Intellectual Property Lawyers l Digital Media Solicitors
Specialist Intellectual Property and Digital Media Legal Advice

Blog For Empowering Creatives: IP and Digital Media Lawyers Insights

PAIL Solicitors IP and Digital Media Blog

Our Blog

.

When I think of Frank Sinatra's "My Way," I see a connection to the main ideas behind intellectual property law. "My Way" embodies personal expression and an individual's journey through life, which parallels the concept of the ideas-expressions dichotomy in copyright law. It echoes the principle that music, literature, or art can be copyrighted while allowing others to explore the same ideas without infringing upon that particular expression. Sinatra's anthem also celebrates uniqueness, which is reflected in the definitions of all of the varying types of intellectual property.

The Purpose of This Blog

The articles on this blog are all written, reviewed, and edited by me, Mr Peter Adediran, the Digital Media and Intellectual Property Solicitor at PAIL Solicitors. They are intended to empower the new generation of business executives, professionals, business owners and creatives who want to keep up with intellectual property, digital media and entertainment law in the digital age. Most importantly, empower the community of creatives who want to create works "their way". In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, staying informed and increasing knowledge in specialised legal services is crucial for e-commerce and digital technology businesses. At PAIL® Solicitors, we understand the unique challenges start-ups, business owners, professionals, business executives, creatives, writers and talent face in protecting their intellectual property and navigating legal complexities. By reading this blog and engaging us as your legal representatives you can safeguard yours and your company's reputations, make informed financial decisions, and confidently expand into new markets by focusing on continuous learning and expertise in these areas.

This blog contains articles on the following themes:

  • Advice on Protecting Digital Content

Encouragement to Stay Informed and Protected

For creatives and businesses alike, staying informed about legal issues surrounding intellectual property is critical. Knowledge is a powerful tool for safeguarding one’s work from infringement or misuse. We encourage individuals to engage with our resources, participate in discussions, and keep abreast of developments in IP law. 

Applications of chemicals in the entertainment industry

 

Chemistry plays a part in the production of virtually everything.  In fact, everyone on the planet is a chemist, but most people don’t realise it.  Think about every time you brush your teeth, or make a cup of tea, or cook something – when you do these things you are reacting chemicals together.

As our understanding of chemistry develops, we are able to do more elaborate things with chemicals, some of which can be quite entertaining.  I will set out how some chemicals are used, in the entertainment industry, to illustrate this point.

Pyrotechnics

I always say there is something hypnotic about a fire.  Indeed, it is primal instinct to be entertained by the production of heat and light.  Pyrotechnics covers a wide range of entertainment practices, such as firework displays and producing flames at concerts.  Chemicals have revolutionised the pyrotechnics industry, for example, using chemicals to create flames of different colours:

  • Borax can be used to produce green flames

  • Calcium chloride can be used to produce orange and red flames

  • Copper chloride can be used to produce blue flames

  • Copper sulphate can be used to produce turquoise flames

  • Magnesium sulphate can be used to produce white flames

  • Potassium permanganate can be used to produce purple flames

  • Sodium chloride (i.e. salt) can be used to produce yellow flames

Smoke, Fog and Artificial Snow

You can’t control the weather, but you can use chemicals to create visual effects such as smoke, fog and snow.  Fog can be created by vaporising glycerol, which creates the illusion of smoke.  Dry ice (liquid carbon dioxide) can be used to create a similar effect, where the smoke produced sits in a thick layer on the ground.  And fake snow can be made by adding sodium polyacrylate to water.

Prosthetics and Make Up

It isn’t just fires and smoke which are entertaining; people are also entertained by gore and blood.  Medical-themed TV programmes often depict injuries, as do many films, which are made all the more realistic with chemicals.  There are an array of different recipes when it comes to making fake blood and prosthetics (like as fake scars and masks) are normally made from Latex.

Other Weird and Wonderful Applications

I know the company who supplied the “chocolate” which was used in the 2005 remake of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.  The film required ‘rivers of chocolate’ but it wouldn’t have been practical to use real chocolate because it would have been too costly and too dangerous, in case someone fell in.  Instead, the film makers added thickeners and colorants to water which gave it the appearance of chocolate without the cost or danger.

There are other applications too, such as the use of adhesives, paintings and coatings when building sets.  I could go on but I’m sure you accept that the examples I have given serve to satisfactorily demonstrate the point that chemicals are widely used in the entertainment industry, as they are  in almost every major industry.

Working With Chemicals

No matter what industry you are in, it’s important to take the necessary precautions to work with chemicals safely.  There are strict legal regulations you must work within when using chemicals, for example:

EU Regulation No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures

EU Regulation No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)

The European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road

No matter what chemical you are working with, take time to study the Material Safety Data Sheet, buy chemicals from a reputable source and make sure an expert is on hand.  Chemicals are very entertaining when used correctly but they can also be deadly.

To obtain a quotation, please contact us at (020) 7305-7491 or at peter@pailsolicitors.co.uk. We would be delighted to assist you. Mr Peter Adediran is the owner and principal solicitor at PAIL® Solicitors.  Subscribe to our newsletter to get blog post updates and other information about the firm straight to your inbox.

Meet The Team: Peter Adediran; Maya El Husseini; Gabrielle Felix; Poppy Harston