PAYMVs!

[mirkosp]

At the end of the day it's all a matter of risky but fair situation vs 100% safe... I'd go 100% safe for the sake of it, which is why I don't think having a tax wouldn't be too bad.

[Bauzi]

I, personally as editor, would probably take the risky one, because:
1. I believe in free fair use
2. I'm naiv. "The noobz FBI wont get me anyway!"

Yeah okay if there are both systems I would probably invest the mone if it's not a nasty amount.

[downwithpants]

they're called "royalties", unless i am misunderstanding you.

the ones who need to be compensated are the original artists/licensing party, not any level of government (unless the government is the original artist).

[Kitsuner]

All so, if you let them tax you here for something you've created who's to say it stops here? Next we get taxed for drawing/painting things we don't own.

Yeah, if we let them put taxes on our AMVs, it won't be long before they add a tax on all wicker goods! I have plenty of wicker goods! I don't want a tax on my wicker goods!

[Otohiko]

Who is going to get paid out of this tax, though, is the real question.

Are we paying anime producers and actual musicians whose work we use, or are we paying licensed distributors and major music labels? Is everyone involved in our work actually going to benefit, or are we simply supporting a licensing system which, if somewhat acceptable in the case of anime, is completely unethical and generally disdainable in the case of music companies?

There have been the same proposals for a tax on downloading music in Canada. My dad, who is an independent musician and makes all his money that way, is staunchly against this. Why? Because the effect of such a tax is that it gives government bodies control over distribution of pay for legitimate artistic output, and therefore allows them to define legitimate artistic output. To be more cynical, what this will allow is a feeder for corporate-by-way-of-government-controlled artists, and a way to press on those who want to maintain their formal independence. This is a completely unacceptable situation.

Back to AMVs, this would likewise give the government unnecessary additional control over the creative output of those who don't even seek to profit from this in the first place. Personally, I'd rather do this illegally in protest.

[Megamom]

Illegal AMV = hobby
Legal AMV = business

I really do not understand because an AMV would be legal... but if it were legal to make AMVs... many industries that would take advantage of it, make AMVs and would not make sense to me

[Kionon]

Who is going to get paid out of this tax, though, is the real question.

Are we paying anime producers and actual musicians whose work we use, or are we paying licensed distributors and major music labels? Is everyone involved in our work actually going to benefit, or are we simply supporting a licensing system which, if somewhat acceptable in the case of anime, is completely unethical and generally disdainable in the case of music companies?

There have been the same proposals for a tax on downloading music in Canada. My dad, who is an independent musician and makes all his money that way, is staunchly against this. Why? Because the effect of such a tax is that it gives government bodies control over distribution of pay for legitimate artistic output, and therefore allows them to define legitimate artistic output. To be more cynical, what this will allow is a feeder for corporate-by-way-of-government-controlled artists, and a way to press on those who want to maintain their formal independence. This is a completely unacceptable situation.

Back to AMVs, this would likewise give the government unnecessary additional control over the creative output of those who don't even seek to profit from this in the first place. Personally, I'd rather do this illegally in protest.

This.

[mirkosp]

Oh, right, sorry, I thought of how taxes and licensing work in Italy, so there are some differences. I was thinking like something to be payed to the SIAE (think of like the RIAA and MPAA together over there, but not quite the same since the laws are different), that would then split the incomes to the various artists depending on download counts and other estimates (obviously keeping a part of the income for themselves, but the huge bulk of it would be split). Then again, things work differently over there, so I'm not sure how feasible it would be. Also, note, in the first post I did say "remix culture" in general, and not just AMVs - that broadens the amount of involved works quite a bit.

[Bauzi]

Almost 10% of the DVD sales here go to an institut (like the RIAA) is split between all the musical artists in the film. As far as I know: equally.

[Otohiko]

Considering I already try to buy all my music from RIAA-free labels as it is, just flatly giving RIAA my money is a no-go for me. Although a lot of artists whose music I use in AMVs also happen to own their copyright and therefore in the case of music at least, I owe nothing to RIAA nor expect to be sued by RIAA.
Not sure where the anime industry is on that, but last I checked they're unofficially pretty happy with the status quo on AMVs, at least in North America.

And then you have places like Russia where anime distributors and music artists/labels actually actively sponsor AMV contests. THAT I think is where we really should be - although as per most places' copyright law and culture of litigation, it's sort of hard to work it out. But honestly, I don't understand why AMVers should be paying here. At most, the power of copyright holders involved should be a C&D order if they are unhappy with how their work is being used. It's at least fair enough that producers of something should have a right to block someone from using their work in a way they don't approve of. But not extort money in 'compensation' - IMHO the right to sue remix hobbyists for cash, or alternatively demand cash to NOT avoid litigation (and that is basically what this idea amounts to), should just be off the books in law.

As for tax money, well, there's plenty of better ways than just paying tribute to RIAA/MPAA/whatever - like for example putting some more government funds into media technology research. So that we all get better access to content and media companies finally get a fucking clue that their promotion, marketing and distribution strategies are not working and change them for the benefit of everyone. That's what a lot of their problems actually come down to - the remix culture does nothing to damage their income and, if they look at it pragmatically (like a lot of them do), actually helps them. A tax might help them be a little less pissed and desperate, but it will not solve their underlying problems and will only further morally sink an industry that already thrives on extortion (from both artists and the wider public) as their main source of income.