A Designer's Perspective: Copyright Law

Having found myself recently needing to refer to copyright law in some of my own freelance dealings, I found last week's lecture to be very informative and reaffirming that I was in the right in protecting myself from exploitation. Mr. Astrachan not only refreshed my memory on certain areas of copyright law, but was able to shed light into the areas I have felt a little less confident about.

To me, the most important piece of information that Mr. Astrachan provided was a clearer picture on what the requirements are to be protected under copyright law. His definitions for "Originality," "Authorship" and "Fixation" were all concise and easy to understand. In addition, he provided us with valuable information on damages due to copyright infringement.

I never realized how important copyright registration was until Mr, Astrachan pointed out that statutory damages (which can be up to $150,000 per piece of infringed work) can only be collected if a copyright is registered with the copyright office. Well worth the time and money involved, considering the possible payoff if your work is exploited.

I also found the portions on copyright marking and Fair Use to be very informative, as they have come up frequently in regards to work done within the Pub Design program. I found the criteria for fair use to be very interesting, as I would never have even considered the amount of the copyrighted work used to be of consequence. But, given the example Mr. Astrachan gave in class involving the filming of Mr. Zucchini's cannon act, I realize that it truly is of vital importance, especially if the use takes the "heart and soul" of the work.

A Designer's Perspective: The CityLit Project

After taking a few days to absorb our first presentation in class, I found that I was very impressed with Gregg Wilhelm's lecture on New Technologies in Book Publishing, as well as the work he is doing through the CityLit Project.

Reading has always been a part of my daily routine, beginning from the time I was a child. Early on, a life-long relationship with the written word was instilled in me by my parents and I've continued to nurture that relationship throughout the years. I am always amazed at the fantastic worlds that would unfold within my mind's eye every time I picked up a story and usually can't wait to turn the next page and see what awaits me. But, what has amazed me even more is how few of my friends ever shared in the same passion for literature that I've always had.

Unfortunately, it seems to be a growing trend in our technology-driven society that affects not only publishers, but educators as well. From comic book companies looking to attract young, new readers, to teachers looking to enlighten the future through glimpses of the past, the act of reading has seemed to have been replaced with viral videos on the internet.

Although I am all about the occasional visit to YouTube or working on professional development on sites like Lynda.com, reading is a fundamental skill that must continue to be instilled within the youth of our society. That is where CityLit has stepped in. Beginning with their mission statement, which reads:

"CityLit Project elevates enthusiasm for literature, builds and connects a community of avid readers and writers and opens opportunities for young people and diverse audiences to embrace the literary arts. CityLit has established a family of programs that serve different audiences toward instilling and sustaining a life-long love of literature."

and continuing with their work through CityLit Press and Apprentice House, the organization has take the charge of "Nurturing the Culture of Literature" and truly done some amazing work.

In addition to discussing the work being done by the CityLit Project, Gregg also provided valuable information about new technologies in book publishing. From age-old concepts such as "content is king" to the digital on-demand printing process, Gregg shed some light onto an area of publishing that I have always been interested in exploring. I felt that this was a great way to start the semester and a very informative lecture to kick-off Perspectives in Communication Design.