Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-19
FEW MOVIE PLAYS
ARE COPYRIGHTED
Producers and Authors Seem
to Pay Little Attention
to the Subject.
new LAW MAKES 1T EASY
TO REGISTER SUCH WORK
Distinction Is Made Between See
narios With Plot and Those
Without One.

Persons who fight their way through the
crowds that are constantly going in and
out of the moving picture theaters of
Washington who think Gf they think
about it at alb that the copyright Office is
probably being deluged by the registra-
ton of such plays have surprise in
store for them
No such situation exists. Notwithstand-
ing the constant increase in the number
of moving picture theaters, and the in
cfeasing production of such plays and
films, the copyright office, since last Au-
gust "a, when the new copyright law
went into effect, has received from all
over the United States only 500 applca-
lions for the registration of copyright on
photoplays and sixty-one applications for
registration of copyright on motion pic
lures other than photoplays
The law recognizes a difference between
the two, the photoplays being the moving
picture with a scenario or story of con-
nected plot, and the motion pictures
other than photoplays" just what their
name indicates-that is, motion pictures
without connected plots.
These figures were given to a reporter
for The Star today by Thorvald Solberg,
register of copyrights in the Library of
Congress, who is now engaged in making
up his annual report. Mr.. Solberg was
! authors and producers are ayailing them
selves of their legal right to protect their
| work by copyright.
Few Photo-P1ays Registered.
'On the contrary" he said. Judging
| from the figures l have given. and what
| We know of the size Of the moving pic
ture industry.
I'VE register in this office every year
something like 10000 claims to copy
right OF these photo-plays and moving
pictures are the smallest in number of
any group.
the registration of scenarios by people
i who do not understand that the film
| must accompany them. The law requires
| that the film must accompany the appli-
| cation with one print taken from each
scene or act. if the work be motion pic
| ture photo-play.' and a title and de-
| scription. with not less than two prints
taken from different sections of COM
plete motion picture if the work be a
| motion picture other than a phto-play'
I Sometimes Mr.. Solberg continued,
I'VE get double claim. A publisher or
| producer sometimes sends in the claim
| and the author does also. In such cases
| we write asking whether the double claim
| caution In behalf of claimants to copy
right but we do not pass on the merits
of legal questions. These are for the
| courts.
These motion picture films are each
1 SO snall-about the size of a postage
| stamp-that We cannot tell whether there
have been Implications. by cursory ex-
| animation. There is very likely dupica-
ton of the subject matter in the seen
arios, there are SO many of them being
/ written and filed all the time.
/ why mora persons do not avail them
selves of their privilege of copyright of
motion pictures and photo plays do not,
of course, know. The new law is very
plain, as against the old one. which was
quite complicated.
Provisions in New Law.
Under the new law. if an author wants
to copyright his production he must
place a notice on it that it is copyright
ed That is a precedent. He must do
that before coming to US. But II he de-
sires record to establish his right in
case he ever wants to sue for an in
frngement he must show that he has
been to US and has received q certificate
of record. He must register with us.
( The law says that there shall be
prompt registration. The word prompt
Is the word used. II an applicant for
| copyright lives in Washington or Balti-
more prompt would mean that he ap-
plies for his certificate Of registration
!
| word copyrighted on his production. If
he lives in Alaska, two years. SO far as
some parts of that territory are concern
| ed, could be considered as prompt If.
| however. an author Is not as prompt as
he can be he runs the risk involved that
some one else will come along and pro-
duce certificate that he has registered
q copyright in advance Of the man who
is not prompt on the production the lat
ter wishes to copyright"
Mr.. SOlberg added that the copyright
law which went into effect last August
has greatly facilitated the work Of his
office. Before the new law there were
thirteen different pieces Of legislation In
regard to copyrights. A group OF famous
authors and prominent publishers. how
ever. succeeded in getting the law
changed and made simple and protective
They were added by the late Seantor
Platt Mark Twain and William Dean
Howels were among them. as weu as
Edmund Clarence Stedman. when the
latter was president Of the Authors Copy
right League.