tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14489139.post187408132497051640..comments2007-05-16T11:53:44.459-04:00Scott Montyhttps://profiles.google.com/118216759969087724610noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14489139.post-1582770673741749682007-05-16T11:53:00.000-04:002007-05-16T11:53:00.000-04:00Two points re: copyright:<BR/>1) IF characters have copyright protection, presumably it has the same time limit as standard copyright. Thus once the copyright expires on the first Potter story, the so-called character copyright also expires.<BR/><BR/>2) I know attorney's have advocated for character copyright (it's good business for them), but am not aware of that specific provision in copyright law or court findings supporting it. If anyone does know that please add to the discussion.<BR/><BR/>The related question is: Did Conan Doyle have the same protection for Holmes as Potter has now, or did law change in a way that provides more protection for a character?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14489139.post-18789410339884656602007-05-16T01:20:00.000-04:002007-05-16T01:20:00.000-04:00Not a problem. I encourage quibbles, squabbles and occasionally rabble-rousing.<BR/><BR/>In this case, I demur to the publishing legal expert quoted in the Wall Street Journal article:<BR/><BR/><I>Copyright law will prevent other authors from offering new titles using Ms. Rowling's characters and settings unless they're obvious parodies. "Boundaries exist," says David S. Korzenik, a publishing attorney with the firm Miller Korzenik Sommers LLP. "Characters can be copyrighted, and settings can be protected," he says. "But if you are doing a parody you can go forward with the understanding that the parody won't be book eight or nine of the series but rather is trying to deliver something very different or transformative."</I><BR/><BR/>It sounds as if Ms. Rowling learned from Arthur Conan Doyle's mistake.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17710406470860389078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14489139.post-84382695171392154932007-05-15T16:19:00.000-04:002007-05-15T16:19:00.000-04:00Just a quibble - I don't think Harry as a character has any more copyright protection than did Holmes. When the first Potter story loses copyright protection I think people will be able to create Potter pastiches (unless some other restriction like trademarks are used to prevent it).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com