Raw Law Key words A – Z

Adaptation
Change work from one form to another, such as:

  • writing a play from a novel
  • making a comic strip from a play
  • creating a pop song from a piece of classical music.

Agreement
A promise between two or more people or organisations.
An agreement can be spoken, written, or a combination of both.
See also Contract.

Assigning copyright
Assigning copyright means selling your copyright.

Attribution
When the artist is shown as the creator or performer of a work.

Blog
Usually a personal website with regular descriptions or comments on various issues, graphics, videos etc. Blogging is what you do when you are writing your blog.

Conditions of entry
The rules a person agrees to when they enter into a prize, festival, or competition. Conditions of entry are an agreement between the owner of the copyright and the organiser.

Consent form / Release form
The document used when someone asks a person or performer to show their image, voice or likeness in public.

Contract
A legal agreement between people or organisations. A contract is not always in writing; it can also be made in a discussion. If someone promises something and does not do it, then the other people in the contract can ask a court for help.

Copyright
Copyright gives people legal rights to work they have created. Copyright helps stop people doing things without the consent of the copyright owner. The notice for copyright is ©.

Copyright clearance
A permission to use copyright material.

Copyright infringement
When someone does not ask or get your permission to do certain things with your work.

Defamation
When a person hurts the reputation of someone else by saying things about them.

Derogatory treatment
When your moral rights are infringed because:

  • someone does not show your name or your work correctly, or
  • treats your work in a way that hurts your reputation.

Infringement
Doing something which is against the law.

Letter of demand
A letter of demand is sent to the person or organisation who has infringed, or breached, someone else’s copyright. A letter of demand tells that person or organisation of your rights and gives them a chance to fix the problem.

Licence
The permission to use material protected by copyright.

Licensee
The person who receives a licence. A licensee has been given permission to use a copyright owner’s work.

Material form
Your ‘real’ original artwork, such as the painting or sculpture or your written music notes.

Moral rights
Moral rights are personal rights that connect the creator of a work to their work. Moral rights are about being properly named or credited when your work is used, and the way your work is treated and shown.

Moral rights infringement
When you have not been properly named or credited when your work is used or if someone has treated your work in a way that hurts your reputation.

Party
A person or organisation that agrees to do something in an agreement.

Physical work
Your ‘real’, original artwork.

Piracy
Illegal use of copyright material.

Right
When the law says that a person can do certain things.

Right of attribution
The right to be shown as:

  • a creator of material protected by copyright, or
  • the performer of a live or recorded performance.

Right of integrity
Your work cannot be treated in any way that hurts your reputation.

Royalties
A payment given to a copyright owner, or creator of a work, when they give permission for their work to be used in public.

Social Networking
A website where people talk together, share ideas, activities and events.

What is Raw Law?

Learn more about these resources developed with Arts Access Victoria.