Course Title: Manage and exploit copyright arrangements

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2011

Course Code: COMM5914C

Course Title: Manage and exploit copyright arrangements

School: 345T Media and Communication

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6088 - Advanced Diploma of Screenwriting

Course Contact : Program administration

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4368

Course Contact Email:Brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Teacher: Ian Pringle
Email: ian.pringle@rmit.edu.au


Nominal Hours: 20

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

The competency Manage and Exploit Copyright Arrangements looks at the skills and knowledge required to manage the copyright of your project. It is delivered and assessed along with Undertake Marketing Activities. Together these competencies form the course Manage a Project in which you acquire the knowledge you need to take your Screen projects forward.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CUFCMP501A Manage and exploit copyright arrangements

Element:

1. Indentify explotation opportunities for original works.

Performance Criteria:

Confirm original work is protected against unauthorised use.
Research potential for commercial exploitation of original work under copyright, intellectual property and licensing legislation
Seek advice, as required, to ensure that copyright issues are fully addressed in terms of copyright owners’ exclusive rights and the rights of others.

Element:

2. Protect original works locally and internationally.

Performance Criteria:

Confirm original work is protected at local and international levels against illegal or unauthorised reproduction (part or full)
Confirm original work is protected at local and international levels against adaptations
Confirm original work is protected at local and international levels against unauthorised communications
Research and obtain reliable advice to ensure artists’/copyright owners’ rights are protected.

Element:

3. Assign copyright of original works.

Performance Criteria:

Undertake appropriate planning in preparation to negotiate deals for original artwork.
Ensure implications of assigning copyright are understood by relevant parties
Assign copyright to new owner according to legislative requirements
Confirm and agree with relevant parties, the degree to which artists/publishers may control use and exploitation of original work under assignment of copyright.
Accurately record terms of assignment of copyright into a formal contract that is signed by relevant parties.

Element:

4. License rights to original works.

Performance Criteria:

Confirm and agree to territories in which licensing rights may be exercised with relevant parties
Confirm and agree to the timeframe of the licence with relevant parties
Confirm and agree to the terms of exploitation of the original work/licence with relevant parties
Confirm and agree on the creative control of the original work with relevant parties
Negotiate fees relevant to the context of the deal with relevant parties
Confirm and agree on the responsibility of enforcing copyright infringement
Accurately record and store terms relating to licensing deal into a formal contract that is signed by relevant parties.

Element:

5. Maintain copyright documentation.

Performance Criteria:

Store copyright documentation in a secure and accessible form (for retrieval where required)
Identify and confirm responsibility to comply with conditions of copyright agreement.


Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course, you will be able to identify local and international markets, manage the copyright of your work and recognise what is involved in what is involved in the marketing and managing the production and distribution of your own project.


Details of Learning Activities

You learn through:
1. In-class activities:
lectures
industry speakers
teacher directed group activities/projects
peer teaching and class presentations
group discussion
class exercises to review discussions/lectures
workshopping of students’ own projects
analysis/critique of writings of students’ choice


2. Out-of-class activities:
independent project based work
writing and reading assignments
online and other research
independent study


Teaching Schedule

Week starting Class content Assessment due Elements
NEEDS ELEMENTS
Week 1
(7 Feb)

Introduction to the course content – explanation of assessment.
Information Sheet: synopsis, proposed budget, audience, distributor, financing sources, proposed cast

Budget: General introduction to Above & Below Line costs

 

CUEMAR03B - 1

CUFCMP501A 1,2
Week 2
(14 Feb)
Setting up Production entity, legal issues, contracts, completion guarantors

Production logistics: Location, Studio

Budgeting: Above the Line costs cont.

   CUEMAR03B - 1

CUFCMP501A 2
Week 3
(21 Feb)

Synopsis, Treatment, Presentation of Concept

Budget: Above the Line costs cont.

* Assessment: Preparation of Information sheet for delegated script.

   CUEMAR03B - 1

Week 4
(28 Feb)
Production management, Health & Safety issues,
production logistics

Budget: Above the Line costs cont.

  CUEMAR03B - 1

Week 5
(7 March)
Contracts, industry awards, management of production

Budget: Prod Unit Salaries

   CUEMAR03B - 1,2
CUFCMP501A 2,3,4
Week 6
(14 March)
Legal Issues: Copyright, casting production, insurances,
completion guarantors, distribution & marketing

Bank financing, discounting contracts

Budget: Prod Unit salaries, cont.

   CUEMAR03B - 1,2
CUFCMP501A 2,3,4
Week 7
(21 March)
Crisis management, role of producer in post prod.

Budget: Prod Unit Salaries, cont.

Prod Unit Salaries cont.

Running a small business

Leadership and management skills

   CUEMAR03B - 1,2
CUFCMP501A  4
Week 8
(28 March)
New technologies and impact on production, distribution & marketing

Budget: Fringes, holiday pay, payroll tax,
Unions & super, cast

* Assessment: Develop a financing strategy for investment from private sector and government funding bodies.

   CUEMAR03B - 1,2
Week 9
(4 April)

Leadership and management skill, running a small business

Budget: Music, make-up & hair, sets & properties

   CUEMAR03B - 1,2
Week 10
(11 April)

Co-productions and international financing

Budget: Film & Laboratory – shooting & editing, Post Prod Sound

   CUEMAR03B - 1,2

Week 11
(18 -20 April and 28-29 April)
Market place analysis, product assessment

Budget: Equipment all categories

 Production Company Profile Due  CUEMAR03B - 1,2

  Mid-semester break (21/4 – 27/4)    
Week 12
(2 May)
Managing your copyright  
CUFCMP501A 1-5
Week 13
(9 May)
Professional networks: Key players, government bodies & associations

Budget: Indirect costs

   CUEMAR03B - 2

Week 14
(16 May)
Distribution: Local & International markets.

Budget: Finance & Marketing

* Assessment: Devise distribution strategy for delegated script

   CUEMAR03B - 2

CUFCMP501A 4,5
Week 15
(23 May)
Distribution: Local & International markets

Budget: Summary all categories

 Copyright Analysis Due

 CUEMAR03B - 2

CUFCMP501A 4,5
Week 16
(30 May)
Analysis of Assessments

 Profile of Distribution or Sales Company Due  CUEMAR03B - 3

Week 17
(6 June)
Assessment Week    


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Extracts, readings and additional references are provided throughout the course. In addition to hard copy handouts, some readings are made available on the class website, Blackboard, and others can be accessed via the web.
Recommended books will be discussed in class.


References

You are advised to look at the course Blackboard site for ongoing updated information.


Other Resources

You require access to a computer and to the internet for this course


Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises, oral presentations and through the application of learned skills and insights to your writing tasks.


Assessment Tasks

To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment.

Assessment Tasks
1. Profile report on an Australasian feature film production company. Due April 28 (40%)                                                                                                                                                             2. Copyright analysis Due May 26 (20%)
3. Profile report on two ditribution or sales companies - one local company and one international. Due June 2 (40%)


Grades used in this course are as follows:

80 – 100% HD High Distinction
70 – 79% DI Distinction
60 – 69% CR Credit
50 – 59% PA Pass
Under 50% NN Fail

For further details on these assessment tasks and the grading system and criteria used, please refer to the course blackboard site.


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency. These are available through the course contact in Program administration

Other Information

Feedback:
You will receive spoken and/or written feedback by teacher on your work. Where appropriate, this feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.

Late Submissions
Please refer to the course blackboard site for policy information including information on late submissions and plagiarism

Plagiarism
RMIT has a strict policy on plagiarism. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.


Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension.
Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qkssnx1c5r0y;STATUS=A;PAGE_AUTHOR=Andrea%20Syers;SECTION=1;

Course Overview: Access Course Overview