Copyright Symbol - When and How to Provide a Copyright Notice

Copyright Symbol - When and How to Provide a Copyright Notice

Copyright Act, (which can be found at various locations on the Internet, at 17 United States Code [U.S.C.] Section 101 and following), the author of an original and otherwise-protectable work automatically possesses a copyright in that work as soon as the work is reduced to a "tangible medium of expression". No later.

The New York choreographer on Manhattan's West Side improvises a new set of dance steps for her students - fleeting, in the air - but owns no copyright in these movements or their performance or rendition. However, the moment she writes down the original dance steps using a detailed graphic chart, or videotapes herself performing them in her New York studio - perhaps at her entertainment lawyer's suggestion - she may then have a chance to claim some copyright-protected work. The key, again, is the work's reduction to a fixed medium. In fact, she may own the copyright in that material without ever interacting with Washington, D.C. - even though her entertainment attorney will tell her that it sure would be a good idea to thereafter mail a filing to D.C. if the original work of authorship is perceived to have any economic or other long-term value.

And this makes sense. Look at it from the perspective of copyright enforcement - from the perspective of the New York entertainment attorney litigator trying to prove or disprove copyright infringement in a court of law downtown at 500 Pearl Street. How difficult would the job be of a federal judge or jury in a U.S. Protecting Your Songs Is Easy:

So always use an independent registration service - either a reputable private firm, such as songregistration.com, or the copyright office - to register your songs.

And one more bit of information... If you ever need to actually sue someone for copyright infringement, and you wrote the song in the U.S., you will need to also file your song with the copyright office before actually filing the lawsuit. But that can be done anytime during the "life" of your copyright (which is the composer's lifetime plus 70 years), and even after someone has tried stealing your song or registering their own copyright for it!

So if you would like to avoid all the forms and expense of initially registering all your songs with the copyright office, you can first register them with a private registration service.

Then, if anyone ever tries to steal any of your privately registered songs, you have the proof needed to show you had copyright protection before they did! Often, just showing the thief this proof (of your private registration) is enough to stop them. But even if that doesn't work, you can always file just that one particular song (the one stolen) with the copyright office before filing your lawsuit, and then use the private registration evidence in court.

That way, you save having to register all your material with the copyright office. You can use a less expensive and faster private registration service first, and then wait and see if you ever need to take further action later.

Just always remember to register your songs as soon after you compose them as possible, either with a reputable private registration service or the copyright office!

Better safe than sorry!