AnnaVere
July 8th, 2009, 10:40 AM
To answer your many questions....
As confirmed in July 2009 by Gaiam's lawyer, no International Rights to pre-2001 FIRM workouts have been sold to any country or entity. The current agreement between Fitness Favorites LLC and Gaiam Americas Inc. establishes Fitness Favorites as the only authorized manufacturer and distributor of pre-2001 FIRM DVDs.
In the late 1990's BMG sold ownership of The FIRM brand to Good Times Entertainment Ltd. About 10 years later, Good Times Entertainment, Ltd. sold The FIRM brand and their existing inventory to Gaiam Americas, Inc. Now, only Gaiam owns the copyright to The FIRM brand.
Firm Direct and Collage Video continue to sell remaining inventory of pre-2001 The FIRM titles manufactured by Good Times Entertainment, Ltd. FIRM Direct has stated they are 'out of stock' and have no more inventories of certain titles. Gaiam will no longer manufacture pre-2001 titles of The FIRM.
International Piracy is a terrible plague. I have spent time in Latin America, and ‘bootlegs’ are openly sold by street pirates until the police catch them. Every single legitimate DVD has multiple, specific ‘anti-piracy’ messages in the beginning. In addition to the familiar FBI cards, and perhaps due to lower literacy, they also have short 'do the right thing' mini-dramas at the beginning. These ‘dramas’ teach viewers not to break the law by buying or making illegal copies.
The Orient, the source of most illegal dubs, is where it is most difficult to enforce International Copyright Law. When I was in China, software, movies and games (Microsoft, Adobe, Nintendo, Movies, Music CD and DVDs) were sold in stores for a fraction of the US price, with no regard for copyright protection.
The copyright owner (licensor) licenses International Rights to intellectual property to a specific business entity (licensee) for a fee and for a limited, specific period. Under the terms of a contract, the licensee is granted the right to produce product (DVDs) in a specific region and language.
A ‘BMG release for the Philippines’ is counterfeit. The very phrase is intended to confuse the customer and legitimize what is not legitimate. Authorized English-language DVDs from licensees with the legal right to replicate (such as Fitness Favorites, LLC) ship from their country of origin. Pirate companies sell from outside the USA to evade copyright law. DVDs in English, shipped and sold from the Orient are not legal. Legitimate DVDs would be in Chinese or some other Oriental language.
Pirates compile new covers with sophisticated graphics software. Photo elements from Fitness Favorites, Gaiam, Good Times and BMG, are combined into a new ‘collages’. Pirates add some type of official-looking copyright. For example, new Fitness Favorites releases with never seen before photos (Boomers) are merged with the Gaiam logo and ‘bogus’ copyright notices. This reconfiguration of the package is a deliberate effort to trick the customer into belief these products are legitimate.
It is extremely difficult to suppress illegal sales on eBay. eBay makes money on sales regardless of legality.
Unlike the mega-conglomerates of the entertainment industry, who retain legal teams to file lawsuits against piracy, Fitness Favorites is a small business. It does not have the financial resources, or 'staying power' to withstand the loss of income due to piracy.
This is one small example of two large problems in the US:
1) Throughout our great country, many are without employment because of the loss of our manufacturing base, and
2) Rogue nations flagrantly disregard International Copyright Law written expressly to protect Intellectual Property. Piracy damages creative artists: musicians, motion picture artists and software designers deserve and depend on payment for their contributions. Every time a customer buys pirated product, they harm the financial stability of the author. Most importantly, ‘idea theft’ diminishes an artist’s ability to contribute to society.
From 1986 to 2001, as founder of a new workout methodology and author of video product, and with many other talented individuals, we created 48 FIRM workouts. Without the existing contract with Gaiam, these workouts would be unavailable and lost to home exercisers. I am indebted to those who made this agreement possible.
If you believe the original library should be preserved and available for sale as high-quality, chaptered DVDs, buy Fitness Favorites DVDs. This is a long-term project, and your purchase today insures its completion.
If you would like to send any additional information on this subject, please contact fitnessfavorites@mindspring.com
Many thanks,
Anna
As confirmed in July 2009 by Gaiam's lawyer, no International Rights to pre-2001 FIRM workouts have been sold to any country or entity. The current agreement between Fitness Favorites LLC and Gaiam Americas Inc. establishes Fitness Favorites as the only authorized manufacturer and distributor of pre-2001 FIRM DVDs.
In the late 1990's BMG sold ownership of The FIRM brand to Good Times Entertainment Ltd. About 10 years later, Good Times Entertainment, Ltd. sold The FIRM brand and their existing inventory to Gaiam Americas, Inc. Now, only Gaiam owns the copyright to The FIRM brand.
Firm Direct and Collage Video continue to sell remaining inventory of pre-2001 The FIRM titles manufactured by Good Times Entertainment, Ltd. FIRM Direct has stated they are 'out of stock' and have no more inventories of certain titles. Gaiam will no longer manufacture pre-2001 titles of The FIRM.
International Piracy is a terrible plague. I have spent time in Latin America, and ‘bootlegs’ are openly sold by street pirates until the police catch them. Every single legitimate DVD has multiple, specific ‘anti-piracy’ messages in the beginning. In addition to the familiar FBI cards, and perhaps due to lower literacy, they also have short 'do the right thing' mini-dramas at the beginning. These ‘dramas’ teach viewers not to break the law by buying or making illegal copies.
The Orient, the source of most illegal dubs, is where it is most difficult to enforce International Copyright Law. When I was in China, software, movies and games (Microsoft, Adobe, Nintendo, Movies, Music CD and DVDs) were sold in stores for a fraction of the US price, with no regard for copyright protection.
The copyright owner (licensor) licenses International Rights to intellectual property to a specific business entity (licensee) for a fee and for a limited, specific period. Under the terms of a contract, the licensee is granted the right to produce product (DVDs) in a specific region and language.
A ‘BMG release for the Philippines’ is counterfeit. The very phrase is intended to confuse the customer and legitimize what is not legitimate. Authorized English-language DVDs from licensees with the legal right to replicate (such as Fitness Favorites, LLC) ship from their country of origin. Pirate companies sell from outside the USA to evade copyright law. DVDs in English, shipped and sold from the Orient are not legal. Legitimate DVDs would be in Chinese or some other Oriental language.
Pirates compile new covers with sophisticated graphics software. Photo elements from Fitness Favorites, Gaiam, Good Times and BMG, are combined into a new ‘collages’. Pirates add some type of official-looking copyright. For example, new Fitness Favorites releases with never seen before photos (Boomers) are merged with the Gaiam logo and ‘bogus’ copyright notices. This reconfiguration of the package is a deliberate effort to trick the customer into belief these products are legitimate.
It is extremely difficult to suppress illegal sales on eBay. eBay makes money on sales regardless of legality.
Unlike the mega-conglomerates of the entertainment industry, who retain legal teams to file lawsuits against piracy, Fitness Favorites is a small business. It does not have the financial resources, or 'staying power' to withstand the loss of income due to piracy.
This is one small example of two large problems in the US:
1) Throughout our great country, many are without employment because of the loss of our manufacturing base, and
2) Rogue nations flagrantly disregard International Copyright Law written expressly to protect Intellectual Property. Piracy damages creative artists: musicians, motion picture artists and software designers deserve and depend on payment for their contributions. Every time a customer buys pirated product, they harm the financial stability of the author. Most importantly, ‘idea theft’ diminishes an artist’s ability to contribute to society.
From 1986 to 2001, as founder of a new workout methodology and author of video product, and with many other talented individuals, we created 48 FIRM workouts. Without the existing contract with Gaiam, these workouts would be unavailable and lost to home exercisers. I am indebted to those who made this agreement possible.
If you believe the original library should be preserved and available for sale as high-quality, chaptered DVDs, buy Fitness Favorites DVDs. This is a long-term project, and your purchase today insures its completion.
If you would like to send any additional information on this subject, please contact fitnessfavorites@mindspring.com
Many thanks,
Anna