All Entries Tagged With: "sue the bastards"
Buy My Book on Amazon – Memories of Unsoiled Decay
A camera sees differently than our eyes do and can be used as a means to communicate a story. For most artists – the story goes beyond themselves and capturing moments from their lives and the literal content contained within the frame. The photographs no longer reveal literal truth but instead present a metaphor for a greater truth. The viewer is engaged in identifying the metaphor and appreciating the relationship that the photographer has demonstrated with the subject. This portfolio is both. However, there is a third component of this portfolio that makes it worthy of being the work product of a Masters Degree Scholar: these photographs were specifically created in such a way as to maximize a viewers engagement with these images. I applied scientific research to my photographic process – in order to maximize the portfolio’s ability to engage the viewer.
Take success into consideration
Take success into consideration
by Matthew B. Harrison, Esq.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass — A key aspect of my job as a manager of talent and attorney is to development plans that not only include business and legal components but also take into account the possibility that the projects we are planning might, in fact, become successful. If the pursuit of success is what drives us – then shouldn’t we have a plan that takes the possibility of success into consideration? This is especially important when things involve other people, facilities owned by employers, components from the internet, and so many potential legal and ethical entanglements. It is amazing how often people don’t stop and consider this went entering into plans.
Consider this recent example that dominated twitter trending the past few weeks:
Rebecca Black, 13, recorded a song and music video (called “Friday”) in collaboration with a company specializing in vanity productions. Black’s parents contributed financially to the project, to ensure that they retained all rights in the song and the video, along with the original masters (as allegedly detailed in their initial contract).
The importance of registering copyright
The importance of registering copyright
By Matthew B. Harrison
NEW YORK –– Copyright law protects your intellectual property immediately upon the fixation of a creative work in a tangible form. However, in many circumstances it is desirable to additionally register your works with the United States Copyright Office; especially if you want to maintain the ability to sue for significant damages.
Although copyright attaches to a particular work upon its fixation in a tangible media (a tape, a CD, a file, etc.), you cannot actually sue someone for infringing your copyright until you have registered your work with the Copyright Office. One can always register the copyright just prior to suing, however there is a major advantage to registering the copyright within three months from the date of first publication, or at least prior to the date of infringement: The ability to collect statutory damages. If you do not register your copyright within three months of initial publication, or before the date of the infringement, one would only be eligible for actual damages –– which are difficult to prove and may only be nominal in amount.
To see how this plays out, assume that I have created an amazing spoken-word audio program and posted it on a website without registering the copyright. Since the audio program is an original work fixed in a tangible form (a playable file) it is protected by copyright. Therefore, if someone from another website comes and copies the file and places it on their website, my copyright has been infringed. In order for me to sue, I need to register the file with the Copyright Office.