This presentation on copyright law and its relevance to the entertainment industry was delivered by Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala at the Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) as part of the entertainment law course offered to LLB students. It provides a comprehensive introduction to copyright law doctrine with particular reference to the entertainment sector.
Topics covered
- Introduction to copyright law and the philosophy of copyright law
- Copyrightability — idea/expression dichotomy, ideas and expressions, originality, and the modicum of creativity test
- Abstraction of expressions from ideas, public domain works, facts, common scenes, concepts, and themes
- Copyrightable subject matter — works protected under the Act
- Rights granted to each type of work, and differences between those rights
- Term of copyright
- Ownership — employer-employee relationships, commissioned works, and works for hire
- Assignment, licensing and royalty sharing with respect to literary and musical works in cinematographic films
- Moral rights
- Performers’ rights
- Broadcasting rights
- Types of licences — voluntary, statutory and compulsory
- Collective rights management and copyright societies
The presentation
With the help of cases, examples and multimedia, the presentation gives insights into the various facets of copyright law and its role in the entertainment business.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult a qualified attorney before acting on any matter discussed here.