When does a movie stop making money?

[mr. nails]

when does it stop making money? after dvd sales? does a 1950's movie still make money? maybe they never stop? and if it does still make money 50 years later who makes the money? director? actors? everyone involved?

[Seedler]

I don't think that question will be answered here.

That's actually a really great question, so ask it on Google Answers.

[Skillian]

If people are buying a film 50 years later, then someone's still making money.

Usually it's just the film studio making the cash, but some actors/directors are lucky enough to have contracts tied to DVD sales etc. Doesn't happen a lot tho.

[GepperRankins]

don't they become public domain after a while, 25 years or something. i mean like, i think we can legally copy and sell on really old films/music

[100%]

probably goes to the family, eg stanly kubrik

[Skillian]

don't they become public domain after a while, 25 years or something. i mean like, i think we can legally copy and sell on really old films/music

In US law (which is the most important since that is where most movies come from), it used to be 50 or 75 years after the death of the author. Recent laws have extended that.

Some good info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono_Copyright_Term_Extension_Act

[mr. nails]

In US law (which is the most important since that is where most movies come from), it used to be 50 or 75 years after the death of the author. Recent laws have extended that.

Some good info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono_Copyright_Term_Extension_Act
um. could someone break that down in lamens terms?

[GepperRankins]

In US law (which is the most important since that is where most movies come from), it used to be 50 or 75 years after the death of the author. Recent laws have extended that.

Some good info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono_Copyright_Term_Extension_Act
um. could someone break that down in lamens terms?
the law was designed so that music couldn't die with the author, life expectancy has gained over the last 100 years so the law has been extended.


point is, stuff like classical music (sheet only, i think. unless you can find some performances that are over 50 years old) are public domain, so nobody can claim royalties, and anybody can play it.

[Gripper]

When the saturday and sunday papers start giving them away free in the supplements:)

[achillies]

hey i dont think this is a appropriate forum to ask tsuch question...although i am new.

[Peerzy]

Companies usually make DVD's in batch and make say 2 Million copies, they then sell them to shops and retailers, ofcourse the bigger the film the more the shops will buy so they makers get there money then and it's not based on shop sales. If you buy an old DVD (not old movie) chances are it's old stock and the makers have already made a profit on it years ago. Only if the DVD has sold well will companies decide to reprint or as is the norm these days reissue in a new packaging with some shyte feature and call it a limited special collectors edition.

[Busyman]

when does it stop making money? after dvd sales? does a 1950's movie still make money? maybe they never stop? and if it does still make money 50 years later who makes the money? director? actors? everyone involved?
I think it makes money until it becomes public domain. Not of the time.