Since its implementation, AVSYS—the Integrated Operating System for Audiovisual Works—has revolutionized the way collective management societies worldwide administer and enforce author's rights in the audiovisual field. This advanced system has been developed to meet the specific needs of these organizations, enabling efficient and transparent management of audiovisual works' author's rights.
Daniel Di Napoli, Systems Director at Argentine Directors Cinematographic (DAC), explains that “AVSYS AI is an author's rights management system for audiovisual works initially developed for DAC” and that “over the years, it has evolved significantly, incorporating various modules and functionalities, making it an integral and versatile tool.”
This system allows for the comprehensive operation of a collective management society, covering all administrative and management needs for audiovisual author's rights. From creating a website to generating online records of authors and audiovisual works, AVSYS AI covers all stages.
Although AVSYS AI is owned by DAC, the Argentine entity offers it free of charge exclusively to member societies of the Federation of Latin American Audiovisual Authors Societies (FESAAL) and the International Confederation of Audiovisual Authors (AVACI).
“Its design is intended to be useful for both emerging societies and those already established. Emerging societies can start operations with a system that includes all necessary procedures and steps, allowing them to begin with a reduced number of staff and data. On the other hand, larger societies can leverage AVSYS AI's capabilities to manage large volumes of information and operations, ensuring efficient and reliable performance as the society grows,” says Di Napoli.
Support for New Societies and Their Authors
One of its greatest advantages is that AVSYS AI enables emerging societies to start operations quickly and efficiently, reducing the time needed to establish an author's rights management infrastructure. This facilitates transparency in rights management and royalty distribution, building trust among society members.
Additionally, it provides high levels of security to protect the confidential information of rights holders, ensuring the integrity and privacy of the data. To implement AVSYS AI, the society must have trained technical staff, providing autonomy and independence in managing the author's rights of their represented authors.
A key module of AVSYS AI is the identification of authors and works. This process is fundamental in author's rights management, as it deals with the repertoire managed by the society.
This module records and keeps updated all the details of the works, such as types, formats, and years of production, as well as information about their respective authors, screenwriters, and directors. It also includes details about declaration status, representation contracts, and authorship percentages, both for the use of their works in their country and in countries with reciprocal societies.
Di Napoli assures that “AVSYS AI is an open system using an SQL Server database, facilitating complete integration with other existing systems or databases. This allows for modifications, imports, or exports from and to any other system. A typical configuration is using AVSYS AI as the management and distribution system for rights, complemented by an accounting system to manage payments. The flexibility and compatibility of AVSYS AI ensure that it can work alongside various technological platforms already implemented by management societies.”
AVSYS AI also integrates with CISAC's IDA Data Exchanges system, facilitating the exchange of repertoires between reciprocal societies. This significantly enhances the integration, identification, and documentation of audiovisual works internationally, ensuring consistent and efficient author's rights management across different countries. With a simple function, it's possible to manage files to upload and download repertoires between societies using standardized formats.
AVSYS-db and the Use of AI
AVSYS-db, the Audiovisual Worldwide Works and Authors Database, is an international database containing detailed information about millions of works, directors, and screenwriters. This database includes details such as authorship percentages and the collective management organizations that represent their rights worldwide.
Its purpose is to simplify and make transparent the exchange of repertoires between societies, as well as facilitate global exchanges with third parties. Additionally, AVSYS-db incorporates an AI-managed search system, which automatically identifies works and authors in other databases and usage playlists.
The information contained in AVSYS-db is updated from various sources, primarily by member societies and external databases. These sources include IMDb, streaming platforms, cable and open television signals, both local and international. This collaboration ensures that the database remains accurate and updated with the most relevant and recent information about works and their creators. AVSYS-db aims to become the most comprehensive and updated database of audiovisual works and authors in the near future.
Moreover, AVSYS-db primarily uses the IMDb code but also allows for managing multiple codes for both works and authors. This includes codes used by collective management organizations worldwide, ensuring optimal integration and compatibility with various international systems and databases. The flexibility in code management enables societies to operate and exchange repertoires with the codes they prefer, according to their availability and preference.
Security
To protect authors' and works' information, AVSYS AI implements multiple security measures. “Each society uses an individual database, meaning that information is managed independently and is not shared between societies without authorization,” says Di Napoli.
Additionally, AVSYS AI offers the flexibility for each society to have its own local server, providing greater control over data infrastructure and allowing the implementation of additional security measures according to the specific needs of each organization. “If the society does not have a local server, it can temporarily use an AVSYS AI cloud server, which has all necessary security measures to protect the information,” explains Di Napoli.
Database access is strictly controlled through multi-factor authentication and customized user permissions, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information.
Di Napoli emphasizes that “the databases are also regularly backed up, and the servers hosting AVSYS AI are protected by firewalls and intrusion detection systems, providing an additional layer of security against potential cyber-attacks.”
Thus, AVSYS AI complies with international data protection regulations, ensuring that all information management practices align with the highest standards of privacy and security.
Matching Tool and Settlements Module
AVSYS AI's matching tool is crucial for identifying works, especially since many usage lists do not have standardized codes, and it is necessary to search by work and author data.
“This tool uses advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence to automatically search and match works and authors in various databases and usage lists. This allows searching by titles in different languages and finding matches even when data is not completely clean and presents text differences. By linking this tool with the settlements module, AVSYS AI enables seamless integration that automates much of the settlement process,” says Di Napoli.
Once matches are identified and confirmed, the information is automatically transferred to the settlements module, which calculates the corresponding author's rights and generates royalty distribution reports. This automation significantly reduces the time and effort required to process settlements, minimizing human errors and improving operational efficiency.
Future Improvements and Functionalities
AVSYS AI is constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of audiovisual rights management societies. “Future plans include incorporating a series of new functionalities and improvements to continue optimizing its effectiveness and efficiency. Work is being done on enhancing and optimizing AVSYS-db to handle larger data volumes more efficiently and ensure it remains the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of audiovisual authors and works,” reveals Di Napoli.
Additionally, advancements are being made in the systems for identifying works using artificial intelligence, improving the accuracy and speed of identifying works and authors, even when data is not completely clean or presents text differences.
“These improvements are designed to keep AVSYS AI at the forefront of author's rights management technology, offering management societies powerful and efficient tools to administer their repertoires and distribute royalties fairly and transparently,” says the responsible person.
Undoubtedly, AVSYS AI represents a comprehensive and advanced solution for managing audiovisual author's rights. Its flexible design and ability to integrate with other systems and databases make it an indispensable tool for both emerging and established management societies. With its commitment to security, transparency, and efficiency, AVSYS AI is poised to lead the future of audiovisual rights management, ensuring creators receive fair compensation for the use of their works worldwide.
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