Who we are
DAMA represents the interests of Audiovisual Authors and aims to ensure authors are fairly compensated for any works that are copied, broadcast or recorded. Authors' primary rights are protected by contract, but it is the life of the work over the following decades that needs to be monitored and fairly rewarded. It is with secondary rights that copyright has an important role to play in protecting authors from unpaid use and moral abuse of their work. Secondary use ranges from broadcast transmission in Spain and overseas to use via the internet and digital reproduction.
According to Spanish Intellectual Property Act, secondary rights must be administrated by any Collecting management society (CMO) which must be legally constituted with no gainful intent. The authorisation of the Ministry of Culture is required to operate and granted under certain conditions.
DAMA, as a CMO legally settled, is dedicated to protecting and promoting authors' rights:
- by encouraging the establishment of collective licensing schemes, where appropriate
- by fostering an awareness of copyright issues to enable writers to maximise their income, and
- by ensuring that fees resulting from such schemes are efficiently collected and distributed.
Created in 1999 on an initiative taken by authors, DAMA is the first society specialized only on audiovisual author's rights collective management in SPAIN. Its functions are:
- Collection and Distribution for global Copyright Royalties.
- Implementation of individual Rights.
- Political and Legal fortification of Copyright Protection.
Currently DAMA is formed for over 400 associates. It also represents in Spain the directors and screenwriters of the Australian and New Zealand societies and the Brazilian audiovisual authors association of Abramus, managing a total repertoire for more than 57,000 audiovisual works.
