Doug Isenberg delivered a presentation on copyright law for magicians at the 2018 Magi-Fest convention in Columbus, Ohio. Magi-Fest is one of the largest magic conventions in the United States, with more than 800 attendees this year.
Doug's presentation, on January 26, 2018, focused on how magicians can use copyright law to protect their craft, especially on the Internet; limitations of copyright protection for magic; and ethical issues related to copyright law and magic.
Doug discussed a number of important copyright law cases, including a dispute brought by the famous magician Teller against a YouTube user who had uploaded videos that Teller alleged infringed his rights. Although the court ruled in Teller's favor, Doug explained the importance of the case, including the court's statement that "magic tricks are not copyrightable."
