A composer is commissioned to write a piece of music for a film that becomes the most downloaded single by iTunes for the two weeks surrounding the film's release. Who own the copyright, the composer or the film's producers?
The composer owns the copyright. He/she is the original author of the music in the film, and the general rule on copyrights attributes ownership of a copyright used in a movie to the composer of the creative work.
A high school theatre group performs the musical Smokey Joe's Café during a senior class weekend showcase. Are they infringing copyright?
No. they are not infringing copyright. In as much as a class is a public gathering, the music is used for educational purposes. This performance is therefore exempted from copyright laws on playing music. They do not have to acquire permission from the original author of the copyright.
A CD store plays the latest album over the store's sound system. Are they infringing copyright?
No. CD stores are usually licensed to play music because they do it to promote the copyright and sell music (Hirtle, 73). CD stores have to obtain first, a license for selling and playing music before they do so in public. A CD store has already purchased the CD' s it is playing and has the right to sell them and in the process promote them through playing them for people to hear. The store can only be said to infringe copyright if they lack a license to play the music in public.
A comic created a satirical political parody of the popular song ‘Blame it' by Jamie Foxx. Who owns the copyright to the parody? Is it considered an infringement? If not, what is it?
Jamie Foxx still owns the copyright to the parody and can sue the parodist if the music parody is in a bad light. This parody is therefore not an infringement. This is because comedians and cartoonists are allowed to use copyright without permission so long as they do not create something that will upset the owner of the parody. They are allowed certain fragments into the original version without the permission of the copyright owner. This is considered a fair use of the copyright done for a particular and limited purpose, and in this case for comic purposes.
Works Cited
Hirtle, Peter B. "Copyright Renewal, Copyright Restoration, And The Difficulty Of Determining Copyright Status". D-Lib Magazine 14.7/8 (2008): n. pag. Web.
