Guys, the book is finished and Rick Marei and I are doing a final edit. Brian has produced a super cover and basically it is ready to print. Rick is still mulling over what format Doxa would use if they decide to print it. I am ready to get it printed in softback format and it would cost around 50 dollars. It is 230 pages and has about 250 images in it. Several of the images are decidedly non glossy tabletop glossy book resolution, however they are the only known records of that watch or catalogue so I have included them for completeness. Whether thay would make them into a Doxa version is still up in the air.
The problem we have is with several images. I think I am safe in saying that anyone who sent me photos or images or info has been included in the acknowledgements. I have added a copyright symbol where I have known who owns it. However, I have several photos which I have no idea about. Rick mentioned a few things; the Cousteau photo is from a book and has permission for web distribution, but probably not print format. I have used a pic of Robert Redford taken from a movie, same for MM in Sahara. Rick could probably approach paramount and get the thumbs up for the Sahara shot and poster use. Redford... don't even know who made the movie. I have adverts taken from dive mags in the 70's which may not even exist anymore and shots from US Divers catalogues from the 70s. Also from recent magazines. I contacted US Divers and asked the question and got no reply. Doxa use the images on their site so maybe it is ok to use them in the book.
Now this is where I haven't a clue. Lets say I go ahead and print the book having tried to acknowledge copyright on what I can. Is it likely that the big boys would come after me and sue me for my underpants. Given that at most I'll probably make a couple of hundred buck sprofit (if I'm lucky) after I have paid for everything? If Doxa did it I'm sure it would be worse for them as they are a company, but I'm just a guy trying to put the world to right. The way I see it is worst case they would stop the printing of the book and the copies would become very rare indeed, but the really worst case is some smart lawyer decides to sue me for the little I have. Id be seriously screwed.
Any thought... print and be damned. Leave it to Doxa and maybe get a cut down version or are there any disclaimers which could be added which may limit liability.
This is the bit that sucks....... having spent so much time and effort doing it only to find that theoretically I have to hack it to pieces and remove valuable, historical stuff. I didn't do it for profit. If I did I was working at a rate of 5 cents per hour...... I did it for information and historical contribution and highlighted the people etc who made significant contributions to that history (there is a big section on Clive). Does that count or do lawyers not give a darn even if I include something like
"All reasonable efforts have been made to contact and acknowledge the various copyright owners of the images used in this book. If the copyright of any image has been wrongly attributed or the copyright owner objects to the use of any image, they should contact the publisher."
Any thoughts.
Pete
This is a great news that its done! I will buy this book. Is it possible to make pre-order? And where i could order it from?
Grate job, take care, im with you Pate!