Global Movie Day
“The seventh art”: this is how the discipline known as cinema, invented at the end of the 19th century, has been identified. Every year, “Global Movie Day” is celebrated on the second Saturday in February, as established by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
This day invites us to remember the multitude of agents and components involved in one of the largest entertainment industries, from photography, sound, acting, and screenwriting to the feelings it generates in the audience.
Cinema is one of the most complex and comprehensive forms of art, as a single production involves images, music, a script, and acting, with all the technical aspects encompassed by each of these elements.
Given the high value and creative and economic work involved in the seventh art, it deserves nothing less than the legal protection afforded by Intellectual Property, through Copyrights, to recognize the authorship of each work and protect the economic exploitation that derives from them.
Behind the cameras and the “glamour” that may be involved in the industry, there is a whole legal framework that must be observed long before a person can sit down to watch a movie, whether in the cinema or through the digital platforms that have become increasingly popular in recent years.
Feature film producers must take into account aspects such as contracts, for example, employment contracts with recording studio staff, leasing of filming locations, administrative aspects of obtaining permits from the authorities to film in public spaces, obtaining consent for the use of images of all people appearing on screen, licenses for any brands that appear in the film, and even the tax implications of declaring taxes on the film’s box office earnings, not to mention, of course, registering the copyrights for photography, musical score, script, etc.
Currently, there are more threats to the industry than ever before: the use of artificial intelligence to replace the work of screenwriters or even the self-generation of images and sound through “prompts,” digital piracy, or the difficulty of accessing content due to the overwhelming supply of digital streaming platforms, among others.
That is why now more than ever, we must turn to copyright protection mechanisms and figures such as collective management societies, actors’ unions, writers, producers, and all the institutions that look after the interests of the industry’s guilds, in order to provide legal certainty for creative agents and ensure that the public consuming this art can access more and better works legally.
Global Movie Day is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the efforts of the arts, as well as to promote film culture legally, where areas of law such as Intellectual Property, which protects and recognizes the work, resources, and time that these people dedicate, are key to their prosperity.
At VAHG, we have a team specializing in Intellectual Property, the use of new technologies, and, of course, contracts related to this industry. Please do not hesitate to contact our Intellectual Property team, which will provide you with strategic legal advice on the protection of cinematographic and audiovisual works and any other creations eligible for protection under Mexican law, as well as under other international laws, taking into account the specific regulatory characteristics of each jurisdiction.
Our approach ranges from legal risk prevention, copyright management and defense, licensing and transfers, including support in projects that incorporate new technologies and digital platforms. Our attorneys stay up to date and aligned with industry best practices, with a strategic focus on protecting and maximizing the legal and commercial value of your work and intangible assets, both in Mexico and abroad.
| Mariana González Sánchez | Partner
Intellectual Property +52 (33) 38171731 Ext 222|mgonzalez@vahg.mx |
Martín Arias Cuevas | Associate
Intellectual Property +52 (33) 38171731 Ext. 236 | ariascuevas@vahg.mx |
**The publication of this document does not constitute legal, accounting or professional advice of any kind, nor is it intended to be applicable to particular cases. This document only refers to laws applicable in Mexico.