Copyright is the body of laws which grants authors, artists and other creators’ protection for their literary and artistic creations, which are generally referred to as “works.” A closely associated field of rights related to copyright is “related rights,” which provides rights similar or identical; to those of copyright, although sometimes more limited and of shorter duration.

Copyright relate to a bundle of rights given to creators of original

Works, for example novels, books, poems, films, dances, paintings, photographs, sculptures

Related rights – performers have rights to their performances of copyright works

Copyright and Personality/Image rights

Personality / Image Rights

Artists need to appreciate the importance of the various rights that are associated with copyrights. One such right is the personality or image rights.  This relates to the commercial appropriation of someone’s personality, especially images, name or even signature. Actors, performers can claim these rights. Control of these rights allows use of images, representations

Main Features of Copyright Contracts

In order for artists/ performers to enjoy the image rights, they need to pay attention to all the fine print in the contacts that they enter into. Some of the main features that they need to look out include the following;

The Parties to the Contract

Rights to be transferred or used

Terms and conditions of the Contract

Ownership of copyright and other IP rights like personal/image

Dispute Resolution clauses

Once artists begin to appreciate and understand the copyright contracts they enter into, they begin to hit the right notes.