RICHARD A. RYAN

COPYRIGHT REQUIREMENTS

    The requirements for obtaining copyright protection are that the work be of proper
subject matter, be an expression (more than an idea), be your authorship (meaning you
created it), be original (not a high standard - owing its origin to you) and be fixed in a
tangible medium.  The proper subject matter for copyrights falls within three very
general categories: (a) literary arts, such as words that are processed by the human
brain serially, meaning one piece at a time; (b) visual arts, which require parallel
processing, meaning that a person looks at the whole thing at once; and (c) performing
arts, such as musical and dramatic works, that are conveyed by some part of human
body, such as by speaking or by blowing air into a horn.  The fixed requirement means
that the work must be sufficiently reproducible, such that it is perceivable or capable of
being perceived for more than a transient time.  

    Pursuant to the United States Copyright Act (the "Act"), a valid copyright in a work
is created as soon as the minimum statutory requirements for protection are fulfilled
(originality, fixed form and proper subject matter).  Nothing else is necessary to
establish a copyright in any work.  It is not necessary to register the work with the
copyright office or to place any type of copyright notice on the work.  However, as
discussed in the registration section, registration and notice do provide substantial
benefits and all works having any value should be registered and should contain a
copyright notice.