My film in your pocket: An analysis of user interactions with films and copyright law

Abstract

This article questions the author-centred conceptualization of copyright’s subject matter in defining the scope of protection. It focuses on films, the medium’s communicative nature, and user interactions with films in the digital age. The analysis starts with Kant’s definition of a book as a ‘public speech’ and adapts it to films. The article states that the publicness of the medium comes with user expectations. It states that, in many cases, the audience’s interaction with films starts with the expectation of a further communication through the work. The article then explores the intercommunication of the audience, its transformation in the digital age, and its role in shaping our cultural landscape. The conclusion is that, in order to answer the demands of the new habits of communications, new ways of research, and any novelty that comes with future technologies, copyright law needs to acknowledge the participatory nature of user interactions with cultural works and how those interactions shape our culture.