Copyright Basics Explained by Disney Characters

By Dennis D. McDonald

From Professor Eric Faden of Bucknell University comes this review of copyright law, explained in super-clever terms using snippets of video and dialog from Disney and Pixar animated films.

A YouTube supplied version is shown below. Warning: you have to listen very closely to the soundtrack. Also, make sure to read the FBI warning at the beginning:

Comments

[Lee Aase]

Excellent video, Dennis. Thanks for highlighting it.

[Dennis D. McDonald]

Lee, if you enjoyed that one, you should check out this comic book:

http://www.ddmcd.com/comic.html

- Dennis

[Peter Turner]

Dennis

Great video!

As I get older, my love for Disney becomes more nostalgic and then as I learn that every time Mickey Mouse's copyright limiting when it slips into the "public domain" runs out...Disney's lawyers get the law extended.

Just finished Peter Barnes' book Capitalism 3.0 which I recommend. In the chapter on creating and protecting a cultural commons to promote innovation in the arts, he shows a sobering statistic.

Disney Stories that were taken from the public domain (17)

Disney Stories added to the public domain (0)

Although still a fan, I think the creativity and innovation have been more legal than storytelling unless you count Pixar.

[Dennis D. McDonald]

Peter,
Another thing that galls me about Disney (I don't know for sure if this is still their practice) is how they take certain classic properties off the market for years until they can re-release them for sale to a new audience. That always seemed a boneheaded marketing decision to me since in their desire to generate artificial scarcity they thereby allow competitors to horn in on being able to generate awareness and demand.
- Dennis