Copyright
- Thread starter UKPete
- Start date
Treeline
New member
Well, in the U.S., you can start by bookmarking this page and searching the site: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html . Can't speak to other countries, but there is a section on international copyright treaties on the US site and that may help.
The "post it to yourself" approach is more of an urban legend. It can help as a piece of evidence, but doesn't carry the day. It is useful in one respect, and that is a postal date stamp is a presumptive evidence that the envelope was in the custody of the postal service on the day indicated. It doesn't prove that the contents were.
Good luck.
The "post it to yourself" approach is more of an urban legend. It can help as a piece of evidence, but doesn't carry the day. It is useful in one respect, and that is a postal date stamp is a presumptive evidence that the envelope was in the custody of the postal service on the day indicated. It doesn't prove that the contents were.
Good luck.
Ok, note that registration is not "required", but HIGHLY recommend. Once you record it, is is yours, you own the copyright to it. But to enforce the copyright, registration is recommended. On that note:
To register a work, send the following three elements in the same envelope or package to:
Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
1. A properly completed application form.
2. A nonrefundable filing fee of $30 for each application
3. A nonreturnable deposit of the work being registered. The deposit requirements vary in particular situations.
If the work was first published in the United States on or after January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonorecords of the best edition. If sending multiple works, all applications, deposits, and fees should be sent in the same package. If possible, applications should be attached to the appropriate deposit. Whenever possible, number each package (e. g., 1 of 3, 2 of 4) to facilitate processing.
SUBMIT FORMS IN BLACK INK OR TYPED PRINT ONLY!
There are different forms, dependent on your role:
Form PA: for published and unpublished works of the performing arts (musical and dramatic works, pantomimes and choreographic works, motion pictures and other audiovisual works)
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formpai.pdf
Form SR: for published and unpublished sound recordings
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formsri.pdf
Each of those forms come with detailed instructions on the whole process. You can also complete the forms "online" and then print them out and mail them in per the requirements if you don't want to fill them in by hand. Here are the links to the forms you can fill in online:
Form PA:
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formpai.pdf
Form SR:
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formsri.pdf
Note for printing, the submission forms ARE TWO SIDED. Print page one of the application, flip the paper, print side 2. Make sure that the top of the page of each page is head to head. Be sure to do this, if your applicatoin is not submitted to specs, they will reject it, and you lose your application fee as it is nonrefundable.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
To register a work, send the following three elements in the same envelope or package to:
Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
1. A properly completed application form.
2. A nonrefundable filing fee of $30 for each application
3. A nonreturnable deposit of the work being registered. The deposit requirements vary in particular situations.
If the work was first published in the United States on or after January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonorecords of the best edition. If sending multiple works, all applications, deposits, and fees should be sent in the same package. If possible, applications should be attached to the appropriate deposit. Whenever possible, number each package (e. g., 1 of 3, 2 of 4) to facilitate processing.
SUBMIT FORMS IN BLACK INK OR TYPED PRINT ONLY!
There are different forms, dependent on your role:
Form PA: for published and unpublished works of the performing arts (musical and dramatic works, pantomimes and choreographic works, motion pictures and other audiovisual works)
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formpai.pdf
Form SR: for published and unpublished sound recordings
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formsri.pdf
Each of those forms come with detailed instructions on the whole process. You can also complete the forms "online" and then print them out and mail them in per the requirements if you don't want to fill them in by hand. Here are the links to the forms you can fill in online:
Form PA:
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formpai.pdf
Form SR:
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formsri.pdf
Note for printing, the submission forms ARE TWO SIDED. Print page one of the application, flip the paper, print side 2. Make sure that the top of the page of each page is head to head. Be sure to do this, if your applicatoin is not submitted to specs, they will reject it, and you lose your application fee as it is nonrefundable.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
peteuk90 said:
BTW, before you spend your money, your work is already copyrighted
without registering to any service!
It could(!) be that someone tries to claim a song for himself, but in cases
like me I could easily prove how and that I have created the single tracks
of a song, and nobody else is able to do this
Lyrics are a little bit more complicated, but posting it on a message board
or sending a pgp-fingerprinted email to yourself is more proof than anyone
else could deliver.
The important thing is that the DATE of the posting is visible and can
not be altered by yourself.
Tom
junplugged
Taking the slow road
is UKpete the same guy as peteUK90 ?
BTW, UKpete/peteUK90, it I get the feeling, not sure how exactly, but are you in the UK? And if so i think ppl here are giving you US (c) info.
BTW, UKpete/peteUK90, it I get the feeling, not sure how exactly, but are you in the UK? And if so i think ppl here are giving you US (c) info.
yes, as i stated above, what is considered a "poor mans copyright" is a legit copyright. you dont actually have to do anything to "obtain" the copyright. once you create it, you own the copyright. the process above is merely the "registration of your copyright". Which I (and anyone else who has ever been involved in a copyright legal action) would recommend. It is only $30, and guarantees you more rights than the poor man's patent would, or any other method for that matter.
Ever hear the saying "better to be safe than sorry"?
Ever hear the saying "better to be safe than sorry"?