I was offered a bribe yesterday.....

[Trevor]

A client was searching for a poster of a 1970's South African film and I told him we had it, but also that we could not sell it. He then suggested that I take a pic of it, send it to him and I could name my price.

Needless to say, I told him what to go do with himself. 

[indianasmith]

You are as incorruptible as Cato the Younger!  However, you don't trigger civil wars that bring down the Republic, so I hold you as his superior!

[Trevor]

You are as incorruptible as Cato the Younger!  However, you don't trigger civil wars that bring down the Republic, so I hold you as his superior!

I might not yet trigger a civil war but my undies might..... 

[AndyC]

What was the movie? Must have been something pretty rare if this guy was willing to pay any price for a snapshot of the poster.

[Trevor]

What was the movie? Must have been something pretty rare if this guy was willing to pay any price for a snapshot of the poster.

It was my friend Ivan Hall's Karate Olympia aka Kill Or Be Killed: the first martial arts film made in Africa. The weird thing is that I would have been more than willing to arrange a copy for him provided that he cleared it with the rights holders and paid for the copy, but he went and offered me that bribe, so his loss.

[Living_Dead_Girl]

What was the movie? Must have been something pretty rare if this guy was willing to pay any price for a snapshot of the poster.

It was my friend Ivan Hall's Karate Olympia aka Kill Or Be Killed: the first martial arts film made in Africa. The weird thing is that I would have been more than willing to arrange a copy for him provided that he cleared it with the rights holders and paid for the copy, but he went and offered me that bribe, so his loss.

Is this film illegal to own or something? Unless with special permission? And are the posters illegal for some reason? The bribe seems odd for a movie poster. Unless it was something quite illegal.

[Newt]

And are the posters illegal for some reason? The bribe seems odd for a movie poster. Unless it was something quite illegal.

Posters are copyrighted material.  The rights to reproduction lie with the copyright owner. An unauthorised copy would be a 'bootleg' (to use a term that might be familiar) - and as such, yes: illegal. (Never mind just not right.)

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

I'll pay anything fpr a clone of Tjardus Greidanus   

[Trevor]

Is this film illegal to own or something?

No. We are the curators of the material and rights need to be cleared if copies are needed of anything. The film is available to anyone who wishes to buy it on DVD.

And are the posters illegal for some reason? The bribe seems odd for a movie poster. Unless it was something quite illegal.

No. Again, as Newt said, the posters are copyrighted. The only illegal thing here is this idiot offering a public servant a bribe.

[Trevor]

I'll pay anything fpr a clone of Tjardus Greidanus   

[AndyC]

No. Again, as Newt said, the posters are copyrighted. The only illegal thing here is this idiot offering a public servant a bribe.

So, this guy went straight from trying to buy the poster to offering a bribe, without asking if he could buy a copy?

He is an idiot.

[tracy]

You have ethics....I really respect that.

[EstherBlodgett]

Some people think that, just because they are available for purchase, EVERYONE is.

[Trevor]

So, this guy went straight from trying to buy the poster to offering a bribe, without asking if he could buy a copy?

He is an idiot.

Normally I will let a client know about the necessary rights clearances but he wanted to buy what we had here. I informed him that this was not the way things were done. Usually, the client will then ask about copying whatever they need and before long, they will be yet another happy client. If someone offers me a bribe, all they will get is my foot in their arse. 

[Trevor]

You have ethics....I really respect that.

Thanks, Tracy