ANDREW MANITSKY
GRAVEL& SHEA PC
What is copyright?
• protects “original works of authorship
fixed in any tangible medium of
expression”
• grants a bundle of “exclusive rights”
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reproduce the work
prepare derivative works
distribute the work
publicly perform the work
What’s covered?
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Literary works
Musical works (w/ words)
Dramatic works (w/ music)
Pantomimes and choreographic works
Pictorial, graphic and sculptural works
Motion pictures and other audiovisual works
Sound recordings
Architectural works
What’s not covered?
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Ideas
Discoveries
Procedures
Titles
Facts
Public domain
– published in U.S. before 1923
– published in U.S. from 1923-77 without ©
– U.S. government works
Steinberg v. Columbia, 663 F. Supp. 706 (S.D.N.Y. 1987)
Kerr v. New Yorker, 63 F.Supp.2d 320 (S.D.N.Y. 1999)
Copyright Infringement
ELEMENTS:
• Plaintiff has a valid copyright in the work
• Defendant
(1) actually copied
(2) protected elements – more than a little
MAGIC WORDS: “substantial similarity”
whether an average lay observer would
recognize the alleged copy as having been
appropriated from the copyrighted work
Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music,
420 F. Supp. 177 (SDNY 1976), aff’d 722 F.2d 988 (2d Cir. 1983)
Selle v. Gibb, 741 F.2d 896 (7th Cir. 1984)
Lil’ Joe Wein Music v. Jackson,
2007 WL 2274519 (11th Cir., Aug. 9, 2007)
“SIGNATURE PHRASE”
ANDREW MANITSKY
GRAVEL& SHEA PC