Copyright and ownership of originals/negatives?
Posted 14 September 2007 - 12:10 AM
What can we do with them? He's obviously abandoned them but some shots would be of interest? I refuse to track him down and inform him - the guy was a conman, thief and helped bring the company to it's knees similar to several companies he'd been involved with previously.
Posted 14 September 2007 - 01:27 AM
If someone tosses a manuscript in the trash bin and you dust it off and put your name on it, I think you have a problem, eh?
Posted 14 September 2007 - 02:22 AM
In fact I'm liking this painting example. It seems to fit the situation?
Posted 14 September 2007 - 03:54 AM
What you'll want to do is look at the employment contract/agreement that was signed when this employee began working there. This should spec out who owns that property - the individual or the company.
If the company owns that property, then they should be able to use it as they see fit. If they only own specific rights (e.g., able to use it in digital form in certain circumstances, etc.) then it may be within your rights to scan the slides and negs for future use by the company.
If there's no such agreement, then everyone's probably better off if they get destroyed.
Posted 14 September 2007 - 07:29 AM
Posted 14 September 2007 - 09:05 AM
If the abandoned stuff is hardware, then I guess they can either keep it or toss it. If the stuff is copyrighted material, then those copyrights still exist for the individual despite the physical pieces being seemingly abandoned and they can't be used without their permission. In the case of negs and prints, I think it's safest to toss it.
Posted 15 September 2007 - 02:58 AM