I should copyright that

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen ahem just clearing my throat before a small rant. I know its awfully rude of me to only come back here and update you with my wonderful thoughts when I am pushed to the point of furious insanity BUT I have a pet peeve – which is entirely unjustified but nonetheless is there.

My enemy is the statement ‘I should copyright that’ or when people come up with something that they believe is genius… and usually just isn’t and shouts out ‘Copyright!’ thinking that this grants them something OR [this is the actual nemesis of the mind. Like my brain blows up…] when someone is purporting to create a TRADEMARK or LOGO for their business and puts a little C with a circle around it and the year……………

So I know not everyone studies the law, and despite how many text messages I send to David requesting that sex education should be scrapped and law should be implemented into the national curriculum it is yet to happen but I’m going to give everyone a little lesson. Feel free to send it to all of your friends because quite frankly if you are serious about whatever creative medium you have dedicated your life to, a little research will make you sound even more well erm. I don’t know. Serious.

Copyright DOES NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION (I will only say that once). It basically allows you to say ‘hey that’s my work’ but the work has to be original. 

SO if you come up with a song called ‘Crazy in Hate’ and start singing ‘your hate’s got me looking so crazy right now, your haaate….etc’ then its not really erm original is it? (she doesn't seem to think so)

Original means NOT COPIED FROM ANOTHER WORK.

Your work also have to be one of the following:

Literary, musical. Dramatic, artistic, a film, a sound recording, a broadcast or a typographical arrangement (like the way you lay something out).

How is the work protected- IT IS AUTOMATIC AT THE MOMENT THE WORK IS FIXED IN PERMANENT FORM so if you have a song and you record that… I’ll let you work out the rest.

It lasts for another 70 years after you die so you won’t have to have your grand children roaming the street shouting copyright. The lawyers… as ruthless as we are are actually quite smart – so erm copyright is therefore quite smart too.

Now when it comes to Trademarks and that little TM… I’ll save that for another day. Still have exams to pass!!

Love, hugs and no to jugs xx