Copyright Aid

Hi Bruno, I can't speak for any of the other members here but this is not really the right place for what you are seeking. We can't give you legal advice on your specific litigation, although if there are any aspects of the law or the IPEC procedures on which you would like clarification, we should ...

Hi proactivist, Yes and yes. Cinemas and theatres need the appropriate licences to provide performances to the public of any work involving copyright, such as plays, music, films, poetry recitations, live bands etc. They normally have so-called blanket licences which cover them for a wide range of a...

Hi spinasanctus, It rather depends on the type of illustration involved. If they are both photographs then I think you assesment is correct. However if they are engravings then the more recent illustration from 1951 will probably still be in copyright. The reason there is a difference, is that in th...

Hi Mubuer, Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been away for a few days. No, that shouldn't have any copyright implications, as it has always been permisible to share a physical book which you own with friends. However things are slightly different with digital products like ebooks or music downlo...

Hi nickerson576 I'm guessing from the wording of your post that you are based in the USA. If so, then the law we need to apply is the Copyright Act 1976 as amended. Section 107 of that Act allows certain forms of fair use of copyright works, provided that the copy meets a majority of the four main c...

Hi Susan, Every still from a film is classed as a separate artistic work, as if they were individual photographs, and since the director died relatively recently, these stills are in copyright. I think you were assuming that. The joint owners of copyright in a film under UK law (see section 9(2)(ab)...

Hi madhu, You are on pretty safe ground using these old illustrations without needing permission. I assume that there is no information about the identity of the individual artists who produced these original illustrations. If this applies in all cases you can jump straight to my fourth paragraph fo...

Hi nilla, The way most picture agencies work is that they enter into a contract with photographers to market the photos for which the agency takes a fee - usually a percentage of what the agency can get in fees from their clients, the licensees. Obviously the agency needs the permission of the photo...

Hi nilla, Before answering your last question, I want to jump to something you added to an earlier posting (Fri Aug 02, 2019 8:43 am). I had missed the bit about identfying the photographer. From what you put there it looks like the copyright belongs to the photographer, and Motorsport are just acti...

Hi keith, This subject illustrates (sorry about the pun) the principle which is at the heart of copyright: the distinction between the idea and the expression of the idea. The former is not protected but the latter can be, provded that the work exhibits sufficient originality and reflects to some de...

Hi beebaakid, As it appears you haven't logged in again since my posting above (although you may have seen it without logging in), I thought it might be helpful for you and others reading this thread, to indicate how the courts assess cases such the one you have outlined. This can best be illustrate...

Hi beebaakid, If you haven't already seen this thread it's probably worth a read as it answers most of your questions. The amount of money they are seeking looks out of proportion to the alleged infringement, which is pretty much how these companies operate. It is interesting that in your case you d...

Hi mike, As the picture agencies tend to monitor how their images are used, I suspect they would notice the unauthorised use quite quickly and ask for an additional payment to upgrade the licence. If the licensee failed to pay up, they could be liable an action through the courts for breach of contr...

Hi Laura, Assuming that the words (lyrics?) are still protected by copyright when a licence ends, a new licence would not be required just to keep using the original printed copies, provided that the use is not for a commercial performance of the sacred music concerned. So for ordinary worship or ch...

The image I linked to earlier was from Wikimedia Commons, but I'm sure there are other sources of good quality images of van Gogh's works.