Anti-Pirating propoganda on the Disney Channel?

[Quentin Disney]

With all of these news on cutbacks, here is something new to chew on. The Disney channel reccently aired an episode of "The Proud Family" that featured a slant on downloading copyrighted music on the internet. Accordingto this article, they believe its propoganda. We all know that Disney is very concerned about piracy on the net. According to the article, they state that "Disney is one of the backers of the SSSCA proposed legislation that is scheduled for a hearing before Congress Oct. 25."

I don't know if this show is actually animated by Disney or another company, but how do you feel about this?

 

[Another Voice]

Few people remember this, but way back Disney filed a lawsuit against Sony to make VCRs illegal in the United States on the possibility they could be used for copyright violations. Disney took the lawsuit all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where they lost 9-0 (if I remember correctly).

The Company is not exactly a friend to new technologies.

 

[JudySue]

AV - this is a joke - I hope! You have to be kidding.... they really wanted to ban VCR's???? Please - when, or cites - I'v gotta look this up. Although I have heard tha, a few years ago, t someone was going to do a book about Hollywood law suites - until he found out that Disney was involved in all of them!

 

[Another Voice]

No joke. They filed the lawsuit the mid and late ‘80s with another studio (which one escapes me at the moment, it may have been Paramount) and tried to rally all of Hollywood behind them. The main arguments were that the machines would encourage the copying of copyrighted materials and that home taping for personal use was also a violation of Disney’s rights (so don’t record ‘Whose Line is it Anyway’ and watch it later!). It was pretty bitter too and Disney released their films on home video much later than everyone else did. I remember there was a solemn pledge that Disney would never release The Seven Classics on video, EVER. That pledge latest until Eisner missed his profit target one quarter and the films came flooding out.

Disney’s also been very slow on to adopt DVD and it also refused to join the main Hollywood working group to develop a system of downloading shows directly into homes.

 

[Josh]

It was the advertising groups who were the real proponents of the videocassette recorder (note that the earlier Sony machines which used "open reel" tapes were not a significant problem as there were relatively few home users compared to the quickly developing interest in "cassette" technology in the late 70s/early 80s). Advertisers loved the idea of viewers making a permanent copy of their ads to play again and again. Suddenly, one spot for "Hamburger Helper" would live on forever on the tapes of VCR users across the country!!

The concern was over the use of recording devices at home. At the time, RCA was competing with its SelectaVision players which used technology similar to the old television station video recording devices from the days before videotape came into vogue (the earliset use of video tape recording commercially was I believe about 1953 at the ABC network--the early version used a "linear" recording system and operated differently from the current state of the art). The SelectaVision used a disc record style medium and could not be recorded at home. This was the technology the Disney Company would have preferred to have seen emerge as the standard instead of the videocassette.

Although the BETA recorder won this battle, we all know it ultimately lost the war.

 

[Josh]

Speaking of "classic" video technology--a couple of months ago I got a 'phone call from my local TDS. It seems someone returned a new unopened Laserdisc copy of Snow White since the "DVD" was coming out. I had expressed my interest in Laserdisc video at TDS on several occasions in the past, so they figured I'd be interested--and was I ever!! Now my problem is: I want to rip it open and play it so badly--but then again I'd like to keep it in unopened condition as part of my Disney collection!! What to do!!!

--JOSH

 

[YoHo]

IF like me you have both a LaserDisc TM (Pioneer a division of Matsu****a Corporation ) and a DVD player, I'd leave it unopened. If you are resisting the enevitable change in technology, then you'd better open it.



Incidently, I own a Laserdisc Player, because I'm into Theater sound and wanted Dolby Digital on My Star Wars.

 

[Another Voice]

The Laserdisc to purchase is the “Work in Progress” version of ‘Beauty and The Beast’. It is a transfer of a early print that Jeffrey Katezenburg showed to film critics and industry types when it became apparent that ‘Beauty’ was going to be a classic film. The animation had not been completed when the print was made, so the film is a collection of completed scenes, pencil tests and storyboards all done to the completed soundtrack. It’s a fascinating look at how an animated feature is put together. You can also find a Japanese disc for 'Song of the South'.

And Mr. YoHo, after you see ‘The Lord of The Rings’, you will give up your fascination with that inferior little ‘Star Wars’ saga….

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

And Mr. YoHo, after you see ‘The Lord of The Rings’, you will give up your fascination with that inferior little ‘Star Wars’ saga…

Ahhhh! Mr. Voice, you do know how to push my buttons, too!!! I hope you're right!!!

 

[sgtpet]

You know how to aggrevate me!!!

 

[YoHo]

I've heard that, I've also Heard that ILM has finally been able to remove the "Shadow" that makes Digital images look like Digital Images.

Saw the Lord of the Rings Preview on Fox last night. Definatly has me pumped, but the Star Wars Trailers really pushed me over the edge. I'm in full blown fanboy mode. (Not even corny Dialog can ruin it for me now)

In Either Case AV, we should avoid going down the dark path of your fantasy world is better then my SciFi one (not that that was your intention) The Internet had enough pissing contests when it was Star Wars vs Star Trek, Now its even worse. (and lets throw in Harry Potter to add a little spice.)

Incidently, Landbaron, I don't know if you'd be interested, but the Excalibur Knives store that is at many of the finest malls in the country has a reproduction of the Sword Sting for like $225, Glamdering will be out before the 14th and an Orc Sword some time in Jan. Mrs. YoHo and I are determined to own at least Sting.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Mrs. YoHo and I are determined to own at least Sting.

Cool!!!

And thanks for the info!

 

[airlarry!]

I will never forget the first time I heard of the Katz print. I was on an early Disney bbs back before B&B came out (whew, hope that doesn't date me too much) and all of the Disneyphiles were amazed when this poster named "Chiun" (the AV of GEnie) would come back from all these secret meetings or previews and tell us about the latest greatest.

He was into the film industry, if I recall, and went to this showing of the 'pencil test with music' of B&B. He said something about it taking the whole animated feature idea into the realm of real Oscar-type movie-making.

He actually predicted, although we all thought he was crazy, that B&B could be the first ever animated feature nominated for Best Picture. Wow!

To this day, B&B (especially the music) remains one of my all-time favorite movies. Thanks, AV. I had forgotten all about that report from 'Chiun'.

 

[Safari Steve]

Yes, The Proud Family is produced by Walt Disney Television Animation (I I read an article in the paper saying that Paul and Joe have something to do with it). I think that it's important to note that there is a difference between being anti-technology and being against technology that would undermine your creative integrity and your ability to market your product. I have downloaded music from Napster, and I have made tape and video recordings of songs and TV shows. One could make the argument that since there is nothing wrong with recording something off of a TV, there is nothing wrong with downloading music (or entire movies) from a Napster-like service. They would be wrong. The difference? When a TV network (or radio station) broadcasts a program or song, it has payed the creators and copyright owners of said program or song. When a song is made available on the internet (by any of the Napster-like "communities"), no one has been payed except for the owners of the "community", who are making money via advertisements. When you see 'The Grinch' on ABC, Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, et al have been payed for their services (which they are entitled to). When you download 'The Grinch' from a pirate network, you have effectively robbed the artists involved in the production of income. I used 'Grinch' as an example, because ALL of the major studios (not just Disney), are involved in the AMPAAS's efforts to stop pirating (which is not a new problem). As an artist, I am enormously offended by the sense of entitlement of those who will defend Napsteresque organizations while demonizing people who are defending their livelyhoods.
(yes I have deleted the MP3s I downloaded before I understood Napster's profit structure, by the way.)