post mortem copyrights

[cmM]

what happens to one's work after the artist dies? Who holds the copyrights? I was listening to some classical music and started wondering who holds the copyrights for stuff such as Beethoven's symphonies?

[Bruce Hamilton]

According to the Wikipedia Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia)...


...in the case of a work created by an individual, the work goes into the public domain on January 1, 70 years after the author dies. Where the work is a joint effort of two or more authors, it goes into the public domain on January 1, 70 years after the death of the last surviving joint author.
In the case of a work made for hire, a pseudonymous work, a collective work (such as Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia), a collaborative Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia)) the work goes into the public domain on January 1, 95 years after the date of first publication, or 120 years after creation, whichever is shorter.

[cmM]

what does "it goes into public domain" mean? The government takes the copyrights?

And the artist's work cannot be used for those 70 years after he/she dies?

[robertwgross]

Public Domain means that it is now up for grabs. The public owns it and nobody owns it.

---Bob Gross---

[cmM]

Michelangelo's sculptures and paintings, and Ansel Adam's photos are up for grabs?
Sorry I'm too curious :oops:

[CyberDyneSystems]

Somone in the Adams Family ( :mrgreen: ) will most likely retain copyright to his work after the 70 years pases.. (it hasn't been 70 years)

As for Michaelangelo? I dount there is a current copyright... you can buy little M.A. knockoffs at tourist booths.

[IndyJeff]

In 1937 Sir James M. Barrie died. He was the author, among other things, of Peter Pan. He was also my 5th cousin. Now I aksed an aunt of mine about who owned the rights to that since she corresponded with him on several occasions before his death. Seems that SIr James left all rights to Peter Pan/Peter and Wendy to a childrens hospital in London. Sometime in the 50's Walt Disney bought the rights from the hospital and paid them an amount which they seemed to believe was more than they could have ever gotten for licesning rights.
Ol' Walt made a killing off that movie....still is.

So in answer to your question, in 1937 he died. The rights would have been with the hospital or a family member had he not designated them to the hospital until January 1, 2012.

Think of all the L glass I could have had if I would have been the lucky sod to get contraol of those rights!!!!

This has been a practical true life lesson in copyrights brought to you by Missed it by That Much productions......

[Bruce Hamilton]

Somone in the Adams Family ( :mrgreen: ) will most likely retain copyright...I believe Gomez and Morticia signed the rights over to Thing. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Scottes]

I betcha Thing forged their signatures. Forgery is the sort of stuff that Thing would excel at, ya know.

[KO_300D]

Forgery and giving the birdie