To make sure your work is safe you must make sure it is properly marked. This will show that it is protected under law. Work is automatically subject to copyright protection under law but displaying a notice shows that you have an awareness of copyrighting and take it seriously. If you register your work you will have evidence in case your claim is disputed by someone claiming the work is theirs.
Keeping your evolution of the idea will also help prove this. This can be early drafts, rough sketches etc. Water marking (inserting evidence into finished documents that can be read using special applications) can also be helpful in this regard.
If the work is a joint venture you must be sure to know who owns the rights to what and what happens when someone leaves the project. Copyright lasts your entire life and for 50 years after you die.
A number of things which are not copyrightable include:
- titles, names, short phrases, and slogans;
- familiar symbols or designs;
- mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring;
- mere listings of ingredients or contents
- Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devices
- Common information such as calendars, measurement charts, TV guides
- Government or legal documents
If someone breaches copyright law...:
1. You can apply for an injunction (also known as an interdict) to prevent further copying or distribution of your work.
2. You can ask the court to order the copycat to deliver-up all the infringing copies of your work.
3. You can claim damages OR a reasonable royalty for the copies of your work that has already been made and used by the copycat.
4. If the infringement was flagrant and you can prove that the copycat intentionally stole your design, you can ask the court to award additional punitive damages.
Info taken from http://myows.com/blog/copyright-basics-for-graphic-designers-part-1/
Keeping your evolution of the idea will also help prove this. This can be early drafts, rough sketches etc. Water marking (inserting evidence into finished documents that can be read using special applications) can also be helpful in this regard.
If the work is a joint venture you must be sure to know who owns the rights to what and what happens when someone leaves the project. Copyright lasts your entire life and for 50 years after you die.
A number of things which are not copyrightable include:
- titles, names, short phrases, and slogans;
- familiar symbols or designs;
- mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring;
- mere listings of ingredients or contents
- Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devices
- Common information such as calendars, measurement charts, TV guides
- Government or legal documents
If someone breaches copyright law...:
1. You can apply for an injunction (also known as an interdict) to prevent further copying or distribution of your work.
2. You can ask the court to order the copycat to deliver-up all the infringing copies of your work.
3. You can claim damages OR a reasonable royalty for the copies of your work that has already been made and used by the copycat.
4. If the infringement was flagrant and you can prove that the copycat intentionally stole your design, you can ask the court to award additional punitive damages.
Info taken from http://myows.com/blog/copyright-basics-for-graphic-designers-part-1/
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