Revamp of Copyright?
ADE IN:
INT. CLUB HOUSE - DAY
Sitting on a sofa, PETER flips through a newspaper. The title of an editorial gets Peter's attention.
PETER (V.O.)
Oh, "Revamp of copyright
laws long overdue"?
FLASHBACK
INT. OFFICE - DAY 1988
A GENTLEMAN#1 (50s) talks with Peter (34).
GENTLEMAN#1
There's a lot of work for
Law Reform Commission's
Copyright Subcommittee,
I'd like you to become a
joint secretary.
Peter nods.
INT. LAW LIBRARY - DAY 1988
Looking at thick books on copyright on a shelf, Peter ponders.
PETER (V.O.)
I read that copyright is
lawyers' law ie even lawyers
don't get it. How could I do
it in a structured manner?
The title of a thick book gets Peter's attention.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
"International Copyright and
Neighbouring Rights"? I got
two LLMs in international law
but haven't learned anything
on international copyright.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
As a common law lawyer, I've
never heard of neighbouring
rights at all! How interesting!
Okay, let me ensure Hong
Kong's copyright law reform
options are consistent with
international standards.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
GENTLEMAN#2 (40s) speaks to GENTLEMAN#3 (30s) and Peter.
GENTLEMAN#1
Hong Kong is taking a high
profile in the GATT-TRIPS
negotiations. I need professional
support in Geneva, and advice
from capital from time to time.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.)
So, apart from Hong Kong's
copyright law reform work,
I also contributed to Hong
Kong's positions in the GATT-
TRIPS negotiation process.
My distinct contribution in
the final text is Footnote 1
to the TRIPS Agreement!
FLASH BACK
INT. HKU MOOT COURT - NIGHT
A forum setting. GENTLEMEN on stage. GENTLEMAN#4 poses questions to Peter.
GENTLEMAN#4 What do you think about
Hong Kong's IP regime in
the Asian context?
MONTAGE OF PETER'S OBSERVATIONS IN DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT STANDARDS
A/ INT. WIPO CONFERENCE ROOM IN GENEVA - DAY (1992)
Crowded. Peter sits with the United Kingdom delegation. We see a document on the table entitled: "The Challenge of Copyright In the Digital Age". Later, when there are fewer souls, Peter uses a camera on tripod to take a selfie.
PETER (V.O.)
As Assistant Director of
Intellectual Property, this's
my first appearance in
a United Nations'
Specialized Agency.
B/ INT. WIPO CONFERENCE ROOM IN GENEVA - DAY (1993-1995)
Crowded. Peter mingles with DELEGATES and the SECRETARIAT before and after conferences.
C/ INT. WIPO CONFERENCE ROOM IN GENEVA - DAY & NIGHT (DECEMBER, 1996)
Entrance. LADIES and GENTLEMEN including Peter are anxious to get printouts from the secretariat.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Great! I've got of copy of
the to-be-agreed international
copyright standards! I've
only six months to turn them
into the copyright law of
Hong Kong.
END MONTAGE
PETER (Cont'd)
Hong Kong's main copyright
law was passed on 27 June
1997. The WIPO Director-
General read about it in an
International Herald Tribune
report that I said Hong Kong had
incorporated the provisions
of the Internet Treaties 1996
while flying to Hong Kong to
witness its return to the
motherland.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd)
Not only that he was very
pleased, the international
copyright community also
had a good first impression
of Hong Kong, citing
Hong Kong's copyright
regime as a model for Asia
to follow.
Pausing.
PETER (Cont'd)
Once you've got the first
good impression, you can't
be very wrong...
RETURN TO PRESENT
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
I was very pleased that since 2006, the Government
has heeded my advice and
hasn't given in to the popular
demands for wide and wild
copyright exceptions as
they're inconsistent with
international standards.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Now the European copyright
norms protecting the labour,
skill, and judgment of creators
rather than allowing social-
media to free-ride on them
is something that I can
support as a copyright
legal policy perspective!
Peter continues to read the small prints of the editorial.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Relatively speaking, the
revamp is long overdue,
just because there wasn't
the right public policy
reason to change!
INT. STUDY - DAY
Peter types energetically on his computer. He then selects an image, featuring his speaking on a podium against a backdrop photo on a screen, depicting Peter as a United Kingdom delegate.
PETER (V.O.)
The international copyright
community then was really
visionary. Regional and
domestic stakeholders are
fair followers!
FADE OUT. The End