Subject: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: Tom Taylor |
Has anyone ever heard of what is commonly call a poormans copywrite. Where you write a song make a copy of it put the copy in an envelope and mail it to your self. Leave it unopened
and the dated postmark serves as a copywrite date. Will this hold up in court. Tom Taylor |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: Hobes |
Nope. The only thing that's going to hold up in court is the real honest to goodness copyright. And yes, the poor man's copyright is a familiar concept to just about everybody who has tried to break into the business.
But here's the kicker... Even if you OFFICIALLY copyright the song through the proper channels, you have to prove that the person who is accused of stealing it had access to it. That's extremely hard to do.
And unless it's a number one hit, it doesn't matter too much anyway. The best you could hope for is a lot of publicity.
Truth is, I don't think there's a whole heckuva lot of song stealing going on anyway. There aren't that many cuts out there to get and there's a LOT of successful songwriters out there with both feet in the door already. They're already better songwriters than most of could hope to be, so they don't really need to steal material.
If the thief is somebody on our level, it's doubtful he's going to have much success. You really have to know somebody in the biz...
Technically, a work you created is protected the moment you create it BY LAW. But if somebody steals it, you have to prove it... It's a good idea to get the songs protected by a REAL copyright. You can send in a tape with a whole bunch of songs on them and copyright them all for the price of one. The cost isn't really all that much. And it's cheaper than a worried mind...
On a personal level, I hope somebody steals one of our songs real soon. I probably won't be able to prove it was stolen, but I can give up one song for the publicity... 
Anybody know somebody I can pay to steal a Wendels song? 
hobes |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: R.D.M. |
I agree with Hobes. Mailing to yourself would not completely work and it is better to 'officially' copyright it. I know that I have mailed a couple of things to myself in the past but they were not much. ::)
BTW, where do you go to copyright your projects....besides the post office ;) |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: spiralfreak |
Nope. The letter thing won't work. I was going to do that a few years ago. My original band was joined together with another, when we split, they ended up trashing their old shit and used 90% of the stuff that I had written... So if you want to hear some of the things they tore up, or trash their guestbook with obcenities, go to http://www.lynt.com . Tell them Lemon Star Dust sent you... hehe
Anyways~ Here's the link to find out how to get stuff copyrighted. Legally... http://www.loc.gov/copyright/ |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: spiralfreak |
I was just doing a search on the copyrights... and wouldn't you know, they did copyright one of the songs they stole from us... bastards.
Not likely that they'll become famous or anything though... Nor will I unfortunatly... |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: distantsun |
Just to add my two pence (or Euros!)
At college we have been talk to send it to yourself, recorded delivery we have in the U.K and the Royal MAil, hold a certificate with all info on for 25 years. By which time i'll have a record company to deal with all that crap!!!!!
Anyway
Im sure im wrong
Ash |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: guest |
Once upon a time I thought I'd try the poor man's copyright, so I typed up all my songs, put them in a self addressed envelope and stuck them in my mailbox. The next day, I get my mail and the envelopes are still there with a note from my postman saying (without polite asterisks) "What the f*** do you want me to do with these?" I took that to be a rhetorical question, and never tried it again!  |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: spiralfreak |
| HAHAHA... :D Maybe you should have gone to the post office to mail them, or dropped them in a blue box, or leave the mailman a better tip, or leave the dog out next time... |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: whatcordisit |
| just wanted to thank everyone for their input, right now its the only way I have to copywrite. Can any one tell me the steps to really put a copywrite on a song, cost, ect. |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: spiralfreak |
| That's the one. I was gonna post the site but I forgot... Thanks JT! ::) |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: Jon_B |
| Ifyou want to save some $, send in a collection of songs at one time instead of copyrighting one at a time. It's the same cost either way, I think it's up to $20 now. |
Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: Holland |
I got a good laugh out of you mailman's note.
I am sure he was quite perplexed.
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Subject: Re: poor mans copywrite
Posted by: JMB, MN |
Well if the age old question didn't just happen to come up.
First of all yes, in the past, the "poor mans copywrite" did work that way. Unfortunatly it no longer does as the US Copywrite Administration does not see the USPS date stamp as an official marking anymore. The only way to copywrite any material of origional content is to submit it to the USCA.
Now here is where it gets funny, from the date stamped on the envelope that material, mailed to them, is considered copywritten in the senders name.
UH WELL WHAT THE!!! yeah it is strange but that is how it works. The only other way to protect yourself and your material is through ASCAB or BMI (I believe).
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