In today’s digital еra, safеguarding crеativе works has become more crucial than еvеr. Copyright Registration sеrvеs as a fundamеntal stеp in sеcuring thе rights to artistic, litеrary, and intеllеctual propеrtiеs. Undеrstanding thе concеpt of copyright and thе procеss of rеgistration is pivotal for crеators sееking to protеct thеir work.
What Do You Understand By Copyright?
In India, the Copyright Act of 1957 protects the creator’s original work. It could be literature, drama, artistic creation, song/music, or any other recording. Apart from the Copyright Act of 1957, India is also a part of the Geneva Convention. Along with that, India is also an active member of the World Intellectual Property Organization, which protects the author’s creativity.
Once the creator’s work is copyrighted, he enjoys the monopoly of his creativity without any fear of his work being misused. Once you get the Copyright for your original work, it is protected against any unfair advantage.
What Can You Copyright?
The Copyright on your creative work is a protective shield. So, to guard your idea and skill, the Copyright registrCopyrightructured a detailed register area into six different categories. The divided categories dedicated to a particular type of intellectual creation are as follows:-
- Musical Works – Items such as music, tune, lyrics & notation.
- Artistic Works – This category covers visual art such as paintings, drawings, sculptures, and similar artistic endeavors.
- Literary Work – Various written items such as poems, novels, essays, articles, & similar creations are covered under this copyright category. It does not contain a computer program.
- Sound Recording – Here, you can protect the sound, such as audio recording, whether they are music, spoken words, & other sound content.
- Cinematography Work – In this category, you can protect the film & audiovisual content.
- Computer Programs, compilations, & Tables – In this, you can protect the digital world’s creation, such as software, data tables, & more.
What Is Copyright Law?
“THE COPYRIGHT ACT, 1957” governed the copyrigCopyrightmain constant with the intellectual property rights, the authority has made many changes over the years.
What Are The Benefits Of Copyright Registration?
Register your work under the copyright law is mandatory to safeguard your product. Copyright registration has many benefits:-
- Protection of the Owner – Through copyright registration, the owner of the asset will get exclusive rights such as reproduction, sharing, distribution, adaptation, & translation of their work.
- Create Brand Image – Holding a copyright registration helps you to boost the brand image & marketing of your brand to create goodwill.
- Legal Safeguard – Your work is protected and cannot be copied by anyone without the rightful owner’s permission.
- International Protection – Once anyone obtains a copyright in a given country, the work gets similar rights in many other countries, including India.
- Increase Visibility Of Owner – The registered work has more potential and trust in the market. It helps to increase visibility & deter potential unauthorized use.
What Does Copyright Symbol Explain?
After getting a Copyright Registration, you can use (©) this symbol on your products. The emblem of Copyright is a direct indication to the public that the copyright laws shield the work.
The symbol symbolizes that no one is allowed to create a replica or misuse the creative piece.
When you obtain a copyright registration then, you will get multiple Legal right benefits, including:-
- Claim Of Authorship – You can showcase or acknowledge your role as the creator of your published work.
- Reproduction & Storage – As an owner of a copyright, you can simply possess the right of reproduction of content and product.
- Control on Publication – You can hold your creation from publication and decide when, how, and where to publish it.
Why Is It Important To Avail Copyright Protection Services?
We are a team of experts with great experience in dealing with copyrights. A person must get a Copyright for work as it safeguards work from getting misused, reproduction, distribution, adaptation & translations of content. It is vital to obtain copyright registration so that the rights of a creator are protected from getting infringed.
Copyright Registration Search
Our vast team looks into this area; they ensure that our client’s original work and creativity are not already copyrighted. It is essential to run this search once before proceeding with the application filing as it assures that the work is very much original.
Who Can Apply For The Copyright Registration?
Any person can get work copyrighted; it could be an author, a musician, a photographer, a producer, a painter, a composer, or a company. Therefore, the person enjoys the exclusive rights of ownership over his creativity. However, you are advised to seek professional help during the copyright registration process.
What Documents Required For The Copyright Registration?
- Name of the author
- Identity proof of the author
- 2 copies of the work
- There is no objection certificate from the publisher if the publisher and the work differ from the applicant.
- There is no objection certificate from the author if the applicant is not the original work’s author.
- No objection certificate from other copyright holders in case of more than one Power of Attorney if an advocate files your application. The applicant should sign it.
What Can I Get Copyrighted?
- Search
- Application
- Publication
Search
It is beneficial to run a copyright search to ensure that the work to be copyrighted is original and does not previously exist.
Once all the formalities are completed and all the documents are correctly furnished, the registrar will issue the certificate of registration to the applicant. Getting a registration certificate gives the applicant ownership and exclusive rights over his work, thus safeguarding his creativity from misuse.
Application
Drafting the copyright application is the very first step in the copyright registration process. The application and the copy of the original work are submitted. Once the application is submitted, the applicant shall receive a dairy number.
Once all the formalities are completed and all the documents are correctly furnished, the registrar will issue the certificate of registration to the applicant. Getting a registration certificate gives the applicant ownership and exclusive rights over his work, thus safeguarding his creativity from misuse.
Publication
Once the dairy number is issued, there is a minimum 30-day waiting period. During this period, the copyright examiner reviews the application. This 30-day waiting period allows objections to be raised and reviewed by the examiner.
What Happens If There Are No Objections?
The examiner reviews and scrutinizes the application thoroughly and ensures all the documents and information are attached to the application. In cases where no objections are raised, the examiner takes the application to the next step. There might be times when some faults and complaints are raised regarding the work in question; in such a scenario, the letter of discrepancy is sent to the applicant. The application can move forward only when the applicant effectively replies to all the objections and all the differences are resolved. Henceforth, the application is taken on to the next step after the hearing with the registrar.
What Would Happen If Objections Still Persist In My Application?
If you seek legal help, the team of experts can help you draft replies to such objections. However, if these objections persist or you don’t reply in a timely fashion, it will eventually lead to the rejection of your application. The registrar would send the applicant a letter of rejection of the application.
Registration
Once all the formalities are completed and all the documents are correctly furnished, the registrar will issue the certificate of registration to the applicant. Getting a registration certificate gives the applicant ownership and exclusive rights over his work, thus safeguarding his creativity from misuse.
For How Many Years Is My Copyright Valid?
Like other Intellectual properties, copyrights are also up to a limited period. The creator of a literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic work is valid for 60 years, counted from the date/year of the creator’s death.
Whereas, if the work is in cinematography films, sound recordings, photographs, or any publications, the Copyright is valid for the 60-year period, which begins from the publication date.