The entertainment and music industry is dynamic and forever
changing. This means the legal issues
come and go. Lets look at a few recent ones today. It is great to get familiar
with the issues that surround your industry of interest.
When was the last time you sat at your computer and pulled
up Garage Band created an awesome beat and sung a tune. Yesterday? Great, did
you know you have officially written and copy written a song? The time stamp
from the computer as well of a few extra steps and that hit is all yours!
According to Boosey & Hawkes there are a few things you can do to protect your music. I always thought the mail your own work to
yourself thing was funny but it actually is sufficient. You can even submit your work to a solicitor
and request a receipt, which states the date and a description of your work.
These in its self will suffice to claim your work. To take it a step further and be able to file suit you must register at a federal level. This is a big deal in the industry because at
one point in time you had to go through a lot and even pay some money just to
claim your work. It is a lot simpler now.
Lets take a look a recent case filled against Universal Music Group West Coat Office.
It’s obvious that our entertainers flaunt sex, drugs, and
alcohol in the videos and photos but its crazy to think you’re above the law.
This is a running issue in the entertainment industry. There is a case filled by an employee of
Universal Music Group West Coast for alleged labor violations including a
hostile work environment. The complainant says on numerous occasions there
where illegal acts taking place. These acts were brought to the attention of
superiors multiple times and ignored. It wasn’t until the complainant came into
a situation with the artist known as TI and his entourage. The employee was
just trying to do their job. Two days later she found herself terminated. This
situation rubbed me the wrong way! Everyone knows it is illegal just because
you’re a star doesn’t allow you to do as you please. The Music group is also in
the wrong. Why are you allowing this kind of environment in you establishment? I personally think it time to get all that
extra crap out of the artistry of music and get back to real music. Am I saying
all artists are clean? No, but stop allowing them to come to the studio that way
and see how long they last! Bobby Brown might have had a longer career an Whitney Houston might still be here. Lets be honest her better days were
before here addiction.
Lastly it is a big deal to cover your own tail in the
advertising world when it comes to using songs as a cover. Erick Korte speaks on it a YouTube clip. You cant just take a song and run with it. You
first have to buy the rights to the song. He states that there are a lot of people out there that mis uses tunes and find themselves out of a lot of money. I think it is important to learn the ins and outs so you can conduct
your business accordingly. Every artist
wants his or her credit. For example, Ne-Yo came out from being a shadow writer
to gain his respect for his works. How many times have you heard of someone
suing somebody for copying his or her song?
They say artist are sensitive about their work.
