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Congressman Billy Tauzin meets with DGA PAC Leadership Council
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Betty Thomas, DGA First Vice President Steven Soderbergh, DGA Secretary-Treasurer Gil Cates, DGA President Martha Coolidge, Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA.), Ivan Reitman, DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth and Taylor Hackford.
(Photo: Emilio Flores/Getty Images) - click image for larger view |
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Representative Billy Tauzin (R-La.), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, met with a small group from the DGA–PAC Leadership Council on April 3. Guild members in attendance were DGA President Martha Coolidge, DGA Secretary-Treasurer Gil Cates, Taylor Hackford, Ivan Reitman, DGA First Vice President Steven Soderbergh and Betty Thomas.
Tauzin's Committee has jurisdiction over all telecommunications and information transmission issues, including broadcast and the internet. Thus, one of the major discussion points was the special concern filmmakers have about the distribution of motion pictures on the internet — an issue under debate in Congress. Through the discussion, the members gained insight into Tauzin's perspective on internet piracy and the unique impact it has on filmmakers' economic and creative rights. Tauzin demonstrated an understanding and receptivity to the implications of internet piracy on a director's work — both with respect to the alteration of a film and its subsequent endless distribution via the internet.
Tauzin also expressed his interest in learning more about the problem of runaway production — a problem he knew had impacted his own state of Louisiana. A lively discussion took place which again enabled those present to explain the depth of the problem, and also to talk about H.R. 3131 and the positive impact it could have. Tauzin left the meeting expressing his interest in becoming even more fully informed and indicated he planned to give the DGA's request of his support serious consideration.
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