Rights dilemma
Wed, 4 Jan 2006, 10:50 pmWalter Plinge8 posts in thread
Rights dilemma
Wed, 4 Jan 2006, 10:50 pmHi IÂ’m just wondering how strict Hal Leonard is on rights, as we are doing a play early next year and are applying for the rights from them, and we want to make a few changes such as adding another musical number and changing the ending slightly, if any one has any info, as IÂ’m kinda new at this, it would be a great help thanks,
Sam.
Sam.
Re: Rights dilemma
Thu, 5 Jan 2006, 08:29 amWalter Plinge
HI
I hope this may help. It is an extract from a fabulous piece on copyright that should be made compulsory reading for everyone wishing to "tinker" or indeed completely change whole sections of plays or musicals.
"The licensing agreement with the licensing agency will almost certainly contain language regarding making no changes in the script and/or music as provided without first obtaining written permission. Here’s a typical example of how an agreement might read: “The granting of this license to you to perform the play is not to be construed as a right to . . . [make] changes of any kind . . . in the play including but not limited to the deletion or interpolation of new music, lyrics or dialogue or change in the period, characters or characterizations in the presently existing play. . . . . Any violation hereof will be deemed a willful infringement of the copyright of the author(s) and shall automatically terminate this license.”
Changes requiring written authorization range from simply “cleaning up the language” to changing the gender of either roles in the play or the actors assigned to play those roles. This is especially important to consider if the script requires any adaptation to conform to community standards of acceptable language or behavior. If the changes required by the community are not allowed by the copyright holder, the producer’s only option is to select another play. It does not matter if “they did it that way in the movie.” The movie producer paid a substantial amount of money for the film rights, which usually do include the right to make any necessary changes.
Even what was done in recent major revivals cannot be used to justify an unauthorized departure from the script as provided by the licensing agency. Remember that such productions involve not only, again, a substantial amount of money, but also the active participation of the copyright holder(s) or their representatives. Nothing is done without their consent. The fact that such changes have not been authorized for release to the licensing agency may mean that the persons with the authority to permit have had second thoughts after seeing the changed script onstage.
The making of musical arrangements of copyright works, changing the melody or words, or adding new words, and choreography, all arguably constitute an adaptation and as such should be strenuously avoided. "
Worth reading by everyone I think. A recent example I can remember was a community production of a play that changed the gender of nearly everyone in the show, their ages and their attitudes. When asked if they had approval to do this, the director said "of course, we have the rights".
q
I hope this may help. It is an extract from a fabulous piece on copyright that should be made compulsory reading for everyone wishing to "tinker" or indeed completely change whole sections of plays or musicals.
"The licensing agreement with the licensing agency will almost certainly contain language regarding making no changes in the script and/or music as provided without first obtaining written permission. Here’s a typical example of how an agreement might read: “The granting of this license to you to perform the play is not to be construed as a right to . . . [make] changes of any kind . . . in the play including but not limited to the deletion or interpolation of new music, lyrics or dialogue or change in the period, characters or characterizations in the presently existing play. . . . . Any violation hereof will be deemed a willful infringement of the copyright of the author(s) and shall automatically terminate this license.”
Changes requiring written authorization range from simply “cleaning up the language” to changing the gender of either roles in the play or the actors assigned to play those roles. This is especially important to consider if the script requires any adaptation to conform to community standards of acceptable language or behavior. If the changes required by the community are not allowed by the copyright holder, the producer’s only option is to select another play. It does not matter if “they did it that way in the movie.” The movie producer paid a substantial amount of money for the film rights, which usually do include the right to make any necessary changes.
Even what was done in recent major revivals cannot be used to justify an unauthorized departure from the script as provided by the licensing agency. Remember that such productions involve not only, again, a substantial amount of money, but also the active participation of the copyright holder(s) or their representatives. Nothing is done without their consent. The fact that such changes have not been authorized for release to the licensing agency may mean that the persons with the authority to permit have had second thoughts after seeing the changed script onstage.
The making of musical arrangements of copyright works, changing the melody or words, or adding new words, and choreography, all arguably constitute an adaptation and as such should be strenuously avoided. "
Worth reading by everyone I think. A recent example I can remember was a community production of a play that changed the gender of nearly everyone in the show, their ages and their attitudes. When asked if they had approval to do this, the director said "of course, we have the rights".
q
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