Television Performance Permission Required?

[snibbor]

H'yello forumers.

I have a question.

I have a performance on the 29th of February. Not too many details yet, but one thing is certain: It will be televised.

It's not a special like David Blaine or anything, but do I have to contact artists and get their permission to use the effects on T.V.? I just want to be sure.

 

[Deleted member 2755]

Sorry bud, but yes you do. For most tricks, you will have to contact the artist and request T.V. rights to perform.

-Doug

 

[Jack The Magician]

Performing original magic effects -- depending on the effect's exact nature -- many times, does fall under the protection of intellectual property and, in some cases, copyrights.

Therefore, before airing those specific effects on television, you will need the expressed, written consent of the artist, or from whomever the television rights belong to.

Cheers,
JTM

 

[snibbor]

This is going to be a pain...

 

[CDarklock]

This is going to be a pain...

If I were you, I'd start trying to develop a show that used no protected material. Have a replacement for every trick you've planned that comes from a public domain source; any book written over a hundred years ago is a good source, 150 years or more is pretty much a guarantee.

That way, if anyone refuses permission or - worse - demands an outrageous amount of money for the rights, you can simply rotate their effect out in favor of the PD effect.

It's possible to alter an effect so it no longer falls under IP restrictions, but this is tricky and I wouldn't advise it to anyone who isn't well-versed in international copyright law. (Actually, since I'm not a lawyer, technically I wouldn't advise it to anyone... because, you know, giving legal advice would be practicing law without a license.) If you're not already familiar with it, you don't have time to learn it. Just understanding the differences between the Berne convention and US law takes a couple months.

 

[mattjones]

Dang... I'll have to keep this in mind if I get in this sort of situation. Might as well start working on some original stuff now, right?

Best wishes, snibbor.