What Is Copyright? Explaining How Copyright Works
Copyright is grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright law covers both published and unpublished works. A copyright lawyer can help you with a range of copyright matters, from books, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.
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WHAT DOES COPYRIGHT PROTECTION COVER?
- literary works, including novels, non-fiction books, poems, stage productions, newspapers, magazines, and web articles
- computer software, mobile applications, and databases
- films, musical works (from songs to symphonies), and choreography
- art, including paintings, sculpture, photographs, and drawings
- architecture
- maps and ads
WHEN DOES COPYRIGHT PROTECTION START?
Copyright protection starts at the moment the work is created and fixed in a tangible form that is perceptible, either directly or with a machine or device. Think of the moment when scenes for a movie are shot and recorded. Those images are now afforded copyright protection. No one else can reuse those shots without permission.
WHAT RIGHTS DOES THE COPYRIGHT OWNER HAVE?
FAQ’s
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There are two types of rights under copyright:
Economic Rights: the owner, author, or creator’s right to receive financial remuneration for others’ use of his or her work. Examples provided by the World International Property Organization include:
- its reproduction in various forms, such as printed publication or sound recording
- its public performance, such as in a play or musical work
- its recording, for example, in the form of compact discs or DVDs
- its broadcasting, by radio, cable or satellite
- its translation into other languages
- its adaptation, such as a novel into a film screenplay
Moral Rights: These protect non-economic interests. Again, from WIPO:
Examples of widely recognized moral rights include the right to claim authorship of a work and the right to oppose changes to a work that could harm the creator’s reputation.
