Entertainment law is the package of services, containing contracts and copyrights, that is intended for pieces of entertainment like books, movies and visual arts. In the entertainment industry, safeguarding your work from being exploited or plagiarized by others is an imminent concern. To safeguard the intellectual property rights of artists, copyright and trademark laws are available to those working in Virginia.

What is A Copyright?

A copyright includes the privilege to exclusively produce a given form of entertainment, and the copyright holder must give consent for others to be able to use it. In order to comply with the entertainment laws in Virginia, someone seeking to use your copyrighted material must negotiate and get a license or contract from you first. The procedure for getting a copyright and how long it lasts once issued are controlled by entertainment law. Aside from protecting your property rights, getting a copyright will allow you to sell licenses to others.

What is a Trademark?

A particular commercial brand may have a symbol or other notable visual characteristic to serve as a trademark. In the entertainment industry, they help to create product recognition. Although they do not expire, trademarks must be obtained through registering with the U.S. patent and trademark office. With your trademark, buyers will begin to recognize your product more easily.

How Can a Virginia Attorney Help?

Deciding whether you need a trademark or copyright is often a decision best made with the advice of an attorney in Culpeper that has experienced in entertainment law. The filing process in Virginia can also go more smoothly with an attorney to guide you.