Copyrights

In this episode of IP Goes Pop!, hosts and Volpe Koenig shareholders, Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue, introduce a two-part series focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) and how it can impact intellectual property (IP) rights in an individual’s persona. The episode starts with a look at generative AI, explaining how it can create text, images, and voices that appear to closely mimic human attributes. This sets the stage for a deeper discussion on the right of publicity, a legal doctrine that protects an individual's likeness, voice, and personal attributes from unauthorized commercial use.

To begin, the hosts unpack AI's portrayal of human beings in pop culture, citing iconic movie examples such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, S1m0ne, and Her. These films illustrate AI's potential to replicate human beings, raising questions about the intersection of technology and IP. For instance, S1m0ne explores the concept of a fully synthetic actress replacing human actors, while Her delves into the emotional complexities of a human falling in love with an AI operating system. These examples lay the foundation for understanding the real-world implications of AI in the realm of IP.

Get ready for a cinematic exploration of innovation and intellectual property as depicted in popular movies about inventors and creators. In this episode, IP Goes Pop!® co-hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue, peel back the layers of iconic movies that not only inspire us, but also shed light on the realities of building successful businesses and protecting ideas.

Starting with 1988’s Tucker: The Man and His Dream, your hosts dive into the story of Preston Tucker and his revolutionary automobile, the Tucker 48. This tale not only epitomizes the spirit of disrupting the status quo but also draws parallels with modern auto-innovators like Tesla. Tucker's journey sheds light on the crucial role of patents in protecting groundbreaking ideas, emphasizing the continued real-world relevance of Tucker's innovations in today's automobiles.

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This episode of IP Goes Pop!®, takes you on a journey through the iconic world of the Barbie universe and brand, exploring its deep-rooted connections with pop culture and intellectual property law. Hop in the dream car and journey with Volpe Koenig Shareholders and podcast hosts, Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue to a land of pink corvettes, with a few pitstops at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Kicking off with a discussion of the recent cinematic triumphs of the Barbie movie released this year (2023), your hosts delve into how this classic brand has been brought to life on the big screen captivating audiences around the globe.

In this episode, IP Goes Pop! co-hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue are joined by special guests from the U.S. Copyright Office, Brittany Lamb, Attorney-Advisor in the Office of the General Counsel and John Riley, Assistant General Counsel as they dive into the evolving landscape of providing additional access for certain copyright claims, focusing on the Copyright Claims Board (CCB). Learn how the CCB makes the copyright claim system accessible for more people and why it was created right from the experts who contributed to its development.

IP Goes POP! takes you out to the ball game (and the blockchain) for this episode of the podcast that looks at the shift from “collectible trading cards” to “collectable NFTs”. Podcast co-hosts, Volpe Koenig Shareholders, and intellectual property lawyers, Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue round the bases and pull out their most memorable sports cards as they slide home to talk about the intellectual property (IP) of baseball cards, collecting, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The days of digging through the attic in search of that hidden box of your grandpa's old sports cards may be dwindling, but they are not gone. In some cases, these antique cards remain valuable assets for their owners, who can be thought of as holders of fine art. Some lock their cards away in vaults for safety or display them on their walls, behind glass cases, taken out only under the protection of silk gloves. But, how does the price of a 1959 Mickey Mantle or mint condition Honus Wagner baseball card (approximately 60 in remaining in existence) compare to a modern-day digital version of a trading card, such as the NBA Top Shot NFTs, with clips anyone can view online? Is the future of baseball cards still something you can touch with your hands or will it reside digitally on your phone?  Our panel discusses the basics of what an NFT is and how this blockchain technology is shaping the future of the analog trading card business.

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What do Bambi, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh all have in common? Besides remaining lovable pop-culture icons, these cartoon characters are all part of copyrighted works entering the public domain. In our first episode of season three, IP Goes Pop! co-hosts and Volpe Koenig Shareholders, Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue, are back for a journey into the public domain. With the help of their fellow Shareholder John O’Malley, they walk through the history of copyright term (how long copyrights last), how and when copyrighted works enter the public domain, and the way this area of law continues to evolve as famous and high-value works enter the public domain.

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This week on IP Goes Pop! fellow Volpe Koenig Shareholder Robert Leonard joins host Michael Snyder to talk about artists' rights, and attempts by musicians to regain rights to their original recordings.

From Taylor Swift to Prince, IP Goes Pop! looks at what’s at stake when giving up rights to master recordings. In this episode, Michael and Rob explore how musicians try to “take back the music” and discuss how different artists navigated disputes over their intellectual property, and how the internet coupled with the likes of TikTok may be turning the industry on its flip-side.

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