Fair Use and Copyright are like the Mythological Hydra, once you cut one of the heads off it, there are new rules and restrictions from being able to use, reproduce or remix media.
I know Michael George III stated that it was hard to track down ownership and establish how works are actually Copyrighted. Well, about 12 years ago (obviously, may have changed) I spoke to someone in the offices that dealt with legal Copyright. There is a proper form and manner in which to fill out. However, they also informed me that if I simply placed the Copyright symbol (the ‘C’ within a circle) and the year of production, my work would “legally” be copyrighted even without proper documentation in their office. So, I can clearly see where Michael’s frustration comes from when dealing with ownership or tracking them down.
Yes, tracking people down can be quite a challenge. I’ve tried it before. Placing the copyright c and the date should be accompanied with up to date contact information. Although I can see both sides of the issue, it would be nice if the up to date information were required and some of the copyright protection would be lost if the contact information were not up to date. Then it would be fair game for fair use. But one can only dream.
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