Re: FLASH: Copyrights work-for-hire vs. royalties

[Franke James]

Hi Cheri,


My advice is to hire an illustrator to design a new character -- but check

with a copyright lawyer, and have an agreement signed before they start (!)

acknowledging that YOU own the copyright and that this is a work-for-hire.


We recently developed a site for the Ontario Govt. using cartoon characters

and cartoon elements -- they own the copyright. With the Govt -- in this

respect -- you either work-for-hire or you don't work for them. With other

clients we have kept the copyrights -- which is in the best interests of the

artist.


Another option is to buy only the rights you need -- eg. for the Internet.

However if it turns out you have a hit you'll be coming back to them for

rights to use it in all media. Another suggestion is to offer them a cut of

future royalties on any and all products and media.


We went after a large firm for using our creative. We settled out of court.

It was similar but not identical.


Copyright is dangerous ground. Think fresh if you can.


- Franke



>>

>> Cheri Harder wrote:

>>

>> > Where would be a good source of information regarding copyright of

> cartoon

>> > characters and recognizable cartoon character sounds? ...

>

> I don't know if I just need to give credit to Warner Bros and/or state its

> purpose as educational and not-for-profit,

>> > or not use it at all....Guidelines anywhere?

>

>



------------------------------------------------------------------------

To UNSUBSCRIBE send: unsubscribe flasher in the body of an

email to

list-managerchinwag [dot] com

.  Problems to:

helpchinwag [dot] com

N.B. Email address must be the same as the one you used to subscribe.

For info on digest mode send: info flasher to

list-managerchinwag [dot] com