Digital Registry for audiovisual recordings, formats and scripts

Madrid 2012 December 11th.

The new “On Line Registration for audiovisual works and recordings, formats and scripts” is the first of its kind in the world

A single platform will enable the author to record his work, script or format in Spain and the United States; manage their rights him or herself or command someone to do it for him or her, give it ISAN number or provide access to it via the Internet

The collecting management entity EGEDA, Safe Creativeand the College of Registrars of Spain have joined forces to create the “On Line Register of audiovisual works and recordings, formats and scripts,” first of its kind in the world.

Until today there was no specific public record in which audiovisual works could be inscribed. The same applies to scripts or television formats. This situation generated a context of confusion and legal uncertainty that hindered its diffusion as there was not easy way to access accurate information of the various rightsowners of an audiovisual work, a script or an idea for television. To fix this, in mid-2011, a partnership between a technology company (Safe Creative), an audiovisual company (EGEDA) and an institution with legal recognition (Registrars of Spain) was established to create the digital registration service, which combines the advantages of digital, professional and legal registries.

This new digital registry will provide legal certainty to business transactions of the registered works, preventing them to be marketed without authorization from the legal owner. A single platform will enable authos, among other possibilities, to register their works, script or format in Spain and the United States; manage their rights themselves or command someone else to do it in their name, give to the work an ISAN number or give access to it in the Internet. All through their computers. On the other hand, potential buyers and users can quickly and easily access all information about the work, centralized in one single place.

ADVANTAGES OF THE DIGITAL REGISTRY

1. It allows everyone (individuals and companies) to register their content online, offering, immediately, agile and transparent, solid proof of authorship, supported by technology.
2. The basic service is free of charge.
3. It enables any user or consumer to make fast, convenient and online queries about the rights ownership of any work, format or audiovisual recording.
4. Provides online information so that rights owners manage their content or command a third party to perform a more professional management, facilitating interaction between owners and users, streamlining procedures and steps.
5. Provides effective legal protection not only the owner, but also the consumer or buyer of rights, offering online consultation by identifying the work as well as their owner or manager.
6. It can also help public institutions such as the ICAA or the ICEC, to avoid granting qualification certificates to applicants who act without rights for specific audiovisual works that cause serious problems for the sector.
7. Facilitates the establishment of new business models tailored to each owner and each work as will be able to offer, according to their requests and needs, the different products that are available (VOD, sequences, access platform TV formats and / or scripts, a global advocacy work or recording, etc..), making them immediately available to distributors, sales agents, etc…
8. Allows international management, digitalizing services and sequencing of the work or its incorporation into commercial platforms.
9. The legal registration, which will be integrated into the current register of property goods (Registrars of Spain), allow the owner of a work or recording to get funding related to sales or future revenues by establishing mortgages on such works, facilitating access to credit and enabling the industry to find the resources that will enable to develop its cultural and entertainment role.

With the creation of this online registry for audiovisual works, recordings, formats and scripts, we want to improve the opportunities offered by technology and Internet resources, promoting more awareness of audiovisual content and to help develop new business models in this environment.

For further information please contact Oscar Berrendo, Executive Director at EGEDA, through mail (oscar.berrendo@egeda.com) or phone( 915 121 610)