apr 7, 2014, at 5:24 PM, videolib-requ...@lists.berkeley.edu wrote:

   1. Re: Public Domain studio films? (Jessica Rosner)

 From: Jessica Rosner maddux2...@gmail.com
 Date: April 7, 2014 3:46:41 PM CDT
 To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
 Subject: Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?
 Reply-To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu


 These are copyrighted films the rights holder (which in the case of
 POINTED HEELS in Universal which ones Paramount films made between
 1028-48) studios have not releases along with I would imagine tens of
 thousands of others. The copies you have are bootlegs. I have seen
 these titles online and at some of the film buff shows I go to so they
 are not unique in any way just pirate copies of films the rights
 holder has not released. There are studio films that are PD because
 they were not renewed but this is very rare and it is safe to assume
 anything made by a real studio after 1922 is copyrighted. One can do
 copyright searches on titles like this but it is expensive and really
 not necessary. The relatively small number of studio films that have
 gone PD are generally known and very widely available ( Say SUDDENLY
 or THE GENERAL)
 In fact many lost films like LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT, 4 DEVILS and
 whole lot of early sound Fox films are still copyrighted even if they
 don't exist.

 On Mon, Apr 7, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Stanton, Kim kim.stan...@unt.edu wrote:
 Hi all,



 My library recently received a large donation of early studio films on VHS
 format. The majority were official releases, but I have two hanging out that
 came from one of those rare/vintage mail order video companies. The quality
 is not so hot - they look like low end telecine transfers.   I don't know
 the copyright renewal status of either film, so I don't know if these are
 Public Domain or not.   I haven't been able to find copies for sale on
 Amazon, with a quick Google search or listed in Worldcat - if these are
 legal PD copies and super rare I'd like to keep them, despite the kind of
 crappy quality.  Does anyone have any info on the PD status of these
 particular titles or other resources I could consult? Should I assume that
 most majors studios renewed copyright on all their pre-1968 films or was it
 more case by case than that?



 · Pointed Heels (1929), William Powell, Helen Kane; Paramount
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020278/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 · Happy Days (1930), Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell; Fox Film Corp
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020949/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_7



 Thanks!

 Kim





 VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues 
 relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, 
 preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and 
 related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective 
 working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication 
 between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and 
 distributors.

VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues 
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, 
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and 
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective 
working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication 
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and 
distributors.


Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?

2014-04-08 Thread Stanton, Kim
Thank you to everyone who replied on and off list. I got my hands on the Film 
Superlist reference book and was able to confirm the renewal.  It looks like 
these tapes are going in the trash. 

How did I not know about the Film Superlist! I'm in love with this 20lb tome. 

Thanks,
Kim 

-Original Message-
From: videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu 
[mailto:videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of Jessica Rosner
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 8:40 AM
To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
Subject: Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?

Universal owns Paramount films made between 1928-48 so EMKA is likely their 
shell company.

On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 9:29 AM, Bob Norris b...@filmideas.com wrote:
 I got curious Kim. I looked up Pointed Heels. As Jessica says, Paramount 
 Pictures Corp is the copyright holder, along with Emka, LTD. Had never heard 
 of Emka. Turns out to be set up with the sole function of overseeing the 
 Pre-1950 Paramount Pictures library. A corporate shell deal.

 I gave up on Happy Days. Too many to sort through. But infinitesimal percent 
 chance that Fox let the copyright lapse.


 On Apr 7, 2014, at 5:24 PM, videolib-requ...@lists.berkeley.edu wrote:

   1. Re: Public Domain studio films? (Jessica Rosner)

 From: Jessica Rosner maddux2...@gmail.com
 Date: April 7, 2014 3:46:41 PM CDT
 To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
 Subject: Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?
 Reply-To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu


 These are copyrighted films the rights holder (which in the case of 
 POINTED HEELS in Universal which ones Paramount films made between
 1028-48) studios have not releases along with I would imagine tens of 
 thousands of others. The copies you have are bootlegs. I have seen 
 these titles online and at some of the film buff shows I go to so 
 they are not unique in any way just pirate copies of films the rights 
 holder has not released. There are studio films that are PD because 
 they were not renewed but this is very rare and it is safe to assume 
 anything made by a real studio after 1922 is copyrighted. One can 
 do copyright searches on titles like this but it is expensive and 
 really not necessary. The relatively small number of studio films 
 that have gone PD are generally known and very widely available ( Say 
 SUDDENLY or THE GENERAL) In fact many lost films like LONDON AFTER 
 MIDNIGHT, 4 DEVILS and whole lot of early sound Fox films are still 
 copyrighted even if they don't exist.

 On Mon, Apr 7, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Stanton, Kim kim.stan...@unt.edu wrote:
 Hi all,



 My library recently received a large donation of early studio films 
 on VHS format. The majority were official releases, but I have two 
 hanging out that came from one of those rare/vintage mail order video 
 companies. The quality
 is not so hot - they look like low end telecine transfers.   I don't know
 the copyright renewal status of either film, so I don't know if these are
 Public Domain or not.   I haven't been able to find copies for sale on
 Amazon, with a quick Google search or listed in Worldcat - if these 
 are legal PD copies and super rare I'd like to keep them, despite 
 the kind of crappy quality.  Does anyone have any info on the PD 
 status of these particular titles or other resources I could 
 consult? Should I assume that most majors studios renewed copyright 
 on all their pre-1968 films or was it more case by case than that?



 * Pointed Heels (1929), William Powell, Helen Kane; Paramount
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020278/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 * Happy Days (1930), Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell; Fox Film Corp
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020949/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_7



 Thanks!

 Kim





 VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues 
 relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, 
 preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and 
 related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective 
 working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication 
 between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and 
 distributors.

VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues 
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, 
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and 
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective 
working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication 
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and 
distributors.

VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues 
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, 
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and 
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective 
working tool for video librarians, as well

Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?

2014-04-08 Thread Ravas, Tammy
Hi Kim, 

It¹s quite the tome isn¹t it?!

Cheers,

-- 
Tammy Ravas

Associate Professor
Visual and Performing Arts Librarian and Media Coordinator
Mansfield Library
University of Montana
ph: 406-243-4402
E-mail: tammy.ra...@umontana.edu




On 4/8/14, 11:28 AM, Stanton, Kim kim.stan...@unt.edu wrote:

Thank you to everyone who replied on and off list. I got my hands on the
Film Superlist reference book and was able to confirm the renewal.  It
looks like these tapes are going in the trash.

How did I not know about the Film Superlist! I'm in love with this 20lb
tome. 

Thanks,
Kim 

-Original Message-
From: videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu
[mailto:videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of Jessica Rosner
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 8:40 AM
To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
Subject: Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?

Universal owns Paramount films made between 1928-48 so EMKA is likely
their shell company.

On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 9:29 AM, Bob Norris b...@filmideas.com wrote:
 I got curious Kim. I looked up Pointed Heels. As Jessica says,
Paramount Pictures Corp is the copyright holder, along with Emka, LTD.
Had never heard of Emka. Turns out to be set up with the sole function
of overseeing the Pre-1950 Paramount Pictures library. A corporate shell
deal.

 I gave up on Happy Days. Too many to sort through. But infinitesimal
percent chance that Fox let the copyright lapse.


 On Apr 7, 2014, at 5:24 PM, videolib-requ...@lists.berkeley.edu wrote:

   1. Re: Public Domain studio films? (Jessica Rosner)

 From: Jessica Rosner maddux2...@gmail.com
 Date: April 7, 2014 3:46:41 PM CDT
 To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
 Subject: Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?
 Reply-To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu


 These are copyrighted films the rights holder (which in the case of
 POINTED HEELS in Universal which ones Paramount films made between
 1028-48) studios have not releases along with I would imagine tens of
 thousands of others. The copies you have are bootlegs. I have seen
 these titles online and at some of the film buff shows I go to so
 they are not unique in any way just pirate copies of films the rights
 holder has not released. There are studio films that are PD because
 they were not renewed but this is very rare and it is safe to assume
 anything made by a real studio after 1922 is copyrighted. One can
 do copyright searches on titles like this but it is expensive and
 really not necessary. The relatively small number of studio films
 that have gone PD are generally known and very widely available ( Say
 SUDDENLY or THE GENERAL) In fact many lost films like LONDON AFTER
 MIDNIGHT, 4 DEVILS and whole lot of early sound Fox films are still
 copyrighted even if they don't exist.

 On Mon, Apr 7, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Stanton, Kim kim.stan...@unt.edu
wrote:
 Hi all,



 My library recently received a large donation of early studio films
 on VHS format. The majority were official releases, but I have two
 hanging out that came from one of those rare/vintage mail order video
companies. The quality
 is not so hot - they look like low end telecine transfers.   I don't
know
 the copyright renewal status of either film, so I don't know if these
are
 Public Domain or not.   I haven't been able to find copies for sale on
 Amazon, with a quick Google search or listed in Worldcat - if these
 are legal PD copies and super rare I'd like to keep them, despite
 the kind of crappy quality.  Does anyone have any info on the PD
 status of these particular titles or other resources I could
 consult? Should I assume that most majors studios renewed copyright
 on all their pre-1968 films or was it more case by case than that?



 * Pointed Heels (1929), William Powell, Helen Kane; Paramount
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020278/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 * Happy Days (1930), Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell; Fox Film
Corp
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020949/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_7



 Thanks!

 Kim





 VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of
issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic
control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in
libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve
as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel
of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video
producers and distributors.

VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of
issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic
control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in
libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve
as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel
of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video
producers and distributors.

VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of
issues relating to the selection

[Videolib] Public Domain studio films?

2014-04-07 Thread Stanton, Kim
Hi all,

My library recently received a large donation of early studio films on VHS 
format. The majority were official releases, but I have two hanging out that 
came from one of those rare/vintage mail order video companies. The quality is 
not so hot - they look like low end telecine transfers.   I don't know the 
copyright renewal status of either film, so I don't know if these are Public 
Domain or not.   I haven't been able to find copies for sale on Amazon, with a 
quick Google search or listed in Worldcat - if these are legal PD copies and 
super rare I'd like to keep them, despite the kind of crappy quality.  Does 
anyone have any info on the PD status of these particular titles or other 
resources I could consult? Should I assume that most majors studios renewed 
copyright on all their pre-1968 films or was it more case by case than that?


* Pointed Heels (1929), William Powell, Helen Kane; Paramount 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020278/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

* Happy Days (1930), Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell; Fox Film Corp  
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020949/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_7

Thanks!
Kim

Kim Stanton
Head, Media Library
University of North Texas
kim.stan...@unt.edumailto:kim.stan...@unt.edu
P:(940) 565-4832

VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues 
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, 
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and 
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective 
working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication 
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and 
distributors.


Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films?

2014-04-07 Thread Jessica Rosner
These are copyrighted films the rights holder (which in the case of
POINTED HEELS in Universal which ones Paramount films made between
1028-48) studios have not releases along with I would imagine tens of
thousands of others. The copies you have are bootlegs. I have seen
these titles online and at some of the film buff shows I go to so they
are not unique in any way just pirate copies of films the rights
holder has not released. There are studio films that are PD because
they were not renewed but this is very rare and it is safe to assume
anything made by a real studio after 1922 is copyrighted. One can do
copyright searches on titles like this but it is expensive and really
not necessary. The relatively small number of studio films that have
gone PD are generally known and very widely available ( Say SUDDENLY
or THE GENERAL)
In fact many lost films like LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT, 4 DEVILS and
whole lot of early sound Fox films are still copyrighted even if they
don't exist.

On Mon, Apr 7, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Stanton, Kim kim.stan...@unt.edu wrote:
 Hi all,



 My library recently received a large donation of early studio films on VHS
 format. The majority were official releases, but I have two hanging out that
 came from one of those rare/vintage mail order video companies. The quality
 is not so hot - they look like low end telecine transfers.   I don't know
 the copyright renewal status of either film, so I don't know if these are
 Public Domain or not.   I haven't been able to find copies for sale on
 Amazon, with a quick Google search or listed in Worldcat - if these are
 legal PD copies and super rare I'd like to keep them, despite the kind of
 crappy quality.  Does anyone have any info on the PD status of these
 particular titles or other resources I could consult? Should I assume that
 most majors studios renewed copyright on all their pre-1968 films or was it
 more case by case than that?



 · Pointed Heels (1929), William Powell, Helen Kane; Paramount
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020278/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 · Happy Days (1930), Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell; Fox Film Corp
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020949/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_7



 Thanks!

 Kim



 Kim Stanton

 Head, Media Library

 University of North Texas

 kim.stan...@unt.edu

 P:(940) 565-4832




 VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues
 relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control,
 preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and
 related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective
 working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication
 between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and
 distributors.


VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues 
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, 
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and 
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective 
working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication 
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and 
distributors.