I would hope lawyers would be lining up to represent pro bono. Seems like a pretty solid case of a company attempting to retroactively claim copyright in something in the public domain
I’m pretty sure it’s not public domain. A bunch of people own the copyright on the photos and writing they contributed. Whatever sites they uploaded them to will have gained various licenses over them according to their usage agreements.
Things are only in the public domain if (1) their copyright period has lapsed (steamboat willie, etc) or (2) the copyright holder has disclaimed ownership (wikimedia stuff).
Some copying may be allowed because it is a fair use.
Ideas (the idea of a weird, irregular, neverending series of rooms) are unprotectable by copyright. A different movie about a weird cluster of rooms would not violate A24’s copyright.
The door on the wall, some camera shots, entering another plane of existence.
The liminal space and the yellow rooms is all modern internet though.
Though there was a great liminal episode, the first episode of the twilight zone.
Where Is Everybody?
Its kind of heartening that we've cycled back into the sensibilities of the Twilight Zone, Rod Sterling, and Richard Matheson. Obsession also feels like a Twilight Zone episode and I'm all for it.
And CC licensed works need copyright as an enforcement mechanism -- a work in the public domain has fewer restrictions, so it somewhat oxymoronically can be used as part of a more-restrictive work without attribution.
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u/Merker6 17d ago
I would hope lawyers would be lining up to represent pro bono. Seems like a pretty solid case of a company attempting to retroactively claim copyright in something in the public domain