Movies: A Global Passion
The U.S. Copyright Office hosted a Copyright Matters program in connection with World Intellectual Property Day on Wednesday, April 23rd at 1:45 p.m. This year's theme, as announced by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), is "Movies: A Global Passion."
As previously announced, the program featured special remarks from Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. As celebrated around the globe, World Intellectual Property Day (officially April 26) marks the date in 1970 when the World Intellectual Property Organization Convention came into force.
Partnering for the third year with the Copyright Office, the Copyright Alliance presented multi-award winning feature film and television director Matthew Harrison, who discussed the creative process of film making. Harrison's feature film Rhythm Thief was awarded Special Jury Recognition for Directing at the Sundance Film Festival. Harrison was also a recipient of the Mystic Fire Independent Film Award and directed episodes of Sex and the City for HBO.
The Alliance also presented two-time Daytime Emmy Award-nominated actor Robert Newman, who discussed the creative components of films and other audiovisual works. Newman is Vice President for Actors and Performers for the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which represents more than 165,000 media professionals including actors, stunt performers, and voiceover artists.
Film Scholar Mike Mashon rounded out the program by discussing the historical and cultural importance of movies as well as the art and science of preserving them. Dr. Mashon is Head of the Moving Image Section at the Library of Congress and was previously its Curator of Moving Images.
The program was held in the historic Coolidge Auditorium on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and was free and open to the public.
Francis Gurry
Francis Gurry was appointed Director General of WIPO on October 1, 2008.
He began his WIPO career in 1985, initially in the Development Cooperation and External Relations Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. He was instrumental in establishing the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center in 1994 and subsequently in developing the highly successful Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy.
He served on the WIPO top management team from 1997, initially as Assistant Director General, then from 2003 as Deputy Director General with responsibility for patents and the PCT system, the Arbitration and Mediation Center, traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and genetic resources.
Before joining WIPO, Francis Gurry practiced as an attorney in Australia, and taught law at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He holds law degrees from the University of Melbourne and a Ph.D from the University of Cambridge, UK. He is the author of numerous publications and articles on intellectual property issues in international journals.
An Australian national, Francis Gurry speaks English and French.
Matt Harrison
Matt Harrison's feature film KICKED IN THE HEAD was Executive Produced by Martin Scorsese, released theatrically by Universal and premiered as an official selection at Cannes. His network and cable television directing credits include SEX AND THE CITY for HBO. Matt's feature film RHYTHM THIEF won a JURY PRIZE at the SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL.
Matt recently completed his new comedy MY LITTLE HOLLYWOOD and is now preparing his sixth feature film MENTIROSA. He has served on film festival juries around the world including Gijon International Film Festival, AFI Fest and Slamdance Film Festival.
The production division of Harrison's company Film Crash recently produced Nick Flavin's CLOSE FRIENDS and Ben Rodkin's BIG HEART CITY starring Seymour Cassel (LIFE AQUATIC) and Shawn Andrews (DAZED AND CONFUSED). Mr. Harrison Executive Produced.
Matt currently teaches film at UCLA Extension and has taught graduate film at CalArts. He has lectured at New York University Tisch, AFI, São Paulo School of Film, Brazil, Syracuse University and The New School For Social Research.
Harrison won a full scholarship at the Cooper Union School of Art where he completed his BFA. He completed post-graduate studies at NYU.
Matt is a Feature Film Director member in good standing with the Directors Guild of America, sponsored by Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.
An Australian national, Francis Gurry speaks English and French.
Feature Films
2012 - MY LITTLE HOLLYWOOD, feature film Manhattan Film Festival
2006 - THE DEEP AND DREAMLESS SLEEP, feature Avignon Film Festival
1997 - KICKED IN THE HEAD, feature, Executive Produced by Martin Scorsese, theatrically
1995 - RHYTHM THIEF, feature, JURY PRIZE SUNDANCE, theatrical release
1993 - SPARE ME, feature and first prize TOURNAGE AWARD Avignon Film Festival
Television
SEX AND THE CITY, HBO
POPULAR, Disney
DEAD LAST, Warner Brothers
Feature Films Executive Produced by Matt Harrison
BIG HEART CITY Vanguard Cinema
BOX HEAD REVOLUTION Film Crash
Robert Newman
Robert Newman is perhaps best known for his 28 year run as Joshua Lewis on the longest running program in broadcasting history, Guiding Light. The role garnered him 2 Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He has recently guest starred on Homeland, Criminal Minds, NCIS and Law and Order:SVU, and will be seen in the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man 2, the Sci-Fi film Dracano, and the short film Deadline.
Off-Broadway Credits include Perfect Crime, She's of a Certain Age and Sessions: the Musical. Regional credits include Gypsy opposite Tovah Feldshuh at BRT; Deathtrap, Peter Pan, Shenandoah, and Man Of La Mancha at the Barn Theatre; Curtains at Paper Mill Playhouse and TUTS; Annie at NCT; Nine at NSMT; and A Little Night Music and The Full Monty at PCLO. Other stage credits include Quiet on the Set, Picnic, Barefoot in the Park, Romantic Comedy, Sylvia (which he also directed), and The Glass Menagerie.
Newman is the SAG-AFTRA National Vice-President for Actors/Performers, as well as a member of the SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors.
Mike Mashon
Mike Mashon is Head of the Moving Image Section at the National Audio Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Va., and has been with the Library since 1998. A native of Baton Rouge, La., he received his B.S. in Microbiology from Louisiana State University, an M.A. in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph.D. in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Maryland. He has written and presented extensively on issues surrounding media history, preservation, and access.