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IP Awareness

The Australian music industry strongly believes that education is the key to changing attitudes towards music piracy.  Stealing music is the same as stealing anything else. It is illegal and the consequences are real, for artists, songwriters, and for the future of music.  Unauthorized copying or downloading has a major effect on the music industry.  And it’s not free at all - it is the musicians, artists, sound technicians and all the other people involved in the music industry who are paying the price with less music being sold.  People’s livelihoods are affected.  Further, as a result of piracy there is less money to be invested in new talent, which ultimately means less music for you! 

 

MIPI is regularly involved in wide ranging and comprehensive intellectual property awareness programs often in conjunction with government, education, law enforcement and industry.  Some recent examples are set out below.

 

Schools & Universities

 

              • Frank Hardcase competition (2008 Crime Stoppers school campaign, with support from the Attorney General's Department) to create awareness amongst school-age children about the effects that illegally downloading or file sharing music have on the industry in Australia.


              • In Tune (2008 supported by ARIA, APRA|AMCOS and MIPI) is a short documentary on what it’s like to be an artist in 2008.  In Tune features intimate interviews with some of Australia’s biggest names who speak candidly on the issues they face as music creators today, from what it’s like to be part of a band to how the digital revolution has affected their livelihoods.  The film captures comments from songwriters and musicians across many genres – from rock and pop to hip hop and soul including: Silverchair, Powderfinger, Operator Please, The Veronicas, Frenzal Rhomb, Damien Leith, Anthony Callea, Jimmy Barnes, Mahalia Barnes, Evermore, Grinspoon, Phrase, Weapon X and The Dawn Collective.

            • Young People, Music and the Internet (2008).

      • E-pirates of the Digital Age DVD (2008 educational DVD produced by VEA with assistance from MIPI) looks at copyright issues in music and software for secondary school students.  The DVD blurb states: “New technology has had a staggering impact on the way people use information and the speed at which it is introduced and utilized is just as quick.  Some new technologies are so quickly integrated into the online world that they are not yet covered by government policy and laws, and this can lead to conflict between users and creators.  This program examines the complex world of digital piracy and the copyright of computer related media, including software, games and music.”

       

                          • Music for Free? (2008 educational English unit created by the Commonwealth Department of Education with assistance from MIPI) looks at the ethics of file sharing.  The unit encourages secondary students to explore the issue of illegal downloading of music from the internet and to consider the ethics of giving artists and songwriters “a fair go”.

                           

                        • ACMF Songwriting Competition (2008) The Australian Children's Music Foundation conducts a National Songwriting Competition each year, open to every Primary, Secondary and Specific Purpose School across Australia.  Entry to the competition is free, and the program is endorsed by the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.  The competition is divided into age categories to provide opportunities for children of all ages, from kindergarten through to Year 12.  For the first time in 2008, a new category for budding musicians is included in the competition called Music for Free?  The Music For Free? category ties in with the Commonwealth Department of Education’s values for Australian Schooling: Building Values Program which explores the ethics of illegal file sharing and encourages students to respect music by getting it legitimately.  The assessment for the “Music for Free?” unit can be entered into the ACMF “Music for Free?” songwriting competition category or entrants can independently enter a song that discusses the ethics of illegal file sharing.
                           
                    • All Right to Copy? (2008 developed by the National Copyright Unit of the Copyright Advisory Group of Australian Schools and TAFEs with assistance from MIPI) is a resource designed to teach students about copyright, and how it impacts them as both users and creators. The resource includes a video, which follows the progress of two students as they create a website for a competition and deal with the various copyright challenges that arise. The written content includes copyright information, sample permission letters, useful links and a quiz.

                     

                • Rock the Schools tour (2006, 2007 and 2008 supported by MIPI) is an exciting educational initiative that entertains and inspires high school students throughout Australia via high intensity live rock concerts at schools.  In 2008, it features Australian bands Amy Meredith, Dash and Will, Van She, Angelas Dish and Fast Crew performing in 70 schools, to over 50,000 students throughout Australia. The live band performances are followed by an educational workshop covering topics of interest to students including the negative effects of illegal downloading of music.

                • Australian National University music piracy poster campaign (2008).

                • “Who Cares about illegal downloading?” (2007) music piracy campaign through secondary schools in Australia.

                 

      • All your own work (2007 New South Wales Department of Education unit for secondary school students sitting the HSC) MIPI has presented as part of the unit to reinforce to students the importance of copyright and respecting others’ creativity in the same way as they would want to be respected for their own creations.

       

  • Technology Takes You Anywhere (2007 Women in Technology Queensland event aimed at increasing girls interest in technology) MIPI has presented at a number of events on how music piracy undermines innovation. 

 

Industry

 

 

Budding creators

 

              • Victoria Rocks (2008) MIPI is presenting seminars to musicians about protecting their rights and understanding the effects of music piracy as part of the Victoria Rocks program.

               

      • Tropfest and Tropfest Jr Guide to Music and Copyright (2007) answers questions like whether its okay to use other people’s music in your film and how to get permission for up and coming filmmakers entering the Sony Tropfest and Sony Trop Jr competitions.

       

                  • FretFest (2007) MIPI provided budding Queensland singer songwriters entrants to the Fretfest “Find of the Year” competition with fact sheets about protecting their rights and ran a number of seminars to educate entrants about copyright and the importance of balancing the protection and promotion of their work.

                   

              • Musicians - protecting your music and doing the right thing (2007) comprehensive guide released by MIPI setting out how to protect your music and to ensure that you are doing the right thing with other peoples’ music.

 

 

MIPI regularly attends seminars and conferences to discuss music piracy and its devastating effects on singers, songwriters and others in the music industry.  If you would like to invite MIPI to your next event, have any ideas for IP awareness or have any questions about MIPI’s educational programs, please contact us.


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