On the checklist for your next party : Copyright matters

O
NTHECHECKLISTFORYOURNEXTPARTY:COPYRIGHTMATTERS

CATHERINEBERGERON*
LEGER
ROBICRICHARD,LLP
L
AWYERS,PATENTANDTRADE-MARKAGENTS
Ifyouareplanninganeveningofdancingwhereallthegreatestdiscoclassicswill
beplayed,orapopularmusicconcertwhereafewamateursingerswillperform
songsinpublic,certainmeasuresneedtobetakentoensurethatthecopyright
attachingtotheworksbeingperformedinpublicwillnotbeinfringed.Onemustkeep
inmindthatroyaltiesshouldbepaidtotheSOCANandpossiblytotheSODRAC,in
ordertoclearcopyrightsownedbythirdparties(authors,composers,publishers).
1.SOCAN

TheSOCANisamembershiporganizationthatadministersthecommunicationand
performingrightsoftheworld’squasi-entirerepertoireofcopyright-protectedmusic
usedinCanada.TheSOCANcollects,onbehalfofitsmembers(authors,
composersandmusicpublishers),licencefeeswhichareredistributedtothem.

Inthisrespect,theSOCANhasestablisheddifferenttariffsdependingonthevarious
usesofmusic,includingtariffsforcommercialradio,popularmusicconcerts,
exhibitionsandfairs,motionpicturetheatres,receptions,conventions,assemblies
andfashionshows,sportsevents,backgroundmusic,etc.Theseapplicabletariffs
areavailablethroughtheSOCANwebsiteatwww.socan.ca.Asanexample,for
popularmusicconcertswhereadmissionischarged,alicenceissuedbySOCAN
representscostsof3%ofgrossreceiptsfromticketsales.

Asfortheperformanceofaworkinpublic,inthecaseofaliveperformanceof
songsduringaconcertforinstance,thepaymentofroyaltiesaspertheapproved
tariffswillonlycovertheoriginalworkscontainedintheSOCANrepertoire.Ifthe
originalworkismodified,forexampleifthelyricsofasongaremodified,royalties
willhavetobepaidtoSOCANformusicperformingrights(economicright),but
permissionwillalsohavetobeobtainedfromtheoriginalauthorofthe

©CIPS,2008.*WithLEGERROBICRICHARD,LLP.amultidisciplinaryfirmofLawyers,andPatentandTrade-
markAgents.PublishedintheSummer2008Newsletterofthefirm(Vol.12,No.2).Publication
068.093.

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song.Withoutsuchpermission,the“modified”performancecouldbeconsideredan
infringementoftheauthor’smoralrights(personalrights).

2.SODRAC

TheSODRACisacollectivesocietyforthereproductionrightsofauthors,
composersandpublishersinCanada.Itoverseesthecollectiveadministrationof
thecopyrightsincreativeworks,suchasthereproductionrightsapplyingtomusical
works,includingtheprivatecopyingofsuchworks.SimilarlytotheSOCAN,these
rightsaremanagedbytheSODRACdirectlyunderalicensingsystemthroughwhich
theroyaltiescollectedareredistributedtoitsmembers.

Therefore,ifavideorecordingofaliveperformanceduringapopularmusicconcert
isproduced,distinctroyaltieswillbepayabletotheSODRACfortheproductionofa
DVD.Again,differenttariffswillapplydependingonthereproductionauthorization
requested,includingaudio(orphonogram)licensingrequests(ex.vinyl,cassettes,
cds)andaudio-visuallicensingrequests(ex.films,televisionordocumentaries).For
moreinformationortolearnmoreaboutthedifferenttariffs,weinviteyoutovisitthe
SODRACwebsiteatthefollowingaddresswww.sodrac.ca.

Ifyouhaveanyquestionsconcerningcopyright,licenses,theapplicationoftariffsor
negotiationthereof,amemberofourfirmspecilaizedinthematterwillbepleasedto
answeryourquestionsandtorepresentyoubeforetheSOCANortheSODRAC.

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agentsdedicatedsince1892totheprotectionandthevalorizationofall
fieldsofintellectualproperty:patents,industrialdesignsandutilitypatents;
trademarks,certificationmarksandindicationsoforigin;copyrightand
entertainmentlaw,artistsandperformers,neighbouringrights;computer,
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