AV News 177 - August 2009
The IAC has negotiated special arrangements with the various licensing bodies
allowing the use of both Library music and Commercial recordings in members'
sound tracks, for their video, film and audio visual presentations.
Copyright is recognised by Acts of Parliament - the main legislation being
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988 and subsequent amendments.
The Law is designed to protect the ownership of the work of writers and
composers and others to whom the creators of the work have assigned their
Rights, as well as the manufacturers of sound recordings and broadcasting
authorities.
Current legislation extends the protection period to SEVENTY years after
the death of the creator and an infringement of its provisions can give rise to
legal action.
The Rights to be cleared cover:
• The Rights of composers and arrangers
• The recording from which a sound track is made
• The performer(s)
• The public performance
It is an offence:
• To make a recording of Copyright music, even if that recording is not
played back
• To record, or copy, any recording without the consent of the maker and
or performer(s)
• To play or reproduce Copyright music in public without the appropriate
permissions
There are four copyright bodies in Great Britain from which copyright clearance
must be obtained:
• The Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) which protects
the rights of the Composer of a piece of music for up to 70 years after
their death. It permits the licensee to record (dub) musical works owned
by its members which have previously been released as a sound
recording on condition that the recordings are privately used only:
a) For exhibition to friends and relations in private
b) On amateur movie, photographic or video club premises where
admission is free or where a charge is made for club funds
c) For public exhibition when such is promoted for the raising of club
funds or for bone fide charitable causes
d) For not more than TWO public exhibitions held annually in addition to
those in (a) and (b) above
e) For exhibition at annual amateur movie, photographic or video
festivals attended by competitors and friends
f) Exhibition to judges in amateur film, photographic or video competitions.
Remember that this is only the Composers' clearance and that to show your
sequence on any of the above occasions you will also need to be in possession
of the Phonographic Performance Licence (PPL) licence.
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