 |
|
|
|
 |
JoeyEnv
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Oct 2004
Location: England
|
|
|
 Mar-03-2005 21:01 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diginerd
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Stamford, CT, USA but from the UK
|
|
|
Copyright and collaborations are a very ticky area.
The old idea of mailing yourself a package with a recording in it to establish a date of copyright, whilst seamingly a good idea is worthless unless done correctly. Who's to say the package wasn't sealed when it was shipped and you slipped in something to back date it.
If you are in the UK you can use special delivery where all the edges have to be signed over prior to shipping. It's not perfect but should be more than enough to help in a case.
By simply creating a melody or arrangement from scratch you actually obtain copyright AT THAT POINT, proving it is a different matter.
If you are really concerned about someone ripping you off then don't deal with them. More often than not a hunch is right. Take it from someone who has been there. It's not worth it. Your options of restitution are limited unless everything is set in stone with a contract prior, and no one is going to sign a contract if they haven't heard the material. Catch 22.
So what to do?
Get to know the person you are dealing with. Ideally get a "Heads of agreement" at a minimum prior to working together, and work out percentages. Everything can be peachy until money gets involved, then people show their true colors very quickly. Again, take it from someone who found out about this the hard way.
Now that said, anyone who make a living doing this (or at least an income) is unlikely to rip you off. It does remain a posibility though.
A) It's not worth it, as it could seriously damage your reputation and the financial penalties can be large if you have deep enough pockets to fight it.
B) If a collaboration prooves to be successful there is a fair chance that you would be working togeher again on the sequal(s).
On the other hand many creative professionals don't like listening (or reading, or watching depending on your field) unsolicted material from people they don't know. How many times have you heard that sone film is a rip off of some unknown guys script that he sent to "A Big Name" 4 years prior. The chances are that the "Big Name" didn't read it at all, and absorbed the same influences and came up with it themselves. They don't read, listen, watch for exactly this kind of submarine litigation.
Mind you even big names screw this up: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2816253.stm
I'm not a copyright lawyer, so if you do have any serious questions you should go and seek professional help (no, not that kind!) but I can give fairly accurate lay advice, but as every advice is worth what you pay for it, so take everything you read (Including this) with a pinch of salt.
Ultimately, if you want to collaborate collaborate, that's one of the neat aspects of modern music. If you don't then do it solo.
From experience teamwork invariably pays off though unless your are supremely (and I mean supremely) gifted in all aspects of music production. That's before you get into what a label and distribution company does for you.. You have to let go at some point if you want anyone to hear what you do.
If you do start talking to peopel at least keep emails (with headers) so you have some evidence. Also remeber that a Fax is legally binding in many territories. But again i mus stress if you feel out of your depth seek professional advice. In the long un it will be worth it. Trust me on that if nothing else..
|
|
Mar-03-2005 21:38 
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 15:20.
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contact Us - return to tranceaddict
Powered by: Trance Music & vBulletin Forums
Copyright ©2000-2026, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Privacy Statement / DMCA
|
