Appeal No. 2004-0298
Application No. 09/385,226
a share of the production company’s stock prior to production of
the movie. The purchase of a share of production copy stock
provides the shareholder the right to obtain a free copy of the
completed movie as a dividend. Stock purchasers also obtain the
right to participate in the production of the movie by “voting” for
certain options related to the movie’s production. Production of
the movie is not commenced until the number of shares of stock sold
is sufficient to cover the estimated cost of making the movie.
Claim 1 is illustrative of the invention and reads as follows:
1. A method for financing production of a movie, via a sale of a
security, comprising the steps of:
displaying a synopsis of the movie, not yet produced, on an
internet Web site, wherein the synopsis comprises a group of
illustrations with accompanying narrative description of the
movie’s story line; and
providing a mechanism comprising the sale of the security,
which is an investment in the not yet produced movie, presented via
the Web site, wherein a single copy of the movie is offered as a
dividend for each said security to a viewer of the Web site, prior
to completion of the production of the movie.
The Examiner relies on the following prior art:1
The Plain Dealer (Plain Dealer), “Film Investments Can Be More
Glitz Than Substance,” Cleveland, Ohio, 1-2, (October 1998).
St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch (St. Paul), “Barbers ‘Dividends’
Looking Good,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1 page, (January 1992).
1 In addition, the Examiner relies on Appellant’s admissions as to the
prior art at pages 2 and 3 of the specification.
2
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007