Copyright, Plagiarism and Fair Use

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE!

Especially in Theatre

Copyright infringement - what to do? | MuzoPlanet™ - Connecting Musicians and Service Providers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THERE ARE LAWS!!!

  • On What you can perform
  • How you can change it
  • How many people can view the performance
  • If it can be recorded

All of these are important considerations when creating a theatre prodcution.

As good thespians and theatre comminity members please obey all copyright laws.

 

Here is a video to watch that defines copyright infringement:

 

(The other videos in this three video series can be found on https://www.copyrightandcreativity.org/high-school/)

 

Here are three definitions from Miriam-Webster Dictionary:

  • Plagarism-  "to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source" OR "to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source"

You will recieve a FAILING GRADE if you plagarize work for class. We will not write many papers in theatre classes, but if you are assigned a paper during this class (such as in the theatre history unit) CITE ALL SOURCES. Feel free to use citation websites like Easybib or Scribbr to help you format your citations. 

  • Fair Use- "a legal doctrine that portions of copyrighted materials may be used without permission of the copyright owner provided the use is fair and reasonable, does not substantially impair the value of the materials, and does not curtail the profits reasonably expected by the owner"

Theatre for educatonal purposes is fair use, but once performed for an audience it is for entertainment not education. Parodies of an original work are also fair use, but if the original work is quoted then it is a derived work not a parody.

  • Copyright- "the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (such as a literary, musical, or artistic work)"

Please follow all copyright rule when creating theatre. Broadway stars deserve to be paid for their work. 

Some things to remember about theatre classes and copyright:

  • If it has been 70 years or more since the playwright's death it is in the public domain
  • If there is an audience (anyone who is not a member of our class) it is subject to copyright laws to be able to perform.
  • If it is just for education rather than entertainment (meaning there is no audience) then it is fair use and you do not have to pay copyright to perform the work.
  • Even if the audience members are not paying you still need to pay copyright.
  • Parodies if completely original are in the category of fair use.
  • Just because you find it online for free does not mean you do not need to pay to perform it.
  • You can be fined for not obeying copyright laws. These fines most likely be more than paying the copyright in the first place. It is safer to follow the rules and pay royalties.
  •  This also applies to performing songs. 
  • Play fair when creating theatre. You would not want someone to steal your writing as their own without paying you for your work. 
  • This is not only about performances, but viewing others' performances as well. Be careful with viewing Broadway Bootlegs. One source to stream Broadway performances legally is on https://www.broadwayhd.com/

Here are a couple links to look at for more information:

https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/copyright-drama-teachers/#:~:text=Copyright%20Law%20affects%20all%20Drama,actions%20fall%20under%20copyright%20law.

https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/public-domain-mean-guide-drama-teachers/

 

Sources for this page:

Copyright & Creativity. (2021, March 2). High School Homepage. https://www.copyrightandcreativity.org/high-school/

Lagola, K. (2021, March 22). A Teacher’s Guide to Copyright and Fair Use. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/teachers-guide-copyright-and-fair-use

Mason, C. (2014, September 22). What does Public Domain Mean? A Guide for Drama Teachers. Theatrefolk. https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/public-domain-mean-guide-drama-teachers/

Mason, C. (2015, January 19). Copyright For Drama Teachers. Theatrefolk. https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/copyright-drama-teachers/#:%7E:text=Copyright%20Law%20affects%20all%20Drama,actions%20fall%20under%20copyright%20law.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Dictionary. The Merriam-Webster.Com Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/

Rogowski, A. (2019, August 17). Copyright infringement – what to do? MuzoPlanetTM - Connecting Musicians and Service Providers. https://muzoplanet.com/copyright-infringement/