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THE SCREEN WRITER
relieves him of functions he should never have been expected to discharge in the first place. It is not his fault that it is almost universal practice in the picture business to “sell” the picture rights in perpetuity: to expect him, alone and single-handed, or by collective action taken with his colleagues, to end this gyp, is simply to be unreasonable. His function is to serve as the writer’s bar¬ gaining agent on individual deals, not to start long, expensive, and possibly pro¬ tracted battles. Making deals and fight¬
ing for rights are commonly done by dif¬ ferent kinds of men with different pur¬ poses, and no writer of any sense would ever forget this.
In general, the Authority should leave the agent much freer to be his own man, to work for his writer at all times, with¬ out having to worry about some “in” on a picture lot, frequently maintained by apple-polishing that he secretly hates, for with the Authority behind him, as the representative the writer has the right to have, his “in” will be there whether he polishes apples or not.
CAN THE AUTHORITY DEVELOP AND GROW?
There is nothing in the plan, as at present conceived, to prevent the Au¬ thority from extending its purview, and admitting to part of its control, other or¬ ganizations to an indefinite extent. Its function will be as holder of copyright and enforcer of copyright, and not only the copyright itself, but all parts of the copyright and all rights that bear on the use of the copyright. But if it turn out that it can function better, as for example in pressing for a new copyright law, by
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accepting the copyrights of others be¬ sides writers, such as song writers, painters, designers, etc.; if it is clear that copyright is all one problem, and such holders of copyrights want to come in and the writers want to let them in, there is nothing in the plan which will prevent. The song writers will elect a director, a division will be set up to keep track of their licenses, and their special rights will become the concern of the Authority.
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THE AMERICAN AUTHORS’ AUTHORITY
will be the main subject on the agenda of the
SWG GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Monday, July 29, 1946 8:15 P. M.
California Room, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
All members are urged to study the proposal carefully before the meeting, and to come prepared to discuss it and offer suggestions relative to its endorse¬ ment or non-endorsement by the membership as a whole.
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