JAAK works with Intellectual Property Office (IPO) on Image and Film Initiative

• Working group to explore opportunities in Public Domain, Out of Copyright, and Orphan works
• Collaborators include the British Film Institute (BFI), Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA), and Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries (FOCAL)

London, 27 November 2018: Blockchain rights company, JAAK, is working with the Intellectual Property Office and leading audio-visual and image organisations to investigate how blockchain technology can improve the availability of Public Domain works and processes surrounding Orphan work definition. The initiative will focus on the film and image industries in the UK.Public Domain works include works which were never copyrighted or where the work has been offered to the public by the creator. Out of Copyright works are those whose copyright protection has ended, but which may have related copyright and are licensable by custodians of those works. Often it can be very difficult to locate high-quality sources of these materials - offering simpler ways of searching for works will encourage their wider use in creative and artistic innovation.This working group, which includes the Intellectual Property Office, British Film Institute, Design and Artists Copyright Society, British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies, and Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries, will collaborate to explore solutions that reduce barriers to access and improve the availability of Public Domain works.Initial discussions will focus on the process behind classifying and cataloguing works, particularly those where the copyright term has expired. This will include collaborating on a standard dataset, stored on JAAK’s rights network, KORD. The group will also consider more advanced features such as mechanisms that allow documentary-makers to prove they have obtained materials through official channels, custodians, and rights holders.The working group will also explore similar opportunities for film and image ‘Orphan works’. Unlike Public Domain works, Orphan works are still under copyright, however, the rights holder is unknown or uncontactable. Licensing Orphan works can be time-consuming as licensees must prove they have conducted a “diligent search” to find the true owner of the material.Beyond classification and cataloguing, the group will explore a verification system which could expedite the diligent search process for licensees and guardians, supporting the current Orphan Works licensing scheme that the IPO manages.David Humphries MBE, Head of Research at the IPO, commented on the project “It is important for UK government to better understand how new technological solutions, such as blockchain, impact on the intellectual property framework. Initiatives, such as JAAK’s KORD network, provide a live case study to help inform the IPO’s thinking in future proofing policy.”Mark Waugh, Director of Business Development at DACS, supported this by saying, “DACS are excited to be working with JAAK on this exploratory journey. They have deep insights into how the processes of rights management can be deployed on the blockchain.”Isabelle Doran, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, BAPLA, added, “BAPLA is delighted to be working with JAAK on technological solutions to identify and track rights in imagery. Our aim is to support creativity by enabling usage and, where appropriate, licensing of visual media.”Dan Fowler, Strategy & Research at JAAK, said, “Our vision for KORD is one of a comprehensive protocol for the communication and commercialisation of any intellectual property rights. This project marks an important step as we look to take the technology that we have built with the music industry and apply it to wider use cases. We thank this fantastic group of collaborators for their support in working with us on this vision, and look forward to welcoming any other interested parties that would like to get involved.”About JAAKJAAK was founded in 2015 by Vaughn McKenzie-Landell and Freddie Tibbles, both included in Forbes’ 2018 ‘30 Under 30’ list, Ethereum Swarm member Lewis Marshall, and Viktor Tron, one of the first members of the Ethereum Foundation.JAAK’s aim is to provide a framework for IP industries to view and verify rights claims. JAAK utilises KORD, an open protocol on the Ethereum blockchain, which allows participants such as libraries, creators, labels, publishers, and performing rights organisations to record and track IP data, and incentivises them to verify the correct information.In May 2018, JAAK announced their pilot with a number of key music business rights holders including BMG, Warner/Chappell, Global Music Rights and Outdustry and Sentric. In 2017, JAAK was chosen by global startup accelerator, TechStars, for its inaugural music programme.About collaboratorsIntellectual Property Office (IPO)The Intellectual Property Office is part of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial strategy. It is responsible for the national framework of intellectual property rights, comprising patents, designs, trademarks and copyright. Its intelligence hub is recognised within the Home Office Serious & Organised Crime Strategy as the UK lead on counterfeiting and piracy.British Film Institute (BFI)At the BFI we support, nurture and promote the art of film, television and the moving image. A charity, funded by Government and earned income, and a distributor of National Lottery funds, we are at the heart of the UK’s fast growing screen industries, protecting the past and shaping their future across the UK. We work in partnership with cultural organisations, government and industry to make this happen. We bring our world-class cultural programmes and unrivalled national collections to audiences everywhere, and promote learning about our art-form and its heritage. We support the future success of film in the UK by nurturing new voices and fresh ideas, enriching independent British film culture, challenging the UK's screen industries to innovate and defining Britain and its storytellers in the 21st century. Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE.Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS)Established by artists for artists, DACS is a not-for-profit visual artists’ rights management organisation. Founded over 30 years ago, DACS campaigns for artists’ rights, championing their sustained and vital contribution to the creative economy. It collects and distributes royalties to visual artists and their estates through Payback, Artist's Resale Right, Copyright Licensing and Artimage.British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA)BAPLA represents image licensors. Founded in 1975, BAPLA is the UK trade association for picture libraries and agencies, now incorporating a broad and diverse membership, including: sole traders; major stock, production and news agencies; SMEs; cultural heritage industries and technology companies. BAPLA members are the main source of licensed images you see every day in print and digital media, and as such have contributed to the UK economy for over 40 years, furnishing organisations across all forms of publishing, news, advertising & marketing, retail, science & medicine, and public bodies. Innovation has been the key driving force behind our member’s ability to create and maintain a strong global image industry.Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries International (FOCAL)FOCAL International (Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries) is a professional not-for-profit trade association formed in 1985. It is fully established as one of the leading voices in the industry which represents the footage and content libraries in over 30 countries, the archive producers, researchers, consultants and facility companies. The FOCAL International Awards are the organisation’s flagship event and exists to champion the use of archive footage in the creative industries as well as the work and contributions of many of its talented members.