8. Legal And Other Film Industry Issues
Film is a legally and culturally complex product. The MRT is designed to be workable in this sensitive environment, and to grow and evolve within it.
8.1 – Copyright Law. The MRT works around copyright issues that other blockchain based solutions address poorly. The copyright landscape is inconsistent across the globe. It is a potential minefield for automated distribution systems. As mentioned, YouTube made its start by facilitating copyright infringement. But that was at a time when copyright law had not come to grips with the digital world at all. That is not today.
The MRT and FilmPods address copyright issues the same way it is addressed in the brick-and-mortar world: with legal indemnities and copyright registrations obtained by the filmmaker. The issue of copyright will therefore not be an issue for an MRT holder in any foreseeable circumstance.
As subsequent phases of the MRT are developed, and particularly as the blockchain is adapted, automated DRM will be programmed into the code, along with decentralized distribution options and automated license fee payments across all participants.
8.2 – Contractual Players: Film involves the financial costs associated with unions, financiers, agents and more. A neat, automated blockchain ecosystem cannot address the contractual matrix and the diversity of revenue channels involved in Film at this point in time.
The MRT and FilmPod paradigm, once again, combine the strengths of the non-fungible token with those of the established digital streaming paradigm and accepted contractual relationships. This allows the establishment of a robust base which will expand and evolve to take advantage of the changing commercial environment. All MRT holders and Film producers will receive better license fees with this approach.
8.3 – Distribution Of License Fees. Most blockchain solutions never address the sheer number of parties who have input or veto over distribution relationships and revenue arrangements for a Film.
The MRT facilitates these relationships, and retains the accepted (and contractually required) procedures for accounting and distribution of Film receipts. This permits them producers and studios who are skeptical about blockchain a high level of comfort and familiarity with the procedure. It also ensures that requirements by participants such as union pension and health funds and private equity arrangements can be addressed and not disrupted or forced into an irrelevant structure.
9. How The MRT Works in 2024
The MRT utility token and FilmPod App will be released in spring 2024.
9.1 – Combining Strengths: The MRT and the FilmPod combine the strengths of the physical world with the digital. A simple whole ecosystem blockchain is of little use given the current realities of Film production and distribution.
The MRT, combined with the familiarity of the FilmPod streaming application is relevant and addresses several of the challenges within this space. It provides freedom to all participants in the system.
9.2 – Freedom To Producers. The MRT gives freedom to producers. The use of the MRT token expands the potential number of streams of the Film. At the same time, essential features are built into the paradigm which keep the producers in full control of their product, and MRT owners in control of their accumulated license fees.
9.3 – Freedom For MRT Owners. The MRT owner has all the freedoms that a licensor or distributor of a film would want, with none of the financial or legal drawbacks.
9.4 – MRT Resale. A significant advantage of the MRT utility token smart contract is that it is re-salable and assignable without obtaining permissions or clearances from Film producers, financiers, unions, or other distributors.
9.5 – MSRP. As further rounds and new versions of MRT are added, future releases will have an MSRP that is never less than what it is in the first MRT release.
9.6 – The Merchandise. The MRT, through the FilmPod app, will participate in royalties from merchandise sales connected to the film stream that the MRT is licensed for.
9.7 – Freedom For The Audience. For the general audience, the FilmPod experience will be as enjoyable as the best streaming apps available. The use of AI will better identify and match viewing habits with Film titles, so that they spend less time browsing and more time watching. At the audience option, and in their control, is participation in offered incentives, in interactive opportunities, and to earn discounts and bonuses when they create word-of-mouth. All these things happen within an environment that audiences are already familiar with, and without forcing them to engage with a blockchain environment which they are not familiar with and by and large are not interested in.
10. Exclusive And Expanding Title Catalogs
The MRT has already obtained exclusive rights to unique and high profile Films, to secure tracking of streaming and other license fees. This growing list of Films also attracts more titles. This strategy generates strong license fees for the Film and the MRT owner.
10.1 – High-profile Films. One of the first exclusive Films attached to the MRT is Eartha Kitt C'est Si Bon. Eartha Kitt C’est Si Bon will premiere and distribute exclusively through the use of the MRT token. It is projected to generate more than 20 million views in its first few months alone. Eartha Kitt C'est Si Bon is the first dramatic biopic about the life and 60-year long career of the most famous Catwoman, actress and singer Eartha Kitt. Eartha Kitt is known across the globe and across all age and ethnic demographics, for her long career as a dancer and jazz singer and A-list actor. Her significant roles later in her life were in major Films such as Boomerang, Ernest Scared Stupid, The Emperor's New Groove and The Emperor's New School. Eartha Kitt C'est Si Bon has a cast that includes Robert Beltran of Star Trek fame, Dani Lane from Kenan, Carrie Cain Sparks (XFiles, Rumble In The Bronx) and Trina Parks (the first Black female Bond villain).
In addition, among the upcoming new and unusual Films already attached to the MRTs are:
- The Rabbit Hole, the compelling psychological horror, a feature Film by visionary creator Diamond Monique Washington of Diamond's Dark House.
- Vampire P.I., a supernatural private eye series based on the original feature film from 2004.
- Friends List, a psychological thriller, feature film by Rob Watson.
- Sin 13, supernatural espionage series set in Europe, starring Shotzie Cado and Carrie Cain Sparks, directed by Shadow Dragu-Mihai
10.2 – Strategic Partnerships - Marketplaces. The MRT team is arranging large catalogs with film marketplaces to and distributors world-wide.
10.3 – Strategic Partnerships - Streamers. Independent streaming platforms are additional outlets for MRT-linked Films. All tracked by the MRT. these arrangements license content from the platforms to the FilmPod app, and expand MRT-licensed Film to those streamers. This creates a much larger number of streams and more licensing fees.
11. The MRT In 2025 And Beyond
The road ahead is already being mapped out for the MRT and the FilmPod paradigm.
11.1 – Tezos Customization. Adoption of a custom version the open source Tezos blockchain. We project that in 2025, we will adopt our own version of the Tezos blockchain (which will remain open source). This will permit much more functionality to develop features for the MRT. Things such as digital rights management, automated revenue splits, automated licensing, viewership tracking and demographic analysis, all without breaching government privacy regulations, are planned.
11.2 – The MRT And Film Funding. As part of our commitment to a broad solution to facilitate film production and distribution, FilmPod will launch a crowd fun platform dedicated specifically to film in early 2025. The MRT will be linked to every Film upcoming on the FilmPod crowdfunding platform. Titles attached may be through a default selection or a lottery system. In either case, this permits proof of streaming outlets (which the MRT proves) to potential supporters and even other distributors & licensors.
11.3 – MRT And Regulation CF platforms. In further support of our financial Film funding initiatives, were already in partnership discussions with FINRA certified Regulation CF platforms, which will facilitate funding for up to $5 million per Film. The MRT will be integrated within that funding framework, as for regular crowdfunding, to permit proof of streaming outlets.
11.4 - The Decentralized Future: The decentralized MRT system will evolve and adapt to changing legal, technical and financial environments around the world. The MRT will entirely displace traditional distribution, and enable funding, IP rights management, monetization, tracking and splitting of receipts among all interested parties and more - all without the intervention or controls of parasitic gatekeepers or corporate distribution & streaming monopolies. The economic power in the Film industry will accrue to the independent producing sector, away from the Studios and their subs.
11.5 – Licensing Expansion. This White Paper has concentrated on Film and Film distribution, broadly defined. However, interactive gaming and the developing Virtual Theatrical format are obvious choices for the application of the MRT. These are already being explored behind the scenes.
