Module 2 Practice: Copyright in Practice - Ownership, Duration, and Licensing Scenarios

Complete During Live Class

You do not need to complete this practice activity ahead of time. We will work through the scenarios together during our live class session.

This will give you an opportunity to ask questions, discuss your reasoning, and apply concepts related to copyright ownership, duration, and licensing in real time.

Guidelines

Part 1: Ownership Scenarios

Read each scenario and answer the questions. Explain your reasoning using the lecture material:

Employee Creation:
Sarah is a graphic designer employed full-time by an advertising agency. She creates a logo for a client as part of her regular work duties. Who owns the copyright to the logo and why?
Commissioned Work:
A company hires a freelance photographer to take images for a magazine cover. The contract specifies that the work is “made for hire.” Who owns the copyright? What would happen if the contract did not include that clause?
Joint Work:
Two authors co-write a novel, with one focusing on plot development and the other on dialogue. How is ownership divided, and can one author sell the movie rights without the other’s consent?

Part 2: Duration of Protection

How long would copyright last for:
a. A novel written in 2020 by a single author who dies in 2050.
b. A song jointly written in 2015 by two songwriters; one dies in 2040, the other in 2070.
c. An anonymous short story published in 1980.

Which of these works would be in the public domain in 2025? Explain why.

Part 3: Licensing Application

You are a photographer who licenses one of your images to a travel company for use in a brochure. The agreement is non-exclusive and valid for one year in the U.S. only.

Answer:

Can you license the same image to another company during that year? Why or why not?
What would change if the license were exclusive?
Why is it important to clearly define scope, duration, and territory in a licensing agreement?