Copyright Law Day 2025 is on Wednesday, January 1, 2025: What is Copyright Law?

Wednesday, January 1, 2025 is Copyright Law Day 2025. Copyrights Made Simple - Own Your Copyright in Minutes‎ 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!

You probably know this – copyright law isn’t probably the most exciting of products. However, without them, we’d finish up fighting and squabbling over who is the owner of what, what comprises fair usage, and spend all of our time attempting to defend our ideas and ip. Copyright law is one thing we most likely ignore many of the time, so take the time on Copyright Law Day to think about exactly what the world could be like when the law didn’t safeguard your opinions and stuff you produce.

a) What is Copyright Law?

Copyright law is what protects people's unique and individual words and ideas from being stolen or used without the permission of the owner. What can't be copyrighted? Facts. Today is MLK day. No one owns that fact. But if I were to write a song about it, it would be owned by me.

b) What are the effects of copyright law?

The effects of copyright law are to make sure people receive just compensation for their work. Sometimes it stymies productivity because you can't distribute software, in your paper's case, to others even if you own it. Only one person can have a copy of Windows. You can't give it to another person. People do, but it's illegal. But it's to make sure that the owner's rights, Bill Gates, receives just compensation.

c) How can you ensure that you do not infringe copyright law?

It's really hard to protect copyrights especially for software, music and movies. Nothing really stops people from distributing it. The best way to protect it is to aggressively prosecute violators as to make an example of them and make other people think twice about their actions.

Hi,

I honestly don't know about the costs of copyrighting in Pakistan, but I DO know about copyright law and its effects, requirements and 'rules'

I understand your concerns about the possible theft of your work and wouold suggest this...only ever send your novel to established publishers. If a publisher advertises for work to be submitted AVOID him like the plague! Publishers have absolutely no need to advertise for submissions, they will have hundreds if not thousands more than they want.

So...firstly NEVER send your only copy of your novel away, even if there is no deliberate attempt at theft it does happen that pages, or even the whole typescript, can 'go missing'.

Ideally you want to submit your novel, get it read and accepted by the publisher and he will then publish the finished book and arrange the publicity, etc. to recoup his money.

That's ideal! I am aware that many people choose to publish their own work (usually after many submissions and rejections to publishers) This is possible and goes by the name of 'Vanity Publishing' doing this will mean that YOU pay for all the printing and publication costs and you will end up with a quantity of your finished novel which YOU will be responsible for distributing. Many writers have gone down this path and some have made successful ventures through vanity publishing.

If you do this YOU will, naturally, hold the copyright of all your work. In the UK and the USA (and, I assume in Pakistan) there is a 'National Library' where your finished book is given an ISBN number and the copyright is then 'fixed' as yours and you will have all the legal support and backing in any dispute over ownership of the work..

If a publisher publishes your novel on your behalf he will normally apply for the ISBN number so HE as well as you will have the protection.

Costs. To publish your own book...if you had a limited 'run', say 1000 copies, it could cost (in the UK-you'd need to check with printers in your own country) around £2500 minimum for a paperback 150 page novel. This equates to approximately £2.50 per book cost to you, plus taxes, etc.

You would then need to pay for storage and distribution costs to get your book on sale at bookstores. This can run at a high cost. Probably the best way is to arrange for a store to take some of your books and fix a day to go along and sell signed copies to his customers. This requires, from you, a great deal of persuasion and tact plus a great deal of work.

If you had the money, and you were satisfied your novel was going to be a success (though if it was THAT sure, an established publisher would snap it up) the cost per book could come down by ordering more copies initially, but that is always a financial risk.

Whatever you decide, remember to protect your copyright by keeping a dated copy (preferably at a notary public or solicitor's office, or in your bank vaults) this will effectively prevent the theft of your work you are worried about. If any publisher DID then sell your book, using an established writer's name (though HE would probably not be too pleased with that kind of arrangement) then you could sue, and would win, through the court system, you would receive all the financial profit, the recognition (and free publicity, etc.)

In Pakistan, as in most countries there must be a kind of 'Writers and Artist's yearbook' which will list all the publishers available in your country. Go to your local library, where they would likely have one and search for publishers there.

Good luck with the novel.

BobSpain

As the painting is the inspiration for the story or the content within more than likely you're free and clear. It's even better though if the painting in question is over 100 years old as then you're firmly in the realm of public domain.

Of course, where issues might arise is in the actual filming process as you would most likely need a clearance to use the painting in question from whoever holds the piece. More than likely though this is not a problem as most museums are always looking for a bit of, "Extra funding." For example to shoot in the Met, the daily rate is $50G.

For a good example of this concept taken to an extreme, check out, "The Mill and the Cross." and of course, "Girl with a Pearl Earring."

If this is your first film, I'd advise you not to make it a period piece as it freaks out the investors. Try to set the piece in the modern day and make it an allegory. It'll be a much easier sell to investors and to audiences.