Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

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Richard Kaufman
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Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 4th, 2015, 7:15 pm

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby erdnasephile » February 4th, 2015, 8:57 pm

This is exciting:

Image

Some real heavy hitters here. It's almost like this is magic's Avengers vs. Justice League (Theory 11) (I'm surprised that Derek D isn't part of the team.)

Random, preliminary gut reactions:

I'm sure it's a killer routine (and product--looks hand-colored/finished which is very cool). That said, multiple selection routines by their very nature lend themselves to personalization. Therefore, while studying Helder G's routine would certainly yield a plethora of dividends for the serious, it's those very readers who will most probably already have their own unique approaches.

Whether the book is potentially worth $120 (which includes a donation to The Immigrant Learning Center) is (as always) a personal decision. The asking price does make Mr. Vigil's spendy tome look like a relative bargain though.

Question for you collectors out there: does the fact that each book is going to be personalized to the owner lessen the "collectability" of the book if the owner is not famous?

Finally, I've never seen such a lengthy performance rights agreement for a book before: https://halfhalfman.com/crescendo-agreement/
Last edited by erdnasephile on February 4th, 2015, 11:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Bill Mullins » February 4th, 2015, 10:49 pm

Their journal is $40 an issue, which is kinda pricey. Especially compared to, oh, I don't know, Genii.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Q. Kumber » February 5th, 2015, 4:19 am

The website comes over as pretentious twaddle and its designer should have their arse kicked.

A website should convey information or make a sale and it should be obvious within the first three seconds that you have found a site that will be of interest to you.

A headline at the top of the page, "A New Magazine From Some of the Most Creative Minds in Magic", would at the very least let the reader know what it was about.

When the site comes up in your browser you see "HALF HALF MAN magic boutique". A clothes shop perhaps for people with missing limbs?

Scroll down and you have a philosophical quote which has no context to it.

Scroll down again and an image of a hot air balloon. Seems HOT AIR is most apt.

Scroll down again and we have this: HAND-FINISHED, HIGH QUALITY – ONLY WHAT WE’D BUY OURSELVES.
Ahh so maybe it is selling clothes.

Scroll down again to THE TEAM. At last. I do recognise some of the names. However they seem to consider themselves a bunch of toffee-nosed upper class tw*ts on the way to the House of Lords.

Scroll down again. BOOK CLUB, books that are NOT magic.

Scroll down again to the very end and you see there are three items for sale.

I have no doubt that with such creative magicians behind this that the resulting products will be first class but please do not ignore the most basic rules of conveying information.

"When I write an advertisement, I don't want you to tell me that you find it 'creative.'
I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product."
- David Ogilvy

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby IanLand » February 5th, 2015, 8:45 am

"Digital cameras and home-based software became tools accessible to the majority of people, and, therefore, publishing became something easy and affordable to almost everyone, without the involvement of any third party."

While there's a lot of rubbish on YouTube, and far too many effects, DVDs, and books on the market, the fact that publishing is now relatively easy and affordable is entirely a good thing. I don't like the tone they set at all. "These products are exclusive, limited editions and only found through our website". In other words, no sweaty plebs please, only people with money. As if expense/exclusivity and quality have a necessary correlation. For sure, there's some very good people involved, and no doubt some very good magic, but this exclusive schtick is lame.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 5th, 2015, 10:13 am

Q. Kumber wrote:A website should convey information or make a sale and it should be obvious within the first three seconds that you have found a site that will be of interest to you.
(SNIP)
I have no doubt that with such creative magicians behind this that the resulting products will be first class but please do not ignore the most basic rules of conveying information.

"When I write an advertisement, I don't want you to tell me that you find it 'creative.'
I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product."
- David Ogilvy

If you've read "Ogilvy on Advertising" you know that he also mention cases where it has been successful to not convey information in great haste. His favorite example was a direct mail campaign written in Latin.
And on rules he said "I hate rules".

Halfhalf man sounds interesting. I'm fairly certain that the steampunky tone and the vagueness will attract exactly those they want to attract.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Q. Kumber » February 5th, 2015, 10:39 am

The whole point of a direct mail campaign is 'follow up' - at least three and preferably seven pieces.

It is alright to break the rules in any discipline providing (a) you are a natural genius, or, (b) you know and understand why the rules are there in the first place.

I have no doubt the products being purveyed will be very good or better, however what is being conveyed to me is, "We think we are wonderful and you should be lucky if we condescend to allow you to acquire our products."

You have only to browse through the pages of any magic magazine to see that purveyors of magic have forgotten how to write a decent ad.

Remember the ads of Richard Himber or Ken Brooke?

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 5th, 2015, 10:47 am

There has been a movement since the mid 1800s by businesses and advertising agencies to sell "lifestyle." The current incarnation of this is for companies to sell a subscription service to a box with items in it that are "curated" by a celebrity. Here's one service by the singer Pharrell Williams:
https://quarterly.co/products/pharrell-williams

And here's a whole website dedicated to the business:
http://www.findsubscriptionboxes.com/bo ... ion-boxes/

I have nothing against it; companies have been selling "lifestyle" for as long as advertising has existed. Just think about all the tobacco and alcohol advertising that seemed to promise happiness, coolness, and sex if you smoked or drank, rather than disease and death. Or, more happily, promising a calm and smiling baby if the tot is fed the right type of baby food, or is swaddled in the right kind of diaper. Or breakfast cereals that will brighten your morning!

Half Half Man is selling "lifestyle" of a benign sort. They're not the first in our field to do this by any means--the Buck Brothers were there long ago. And for a certain audience it works, and they are happy with their purchases because they keep buying more. The Guy Hollingworth DVD box set is a perfect example of this. They're not just selling three DVDs for $150, but a "lifestyle" because Guy Hollingworth really is a cool guy. Look at the box; the exclusive deck of cards; the way everything is packaged.

It's directed at a younger audience with money to spend (the "younger" part lets you and me out, Quentin :) ). Walking the fine line between selling "lifestyle" and seeming pretentious is difficult. And remember, these companies are selling things, so appealing to a customer base is what their business is all about. If people didn't buy into the mindset, this business model would not have worked so well for 150 years.

None of it bothers me, and the magazine from Half Half Man (which actually looks more like a "journal" style publication) intrigues me. I'll probably buy that.

As far as finding the actual meat of it on the website, that too is part of the marketing. It's intriguing to certain customers--the type of customers they're trying to attract.

And there are plenty of customers for Helder's limited edition very expensive book, which will likely sell out because so few are being printed.

You can judge a business by its success in the marketplace--if it really does entice customers to buy, and then come back and buy more. Quality--and/or successful marketing--will do that. If Half Half Man sells crappy stuff, the customers will quickly become disenchanted and cease to purchase and the company will collapse. If they meet the expectations of the customer base they create with their "image" then the company will succeed.

I welcome anything that has been given a lot of thought and is different.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 5th, 2015, 11:05 am

Q. Kumber wrote:The whole point of a direct mail campaign is 'follow up' - at least three and preferably seven pieces.

It is alright to break the rules in any discipline providing (a) you are a natural genius, or, (b) you know and understand why the rules are there in the first place.

I have no doubt the products being purveyed will be very good or better, however what is being conveyed to me is, "We think we are wonderful and you should be lucky if we condescend to allow you to acquire our products."

You have only to browse through the pages of any magic magazine to see that purveyors of magic have forgotten how to write a decent ad.

Remember the ads of Richard Himber or Ken Brooke?


Richard Himber and Ken Brooke are dead.
Their ads were before my time, so I don't remember them.

"Rules" within artistic endeavors don't have any inherent worth in themselves. They are just guidelines, an aid. You don't have to be a "genius" (a concept I don't believe in) or know & understand them to break them. I've broken many "rules" because I've found them incomprehensible or out of date. More people should break the rules, especially those who are not "geniuses" (whatever that is).

I do not see any self-aggrandizement or condescension here. I see people taking their art seriously and taking pride in their craft. Which makes me both intrigued and interested

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Q. Kumber » February 5th, 2015, 11:39 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:

Half Half Man is selling "lifestyle" of a benign sort. They're not the first in our field to do this by any means--the Buck Brothers were there long ago. And for a certain audience it works, and they are happy with their purchases because they keep buying more. The Guy Hollingworth DVD box set is a perfect example of this. They're not just selling three DVDs for $150, but a "lifestyle" because Guy Hollingworth really is a cool guy. Look at the box; the exclusive deck of cards; the way everything is packaged.


Dan and Dave understand their marketplace and Richard you are correct in how they package and market the Hollingworth collection. Their ad, while not a great one, does aim at selling an idea the reader can buy into.
http://shop.dananddave.com/hollingworth-collection.html

My beef with the HalfHalf website is that it is style without substance.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Jonathan Townsend » February 5th, 2015, 11:52 am

Still treats the magic market as over generation behind art and styles common to real live people who might wind up as audiences.

For example the "use victorian era free clipart to amuse" thing was cute when used on the monty python tv show and when scrapbooking/decorpage got popular... back in the late 1960s. See the art-ad pages of Alan Moore's LXG books for example of homage with wit. ;)

today's magic deserves better than presentation as trendy leftovers from back when Hoffmann was writing.

"it's hand crafted" leads to questions about keeping it in repair. That question (as perhaps James Riser will agree) is critical to keeping items worth having around and working.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Joe Pecore » February 5th, 2015, 12:54 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:
And there are plenty of customers for Helder's limited edition very expensive book, which will likely sell out because so few are being printed.

It looks like to me the price includes "performance rights" (which you must agree to when purchasing):
* The author guarantees that rights to perform Crescendo live will only be granted to 250 people for an exclusive period of 10 years;
* All the rights to record or broadcast Crescendo belong exclusively to the author and can be purchased by any of the 250 people who have the exclusive live performance rights for it;
* The live performance rights are personal and non-transferable.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Brad Jeffers » February 5th, 2015, 1:55 pm

In order to purchase Crescendo you need to click on yes to "I have read and agreed to the Performance Rights Agreement".

It took me a while to find it, but here is The Performance Rights Agreement.

I would congratulate Mr Guimaraes on creating a multiple selection routine that "all of which is wholly original by him". Not an easy feat.

I found amusing, the use of asterisks in the book description ("the magician will be able to proceed with his card session with a completely n**m*l pack of cards in the o**er he desires, creating a perfect opening for m***rized deck work.)

I think Crescendo will sell more copies to collectors of limited edition books, than to performers of multiple selection routines.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Joe Pecore » February 5th, 2015, 2:06 pm

Brad Jeffers wrote:
It took me a while to find it, but here is The Performance Rights Agreement.

I missed this on my first reading of it, but it appears you need to pay additional money if you want to perform it on TV:

"All the rights to record or broadcast Crescendo belong exclusively to the author and can be purchased by any of the 250 people who have the exclusive live performance rights for it
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Bill Mullins » February 5th, 2015, 2:46 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote: Half Half Man is selling "lifestyle" of a benign sort. They're not the first in our field to do this by any means--the Buck Brothers were there long ago.


I think Real Secrets had a certain amount of this as well.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Jonathan Townsend » February 5th, 2015, 3:15 pm

Good that they are trying performance licensing. Let's see how it goes.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Brad Henderson » February 5th, 2015, 3:50 pm

the bridge between art and commerce - the selling of tools to artists.

I get more value from this ad/website than I do those that make nonsensical promises about revolutionizing my magic, or changing the game.

From this site I get a sense of the aesthetic of the people involved. Assuming that aesthetic informs their work - both in content, style and the presentation of it in educational form, then one can anticipate if the content of the items, the approach that informs them, might be congruent with ones own sensibilities.

While some may see pretentious twaddle, I see someone who is trying to do something different, something more than just selling a bunch of tricks to foist on drunk college girls and the homeless.

The style harkens back to an era when people took the time to focus on their craft as well as ponder the implications of their art.

The website suggests this is the work of people with a view larger than just tricking people or amusing themselves with moves. It points out that there is a larger world than our own personal amusements.

While the actual content deliver? Who knows. But it's not like a list of tricks or flashy reaction shots convey that information either.

is it possible that one might chose to release tools to ones field out of a desire greater than number of sales?

to suggest that not everything is meant to for every person isn't arrogance. It's kindness.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Jon Racherbaumer » February 5th, 2015, 4:00 pm

The word FREE still arouses interest.
So does EXCLUSIVE.

When I impulsively self-published THE HIEROPHANT for a mere $3 in the late 60s, very few signed up, many screamed "pretentious," sycophantic," and "pompous."
It lost money and generated hate mail.
All in all, it was a very satisfying experience.

But that was THEN.
What's NOW is a different ball game.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Ian Kendall » February 5th, 2015, 5:11 pm

I wonder if people will notice the 'non transferable rights' and realise that they cannot sell the book to anyone else (theoretically).

It would be a sting to pay 120 dollars for the book, read it and realise that the routine would not suit your performance, and then be unable to sell it second hand to recoup some of your investment...

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Joe Pecore » February 5th, 2015, 5:34 pm

Ian Kendall wrote:I wonder if people will notice the 'non transferable rights' and realise that they cannot sell the book to anyone else (theoretically).

It would be a sting to pay 120 dollars for the book, read it and realise that the routine would not suit your performance, and then be unable to sell it second hand to recoup some of your investment...

I do not think it stops you from selling the book, just the other buyer from performing it live. Of course that could (theoretically) limit your potential buyers to just collectors.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby IanLand » February 5th, 2015, 5:40 pm

I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Joe Pecore » February 5th, 2015, 5:48 pm

IanLand wrote:I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable


Maybe not, but making it explicit that you "agree" to the terms when you purchase probably helps their case.

Also, in Teller's lawsuit against Dogge, the judge stated:
"While Dogge is correct that magic tricks are not copyrightable, this does not mean that Shadows is not subject to copyright protection." ... "federal law directly holds 'dramatic works' as well as 'pantomimes' are subject to copyright protection, granting owners exclusive public performance rights. The mere fact that a dramatic work or pantomime includes a magic trick, or even that a particular illusion is its central feature does not render it devoid of copyright protection."
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby erdnasephile » February 5th, 2015, 5:51 pm

Joe Pecore wrote:
Ian Kendall wrote:I wonder if people will notice the 'non transferable rights' and realise that they cannot sell the book to anyone else (theoretically).

It would be a sting to pay 120 dollars for the book, read it and realise that the routine would not suit your performance, and then be unable to sell it second hand to recoup some of your investment...

I do not think it stops you from selling the book, just the other buyer from performing it live. Of course that could (theoretically) limit your potential buyers to just collectors.


That's an interesting observation--I hadn't noticed that. However, I don't think the limitation will affect most buyers.

Indeed, I strongly suspect that the vast majority of these books will be thumbed through once and hidden on a shelf somewhere, with no performance for laypeople in view (which is kind of sad).
Last edited by erdnasephile on February 5th, 2015, 5:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 5th, 2015, 5:55 pm

IanLand wrote:I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable

That is a thought that likely only occur to those who want to ignore the rights limitations. Honest people don't search for loopholes like that.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby IanLand » February 5th, 2015, 6:26 pm

Joe Pecore wrote:
IanLand wrote:I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable


Maybe not, but making it explicit that you "agree" to the terms when you purchase probably helps their case.


I don't know about US law, but I think in the UK at least agreeing to terms which are not enforceable makes no difference. I suspect in the UK a judge would conclude a purchaser of a book containing the method of a magic trick would have the right to perform that trick regardless of any terms and conditions attempting to prevent them doing so. In much the same way employment contracts containing clauses which break employment legislation are not enforceable even if an employee signs them.

The Teller case is different as I understand it: Teller has copyrighted a performance idea, and that was what Dogge reproduced, passing it off as his own. I see no problem with Teller objecting to that.
Last edited by IanLand on February 5th, 2015, 6:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby IanLand » February 5th, 2015, 6:29 pm

Tom Stone wrote:
IanLand wrote:I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable

That is a thought that likely only occur to those who want to ignore the rights limitations. Honest people don't search for loopholes like that.


There's nothing dishonest about upholding your consumer rights. If a performer doesn't want others performing a routine of theirs, they should keep it out of the published record.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 5th, 2015, 7:24 pm

I think that's pretty much established law: if you want to keep something secret, you can't show it to anyone.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 5th, 2015, 7:31 pm

IanLand wrote:
Tom Stone wrote:
IanLand wrote:I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable

That is a thought that likely only occur to those who want to ignore the rights limitations. Honest people don't search for loopholes like that.


There's nothing dishonest about upholding your consumer rights. If a performer doesn't want others performing a routine of theirs, they should keep it out of the published record.

Ah, so you are one of those dishonest crooks? Good to know!

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 5th, 2015, 8:31 pm

The law only recognizes established laws and precedents. It doesn't matter what you sign--if the law doesn't recognize it, it cannot be enforced.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 5th, 2015, 9:54 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:The law only recognizes established laws and precedents. It doesn't matter what you sign--if the law doesn't recognize it, it cannot be enforced.

Access to someone else's artistic work is not a human right, like civil rights or anything like that.
It is the artist who decides if, when and how his work is made public.
In this case, it is perfectly clear what the premises are. To know what the restrictions are and immediately begin to plan how to circumvent or attempt to nullify them is to be an unethical crook who deserve all sorts of derogatory epithets.
It is silly to state that there are no precedents for artistic and dramatic works, because there are plenty of them.
Example... Buy this, and then attempt to distribute your performance of it on CD:
http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewp ... bsiteid=3&
Or buy this script and try to perform it:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waiting ... 0802130341

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 5th, 2015, 10:47 pm

I'm not an attorney, but the performance rights agreement doesn't appear to be enforceable in the United States.
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Bill Mullins » February 5th, 2015, 11:17 pm

Tom Stone wrote:
IanLand wrote:I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable

That is a thought that likely only occur to those who want to ignore the rights limitations. Honest people don't search for loopholes like that.


What an incredible assumption of bad faith.

Recognition that the law does a very poor job of protecting the artistic rights of magicians in no way implies dishonesty.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 5th, 2015, 11:34 pm

Bill Mullins wrote:
Tom Stone wrote:
IanLand wrote:I doubt very much those rights limitations are enforceable

That is a thought that likely only occur to those who want to ignore the rights limitations. Honest people don't search for loopholes like that.


What an incredible assumption of bad faith.

No, it the most reasonable assumption. Ian Land's post tells me he's a person that can't be trusted with anything not nailed down, and someone I would do my best to avoid.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Bill Mullins » February 5th, 2015, 11:52 pm

Tom Stone wrote: Access to someone else's artistic work is not a human right, like civil rights or anything like that.
It is the artist who decides if, when and how his work is made public.


Actually, you've got that backwards. The idea that it is the "artist who decides if, when and how his work is made public" is not a human right. It is completely a construct of law and statute, and didn't exist at all until governments invented it. Copyright for books came about so kings could control the spread of subversive literature. Copyright for performances, like magic, did not exist at all until a couple of hundred years ago, and again was an invention of government.


Tom Stone wrote:It is silly to state that there are no precedents for artistic and dramatic works, because there are plenty of them.
Example... Buy this, and then attempt to distribute your performance of it on CD:
http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewp ... bsiteid=3&

That's a really bad example if you are trying to make the point that the artist can completely control the distribution of the work. The U.S. has compulsory licensing of musical works like this. I can buy the sheet music, record a CD, pay the appropriate royalties, and Prince can do absolutely nothing about it.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Ted M » February 5th, 2015, 11:56 pm

They may have some trouble even trying to enforce their Terms, due to their choice of the non-existent jurisdiction of the "Province of California"...

https://halfhalfman.com/policies/

15. Governing Law

Any disputes arising out of or relating to the Terms, the Privacy Policy, use of our website, or our products or services offered on our website will be resolved in accordance with the laws of the Province of California without regard to its conflict of law rules. Any disputes, actions or proceedings relating to the Terms or your access to or use of our website must be brought before the courts of the Province of California in the City of Los Angeles, California and you irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such courts.

Bill Mullins
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Bill Mullins » February 5th, 2015, 11:57 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:I'm not an attorney, but the performance rights agreement doesn't appear to be enforceable in the United States.


Maybe it is, as a contract between the seller and the buyer.

But here's the rub. The license agreement is between Half Half Man and the original buyer of the book. If I buy a second hand copy, how can their agreement about performance rights possibly apply to me?
Last edited by Bill Mullins on February 6th, 2015, 12:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

Bill Mullins
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Bill Mullins » February 6th, 2015, 12:03 am

Ted M wrote:They may have some trouble even trying to enforce their Terms, due to their choice of the non-existent jurisdiction of the "Province of California"...

https://halfhalfman.com/policies/

15. Governing Law

Any disputes arising out of or relating to the Terms, the Privacy Policy, use of our website, or our products or services offered on our website will be resolved in accordance with the laws of the Province of California without regard to its conflict of law rules. Any disputes, actions or proceedings relating to the Terms or your access to or use of our website must be brought before the courts of the Province of California in the City of Los Angeles, California and you irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such courts.


It's been a long time since I studied contract law, but I doubt that a mis-wording such as this would void an agreement assuming all of the elements of the contract are otherwise met (offer, acceptance, consideration, mutuality).

"Generally, the meaning of a contract is determined by looking at the intentions of the parties at the time of the contract’s creation. When the intention of the parties is unclear, courts look to any custom and usage in a particular business and in a particular locale that might help determine the intention. "

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Tom Stone
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 6th, 2015, 12:38 am

Bill Mullins wrote:That's a really bad example if you are trying to make the point that the artist can completely control the distribution of the work. The U.S. has compulsory licensing of musical works like this. I can buy the sheet music, record a CD, pay the appropriate royalties, and Prince can do absolutely nothing about it.

You are allowed to record and sell your own rendition of some one else's music composition without explicit permission? That would surprise me.

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Tom Stone
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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Tom Stone » February 6th, 2015, 12:43 am

Bill Mullins wrote:But here's the rub. The license agreement is between Half Half Man and the original buyer of the book. If I buy a second hand copy, how can their agreement about performance rights possibly apply to me?

The agreement about performance rights do not apply to a second hand buyer, so you would not have those rights. Seems quite straightforward.

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Re: Half Half Man ... Your Thoughts?

Postby Bill Mullins » February 6th, 2015, 1:41 am

Tom Stone wrote:
Bill Mullins wrote:That's a really bad example if you are trying to make the point that the artist can completely control the distribution of the work. The U.S. has compulsory licensing of musical works like this. I can buy the sheet music, record a CD, pay the appropriate royalties, and Prince can do absolutely nothing about it.

You are allowed to record and sell your own rendition of some one else's music composition without explicit permission? That would surprise me.


There are a lot of things about how copyright works in the real world that would surprise you, I bet.

But as far as this particular issue goes: link.


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