Has Robbie Williams gone too far ?

***Dave*** · 20-09-2006, 12:49

Robbie Williams has been accused of being greedy, in his latest stance on freelance photographers. Taken from following Pro Photographers blog here

"......Then at about 7:30 they showed up and then handed me a contract to sign. I read the contract and then rubbed my eyes and read it again.. It said that Robbie Williams was giving me the opportunity to photograph his show, but, wait for it, he would own the copyright of all of my images.. I couldn't even have the right to display the photos on my website of in my portfolio, as Robbie Williams would own the photos......"

Be interested to read where others believe this is heading for photoographers ?

Gary Bagshawe · 20-09-2006, 13:20

Yep, you have to sign an agreement for what you will use the photographs for before they will issue you with a photographers pass, the production management team are scared of you making any money out of them without them getting a share, id just sign somebody elses name in an illegible manner and f### em, but I do not condone that sort of activity at all

dod · 20-09-2006, 13:25

Controversially I think if that's the conditions he wants to apply then he has the right to do exactly that. The point he seems to be missing here is that a freelance depending on the sale of those images for income could never sign away the copyright.

If that's what he wants to do then I suspect he'll end up employing a staff photographer and freelancers simply won't have access.

VikingPhotography · 20-09-2006, 15:23

Well, I was all set to shoot the Robbie gig at Glasgow at the start of the month but then got a call at noon on the day from the PR handling accreditation; he'd just gotten off the phone with Robbie's management and had been told "no syndication allowed"

So the PR had to cancel 7 of the photographers he'd arranged access for - including myself. In hindsight it's not a bad thing, given that this story came to light on the same day.

On a personal level:

What p*sses me off the most about such rights grabs is that we're talking about a creative professional here... the boot would be on the other foot if someone hired Robbie to sing at, say, a private party BUT made him sign a waiver saying that any video/audio recordings made at the party would be their copyright, not Robbie's - inluding any songs he sang live.

Ah well, he's got almost no career left as it stands so what's the point in worrying about the t*sser.

20-09-2006, 12:49	#1 (permalink)
*Dave* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 14,892	Has Robbie Williams gone too far ? Robbie Williams has been accused of being greedy, in his latest stance on freelance photographers. Taken from following Pro Photographers blog here "......Then at about 7:30 they showed up and then handed me a contract to sign. I read the contract and then rubbed my eyes and read it again.. It said that Robbie Williams was giving me the opportunity to photograph his show, but, wait for it, he would own the copyright of all of my images.. I couldn't even have the right to display the photos on my website of in my portfolio, as Robbie Williams would own the photos......" Be interested to read where others believe this is heading for photoographers ?

20-09-2006, 13:20	#2 (permalink)
Gary Bagshawe Rep Point Winner 07 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sheffield UK Posts: 2,232	Re: Has Robbie Williams gone too far ? Yep, you have to sign an agreement for what you will use the photographs for before they will issue you with a photographers pass, the production management team are scared of you making any money out of them without them getting a share, id just sign somebody elses name in an illegible manner and f### em, but I do not condone that sort of activity at all

20-09-2006, 13:25	#3 (permalink)
dod Feet under the table Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Nairn Posts: 1,911	Re: Has Robbie Williams gone too far ? Controversially I think if that's the conditions he wants to apply then he has the right to do exactly that. The point he seems to be missing here is that a freelance depending on the sale of those images for income could never sign away the copyright. If that's what he wants to do then I suspect he'll end up employing a staff photographer and freelancers simply won't have access.

20-09-2006, 15:23	#4 (permalink)
VikingPhotography Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Just south of Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 788	Re: Has Robbie Williams gone too far ? Well, I was all set to shoot the Robbie gig at Glasgow at the start of the month but then got a call at noon on the day from the PR handling accreditation; he'd just gotten off the phone with Robbie's management and had been told "no syndication allowed" So the PR had to cancel 7 of the photographers he'd arranged access for - including myself. In hindsight it's not a bad thing, given that this story came to light on the same day. On a personal level: What psses me off the most about such rights grabs is that we're talking about a creative professional here... the boot would be on the other foot if someone hired Robbie to sing at, say, a private party BUT made him sign a waiver saying that any video/audio recordings made at the party would be their* copyright, not Robbie's - inluding any songs he sang live. Ah well, he's got almost no career left as it stands so what's the point in worrying about the t*sser.

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