The owner of a copyright has the right to exclude any other person from reproducing, preparing derivative works, distributing, performing, displaying, or using the work covered by copyright for a specific period of time. Copyrighted work can be a literary work, musical work, dramatic work, pantomime, choreographic work, pictorial work, graphic work, sculptural work, motion picture, audiovisual work, sound recording, architectural work, mask works fixed in semiconductor chip products, or a computer program. Only a concrete "medium of expression" can be copyrighted, facts, ideas, procedures, processes, systems, methods of operation, concepts, principles or discoveries cannot themselves be copyrighted. Items to be copyrighted must be original and not the result of copying another copyrighted property.
Some jurisdictions also recognize "moral rights" of the creator of a work, such as the right to be credited for the work. Moral rights are rights of creators of copyrighted works generally recognized in civil law jurisdictions and, to a lesser extent, in some common law jurisdictions. They include the right of attribution, the right to have a work published anonymously or under a pseudonym, and the right to the integrity of the work. The preserving of the integrity of the work bars the work from alteration, distortion, or mutilation. Anything else that may detract from the artist's relationship with the work even after it leaves the artist's possession or ownership may bring these moral rights into play. Moral rights are distinct from any economic rights tied to copyrights. Even if an artist has assigned his or her rights to a work to a third party, he or she still maintains the moral rights to the work, unless waived.
The Wyoming Waiver of Moral Rights is a legal provision that allows artists, creators, and authors to waive or relinquish certain moral rights associated with their work in the state of Wyoming. This waiver is designed to provide flexibility and freedom for individuals to make decisions regarding their creative works. Moral rights refer to the non-economic rights of an artist or creator, which generally include the right to be attributed as the original author or creator of the work, the right to control the integrity of the work, and the right to object to any distortion, modification, or alteration of the work that could damage the artist's reputation. By opting for a Wyoming Waiver of Moral Rights, individuals can choose to waive or limit these moral rights in their creative works. This waiver gives them the ability to forgo certain rights that may otherwise restrict the usage, alteration, or distribution of their work. It is important to note that while the Wyoming Waiver of Moral Rights allows artists to give up these rights, it is not applicable in all situations and has certain limitations. It may not override certain statutory protections or apply to certain works involving specific subject matters, such as architectural works. There are different types of Wyoming Waiver of Moral Rights that individuals can choose from based on their specific needs: 1. Limited Waiver of Moral Rights: This type of waiver allows the artist to retain some moral rights while waiving others. It may provide flexibility in deciding which moral rights to waive and which ones to maintain. 2. Universal Waiver of Moral Rights: This waiver relinquishes all moral rights associated with the creative work, providing maximum freedom for the work to be used, modified, or distributed without any requirement for attribution or consent. 3. Conditional Waiver of Moral Rights: In certain cases, an artist may choose to waive their moral rights under specific conditions or circumstances. This type of waiver allows the artist to retain some control over their work but provides flexibility for certain uses or modifications. It is essential for artists and creators to understand the implications of a Wyoming Waiver of Moral Rights before opting for it. Seeking legal advice or consulting an attorney is highly recommended comprehending the full scope and impact of such a waiver on their creative works.
