Brazilian victory: Audiovisual Directors start collecting author’s rights
DBCA (Brazilian Film and Audiovisual Directors) announces to companies who broadcast Brazilian audiovisual content (terrestrial television, via subscription and streaming services), that author’s rights shall be payable very time an audiovisual work is broadcast publicly on any platform, under the current Author’s Rights Act.
This is an unparalled milestone in the history of Brazilian film, it is a real revolution that hails back to the 70’s, when film masters Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade and Leon Hirszman established the virtuous notion that audiovisual creators be remunerated for their creations.
Or, according to DBCA’s leaders and associates’ own words, in the six years of its humanitarian existence, that today is deemed tragically relevant due to the horrendous pandemic that we are having to endure: author’s rights are the creator’s salary!
Communiqué
The Brazilian Film and Audiovisual, Asociación General de Directores Autores –DBCA– was established in 2014 and aims to manage author’s rights for Brazilian film and audiovisual directors and the creation and organisation of social assistance services for its associates.
DBCA was founded with the democratic aim to defend diversity and dignify the profession of audiovisual director, defending Brazilian audiovisual arts, past, present and future.
DBCA is delighted to announce that the Culture Secretariat empowered associations made up of professionals from the audiovisual sector to collect authors’ rights fees for broadcasting their works, in accordance with Law No. 9610 from 1988 (Authors’ Right Act).
Therefore, as with musical works, from now on all broadcasting of films and audiovisual works will collect a percentage for directors, screenwriters and actors. This is already the case for many other countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Italia, Mexico, France, Spain, United Kingdom, among others.
This regulation is timely and will bring about a fair and decent remuneration for intellectual property use. No one disagrees with the fact that professionals deserve to be remunerated for their work, because author’s rights are the salary of the creator. And our Author’s Rights Act ensures that the author has a right to remuneration if their creation is broadcast. Why should it be any different for audiovisual artists? To think otherwise would only encourage piracy.
We should emphasise that what will happen from now on is no different to what ECAD (The Central Collecting Office) already does for musicians. It is not a new law, rather the recognition of an existing right. It is a triumph for our beloved audiovisual artists who will be able to benefit from their works in a decent fashion, considering the invaluable services rendered to Brazil.
In the light of this, DBCA has the support of companies that broadcast audiovisual content, who recognise that these charges are fair and necessary and they have agreed to collaborate out of their own accord, getting in touch with DBCA to obtain information about the appropriate remuneration percentages and payment methods agreed on March 18th at our Annual Meeting. With regards to this, and according to the terms of the approved rates, spontaneous payments that do not require any judicial or extrajudicial proceedings will enjoy a discount.
DBCA’s main goal will always be to reach amicable agreement, taking into account the needs and goals of all parties involved, without forsaking the sacred and unchanging rights of its associates for the good of our culture and our artists.
Brazilian Film and Audiovisual Directors – DBCA
www.diretoresbrasil.org
