Orphan Work Bill

[Bunny Griffeth]

This is a bill being proposed that would make it necessary as an artist to copyright our work in order to protect it, a tedious and costly prospect that would leave current work open for anyone who wants to use it without compensating us.

The link for the complete information is here: http://clicks.robertgenn.com/mickey-mouse.php

You can click on "find your representative" and senator and send them an email.

[SusiFranco]

Hi Bunny- I saw this in the Painter's Keys; what I don't underdstand is if this proposed law will over-rule the Berne Convention laws ? The Berne Law says that it is unnecessary to obtain a written copyright, that by virtue of publishing it ( online, etc) it is protected for the artist, a sort of copyright fail-safe. Will this Orphan Work legislation obliterate that protection ? I am unclear on this....any idea ?
Best Regards: Susi

[Bunny Griffeth]

From what I understand about what they have written in these articles, our work will no longer be protected by copyright unless we register it. So that would seem to overrule the Berne Convention law and obliterate our protection against anyone using our work. I don't know about you, but I can't afford to register my work, like a big company like Disney can.

[Bunny Griffeth]

Actually, I just got an email from ArtCalendar's website on this Orphan Works bill, with a link to You Tube...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CqBZd0cP5Yc

Here are some other links in the email:

http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/01_topics/article.php?search...
http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/01_topics/article.php?search...
http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=11346091&ty...
http://www.asmp.org/news/spec2008/orphan_update.php
http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/Perlman080313.pdf

Click below for several options of pre-written and editable letters that you can fill out, and that will automatically identify and send it to your representatives when you enter your address.
http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/home/

You'll have to copy and paste to your browser.

[SusiFranco]

Thank you, Bunny....and you are so right about registering; it is VERY expensive !! Like, $40. a pop, right ?? I said in an earlier post that there are alot of predators in the art world targeting artists, seems like this Bill would be yet another example. It is interesting that musicians/composers and writers don't incur the same per-property expense to protect their work ( intellectual properties), only visual artists. Hmmmm.

Thank you for providing links, it is most appreciated~
Best Regards: Susi

[Cynthia Blair]

Here's a link to the US Copyright office. seems that if you sign up as a "beta tester" , you can copyright your artwork for $35. From what I read, you can copyright complete collections (multiple works of art) for the single amount of $35 online, so long as you are their creator. you can download submission forms also.

http://www.copyright.gov/

government always has their hand in our pockets!