Copyright Laws

So I'm always talking about copyright and while I've heard a great many "hear says" about it, I have finally looked up the website that tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about copy right, so if your married to your art like I am look this up and if you find any important knowledge please impart it to me. The website seems very complex so good luck searching:

http://www.copyright.gov/

There are some things I do know about copyright:

If you designed painted drew or created it your self (electronic media) without the direct copy of any other copyrighted art it's your creation and you are the sole copyright owner of that material of course there are many complications to a statement like that. For starters a photo of a common person, one not already in the public eye (celebrities), the persons image is owned by them and they must agree to allow the photographer use for the purpose the photographer intends.

Money or the lack of it has very little to do with the use of copyrighted material, ok most images have some money transaction purpose but often people don't understand that even if your purpose is nonprofit or not a money making endeavor you still need to get an agreement from the copyright owner to use their work. There are some exceptions to this rule, educational such as a school related report and news media parodies (some times parodies will be challenged it's alot safer to change the name or slightly change parts in a parody).

Please understand that altering images doesn't constitute as a new copyright image
If you are going to steal someones image or work and your too lazy or scared to contact and ask permission most artist appreciate some acknowledgment such as the artist name in credits on a video, or a note of their name in the references of a book, this also protects you against plagiarism, gives the artist publicity there for they may be found by watchers or readers and later profit in some way off others seeing it. (you still don't really have any rights to the work and this to may be challenged in a court)

IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT OF ANY RIGHTS TO YOUR IMAGE, JUST DON'T USE THE IMAGE!!! BE SAFE NOT STUPID!!!

So you got people going "well I don't make money what can they sue me for"? It's not about the money issues you may be sued for money you didn't even earn off the image such as: you can slander with art (insult or deface the public image) you may take credit for art that is not yours which leads you to a greater financial position later on, in which case your leading them on to believe you can do work that you are not capable of, later this will show in your work and make you look stupid. On a moral note (Karma) you may find yourself black listed by the business community when news spreads of what you've done, if you are in a career where copyright is an issue like graphic design or journalism this will lose you jobs!

In the privacy of your own home, you can probably get away with doing what ever you want adding copyrighted music to your home videos, giving friends copies of your store bought CD's and movies etc. adding famous cartoon images to a mural in your home, but once you begin adverting this to the outside world it becomes a issue. Most of of the time you can get away with posting TV programs on you tube or using a famous character as your background image on myspace, just realize what it is your doing is a violation, have you ever seen a t-shirt logo blurred on tv that's because of copyright, even the big football game of the year is not able to be said you know the "souper..r bowl" and NEVER MESS WITH DISNEY! Some companies are more touchy than others.

VERY IMPORTANT: GET IT IN WRITING!!!!!!!!!!
VERBAL AGREEMENTS DON'T STAND UP IN COURT AND AGREEMENTS MAY CHANGE WITH TIME RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE WITH TIME! GET IT IN WRITING!!!!!!