Spring 2022 - 89

LEGAL CORNER
DRAMATIC WORKS
Dramatic creations can also receive copyright protection.
These works include: choreography, musicals, plays
and mime routines.
WHAT DOESN'T FALL UNDER COPYRIGHT LAW?
The list of
things
that copyright
law covers
is
significant. It might be more straightforward to discuss
the items that do not have this protection. Often, these
works cause the most confusion around copyright law.
The following things are examples of items that do not
fall under copyright law, even though many people
think they do: ideas; methods, systems, processes;
names and titles; slogans; domain names; and recipes.
WHEN DO COPYRIGHT LAWS TAKE EFFECT?
As soon as your creation is in a tangible and complete
(or mostly complete) form, it has protection under
copyright law. So, for example, writing down the name
of a screenplay you plan to write isn't protectable. But
once you've typed that whole screenplay, it is.
The great news for authors and creators is that you have
this protection whether you legally register the copyright
or not. The registration piece comes into play if you want
to take legal action against someone who infringes on your
intellectual property. At that point, you would need to register
the copyright with the U.S. government to proceed.
Registering your works early guarantees the most and the
best protection against infringement. There is a cost involved,
but it is less than the cost to defend against an infringer.
You do not need to have officially published something
for it to be eligible for copyright protection. For intellectual
property purposes, " publication " refers to making a work
public. It does not mean that the work is published in the
literary sense. As an author, you can register your work
before publication happens. Actually, this option is the
safest and most cost-efficient way to register a copyright.
Unpublished works may qualify for registration in a
copyrighted collection. After publication, you can still
register and protect your works, but each one must be
filed separately. Those costs can add up quickly.
If you're trying to decide if you should register
a particular piece of intellectual property, consider
whether you would be willing to take legal action
against someone who infringes on it. If the answer is
yes, then it's worth pursuing copyright.
DISCLAIMER: The materials available in this article are
for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of
providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney
to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or
problem. Use of and access to this website do not create an
attorney-client relationship between Angie Avard Turner
Law and the user or browser.
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Spring 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spring 2022
