Copy Right Inforamtion -by Jerry @ AW

This wa sa very interesting and informative bit of information posted by a fellow artist @ ArtWanted.com.

Jerry - posted this when another artist was asking about copy right information. So I copied it for my records and thought that I would share his FANTASTIC - INFORMATIVE news with you all......THANK YOU JERRY @ ArtWanted.com.

Copy Right Information (AW) Artist Jerry (To visit Jerry's site on AW please click his name below...It is unlder lined in blue)

http://www.gag *****
http://www.gag.org/pegs/index.php *****
Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: ***** Pricing & Ethical Guidelines ***** 12 th. Edition $35.00 @ Barnes and Nobles bookstores
*Easy-to-read explanations of copyright and legal issues that affect you *Latest pricing information based on real industry surveys *An updated chapter on digital media and web design to help you keep pace *A complete guide to professional ethics & business standards *The ultimate reference book for design and illustration professionals *Tips on negotiating the best deals *Sample contracts that make it a snap to "get it in writing"
"The creative professions are radically changing and the Handbook is keeping pace with up-to-date advice on pricing and professional practices. This 11th edition ranks at the top of HOW's list of must-have business resources for creatives." – Bryn Mooth, Editor, HOW Magazine
U.S. Copyright Law For advice and current information about US copyright law, please contact a qualified legal professional.
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of "original works of authorship" including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of the Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:
To reproduce the copyrighted work in copies or phonorecords; To prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work; To distribute copies or phonorecords of the copyrighted work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending; To perform the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works; and To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work.
It is illegal for anyone to violate any of the rights provided by the Act to the owner of copyright. These rights, however, are not unlimited in scope. Sections 107 through 119 of the Copyright Act establish limitations on these rights. In some cases, these limitations are specified exemptions from copyright liability.
One major limitation is the doctrine of "fair use," which is given a statutory basis in section 107 of the Act. In other instances, the limitation takes the form of a "compulsory license" under which certain limited uses of copyrighted works are permitted upon payment of specified royalties and compliance with statutory conditions.
For further information about the limitations of any of these rights, visit and download the text of the U.S. Copyright Act or visit to the U.S. Copyright Office's web site.
There is also a government Copyright FAQ you may wish to check out.
Jerry

2008 Year End Update on Orphan Works ***** 110th Congress fails to pass S. 2913 or H.R. 5889 The year is winding down and so is this Congressional session. Megan Gray, the Guild's lobbyist, continued having meetings with key House and Senate offices and the different industries and associations that are part of the long list of Orphan Works stakeholders. These meetings continued our efforts to advocate on behalf of artists' interests and to educate key people about the graphic arts industry and its vital role in the US economy.
We all know that the Senate version of the bill, which the Guild opposed, passed in September, but we were able to block the passage of that version in the House because of our insistence on a Notice of Use clause and the strategic decision on our part to back the House version based on the Notice of Use clause. We know that not everyone understands that decision, but if we had not done that, the Senate bill would have likely swept through the House with as little opposition as it encountered in the Senate itself.
As this session of Congress wound down, the House bill seemed to have stalled. The reasons for this are varied, including a preoccupation with the economic crisis the country is facing, and the fact that two other key stakeholders, both of whom are strongly in favor of the basic contours of the bill as it stands, have recently butted heads over a provision in the bill that doesn't really affect visual artists one way or another. At the moment, this works in our favor.
Congress will be back in January (new session begins January 6). During this coming session, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, which is part of U.S. copyright law, is set to expire and is likely to be re-enacted. This creates an opportunity for lawmakers to attach an Orphan Works bill to another piece of legislation that is certain to move through both the Senate and the House in 2009. This is something we'll be following closely.
We all know it's not easy predicting what Congress will do next. Our previous posting, Current Status of Orphan Works, covers the most likely scenarios for Orphan Works in the coming year. The various user groups that have been working to get Orphan Works enacted could very well turn their attention elsewhere. The current state of the legislation is much more watered down than it originally was when it was introduced, something I know is hard to fathom given the nature of the bill, and it may be at a point where some of the user groups may not have as much enthusiasm as they once did for it, especially if some of the remaining issues (which are not focused on visual artists) aren't decided in favor of the user groups.
As the new Congress convenes, the Guild will remain actively involved with Orphan Works and we will continue to be consulted by the key Congressional offices well in advance of any developments.
For more information about orphan works, visit our blog at www.orphanworksnews.com
See you in 2009, and thanks for reading.
Tricia McKiernan Executive Director
Lisa Shaftel National Advocacy Committee Chairperson
Jerry

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/ ***** http://www.copyright.gov/register/ **** register on line.
http://www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html *****
eCO Online System ***** File a copyright registration for your work through the Copyright Office online system.
Advantages include:
*Lower filing fee of $35 for a basic claim (for online filings only) *Fastest processing time *Online status tracking *secure payment by credit or debit card, electronic check, or Copyright Office deposit account the ability to upload certain categories of deposits directly into eCO as electronic files