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David Smith

6 Years Ago

Copyright Info Again

http://thecopyrightzone.com/?p=1738

Bookmark this page.

Read everything on it.

Keep checking back for new info.

Just do it.

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Abbie Shores

6 Years Ago

haha ok

 

Lisa Kaiser

6 Years Ago

Is it free to register a copyright?

It takes so long and I want to upload as soon as I'm done painting...should I upload after the copyright is in place?

I'm sure these are dumb questions.

 

David Smith

6 Years Ago

Lisa

It's $55 to register an unlimited amount of unpublished images on one form.

If you register paintings one at a time as you finish them, it'll be $55 each time. You have a 3 month window after publication to register them and have it still be considered timely, so you could set up a schedule to register quarterly and still be protected, as long as you're careful with your timing.

 

David Bridburg

6 Years Ago

DS,

Perhaps I am reading the three month and two month rules differently, but you can publish, then register your work, if someone infringes in the first three months or two months, not sure which, you can sue them retroactively.

But to do a group registration you need to do it before the images are published.

That said I followed your interpretation at first and later asked IR if it mattered. Sort of was the answer, but no copyright court would get hung up on the technicality.

After that response I held my work back in full collections to register before publishing here.

Dave

 

David Smith

6 Years Ago

DB

They have a pilot program for group registrations of published images. I thought it was fully implemented already, but apparently not.

 

CHERYL EMERSON ADAMS

6 Years Ago

Lisa,
No, it is not free to register your work.
All the instructions for how to register your work are on www.copyright.gov.

If you want to register lots of images in a group, for only one fee, that process is much simpler if you have not yet published - e.g. uploaded to places like FAA - your images.

If someone infringes, after you publish, but before you register your work, that can be a more difficult/complex legal problem than if you waited until after registration to publish your art.

I would say that everything else equal, it would be better to wait until after you've registered your work with the Copyright office to publish your work.

Disclaimer, as always, not legal advice.

 

David Bridburg

6 Years Ago

Cheryl,

Can a painter simply take photos of their work and use the eCo.gov to register dozens of works? Bulk...in other words?

This is very easy for digital artists and photographers.

For some of you the eCo.gov is the online format for registering digital images.

Dave

 

CHERYL EMERSON ADAMS

6 Years Ago

Painters wouldn't as far as I know, normally submit original paintings to the Copyright office - digital photos or scans of paintings / drawings / etc. are usually submitted, and of course digital photos or scans of paintings can be grouped for registration...

In fact, off the top of my head, given current technology, I can't think of any reason why a painter would ever submit an original painting to the Copyright Office for registration.

I'm not sure that answers your question, or if I even understand the question.

Disclaimer: As always, not legal advice.



 

David Bridburg

6 Years Ago

So you paint a dozen images, you take photos and then submit through the eCo.gov the dozen photos?

Would make sense, but I do not hear of painters doing it. Not yet. Not here anyway.

Dave

 

CHERYL EMERSON ADAMS

6 Years Ago

From the "Frequently Asked Questions" -- if you go to copyright.gov, and search for "eco.gov" you can find this:

"Who can use eCO to register claims?

Anyone can use eCO to register basic claims to copyright, even those who intend to submit a hard copy(ies) of the work(s) being registered. Basic claims include literary works, visual arts works, performing arts works, sound recordings, motion pictures, single serial issues, groups of serial issues and groups of newspaper/newsletter issues. At this time, the following types of registration are not available in eCO: renewals, corrections, mask works, vessel hulls, groups of database updates, and groups of contributions to periodicals. For information about registering these types, see the Copyright Office website."

 

This discussion is closed.