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<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Great question. Distributing the copies to the talent and production personnel should count but it would likely be considered a distribution to a limited audience. <span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A </span><span id="ydp9e80c53fco_term_1396" style="outline-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; border-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); outline-style: none !important; outline-width: initial !important;">publication</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> is deemed “limited” where “copies of the work are distributed both (1) to a ‘definitely selected group,’ and (2) for a limited purpose, without </span><em style="outline-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; border-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: rgb(33, 33, 33); outline-style: none !important; outline-width: initial !important;">the right of further reproduction, distribution or sale.</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">” (emphasis added)</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences v. Creative House Promotions, Inc., 944 F.2d 1446, 19 U.S.P.Q.2d 1491 (9th Cir. 1991)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><div><div style="border-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; outline-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><br style="border-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: rgb(33, 33, 33); outline-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><br style="border-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: rgb(33, 33, 33); outline-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><div class="ydp9e80c53fcopyWithRefReference" style="border-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); outline-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">§ 7:3. Publication considerations, Copyright Registration Practice § 7:3</div></div></div><br></div><div><br></div>
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On Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 12:56:59 PM EDT, Elizabeth Russell <beth@erklaw.com> wrote:
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">What about the distribution of printed scripts to production personnel? The rehearsal hall is at least a semi public place; the personnel are not a social circle; and the distribution is for
“the purpose of” public performance.</span></p>
<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span>Elizabeth T Russell</span></p>
<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span>beth@erklaw.com</span></p>
<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;"> Copyright <copyright-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Nancy Prager via Copyright<br clear="none">
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 18, 2024 12:44 PM<br clear="none">
<b>To:</b> for Copyright Practitioners <copyright@oppedahl-lists.com><br clear="none">
<b>Cc:</b> Nancy Prager <nancyprager@yahoo.com><br clear="none">
<b>Subject:</b> [Copyright] Publication of a Play for purposes of a copyright application</span></p>
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Dear colleagues....<br clear="none">
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A client has a play in production. The iniital performance date is not the date of publication since public performance is not considered publication. So what is?
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Is a play considered unpublished until someone literally publishes the play (most likely through a licensing arrangement)? </span></p>
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"><br clear="none">
If not, what is considered publication of a play?</span></p>
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">I feel like I have dealt with this before and ended up advising the client to file as an unpublished work but that boggles my mind. <br clear="none">
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Thanks in advance!<br clear="none">
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best,</span></p>
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<p class="ydp296a5adcyiv9398350971MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"><br clear="none">
Nancy </span></p>
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