From the Do As We Say Dept.
Everyone knows that the Motion Picture Association of America is very much against unauthorized copying of movies. Then why is the MPAA admitting that it copied a movie, when it was specifically told not to by the copyright owner.
The movie in question is Kirby Dick’s This Film Is Not Yet Rated. According to the story on Los Angeles Times, Dick specifically requested via e-mail that the MPAA not make copies of the movie. In spite of the very clear wishes of the copyright owner, the MPAA goes ahead and makes additional copies for its internal use anyways.
Via Dan Kim, “MPAA Hypocrisy.”
Would this be considered “Fair Use”? Since they are profiting from the action, I would say it does not. They can’t get by on the academic use clause either. Looks like just blatant piracy…
Fair use is a complex set of tests and I’m not a lawyer, but I don’t think so. It’s commercial, its the full movies, its against the explicit and directed instructions of the copyright holder.