Copyright question (UK - but might apply elsewhere)

[Fiendish Astronaut]

I've been reading the Copyright, Design and Patents Act and photographs are deemed as artistic work.

Copyright law is that my work is copyrighted for 50 years after my death (to end of calender year) OR 50 years after the work is made available to the public.

However...

"If the work is computer-generated neither of the above provisions applies and copyright expires at the end of the period of 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made."

Okay so am I right in considering my digital images to be computer-generated? And if so, does that mean that my film images have a potentially longer copyright?

Okay, 50 years is still a long time and this may not be much of an issue for now and probably will never be; but I'm interested all the same.

EDIT: I am clearly not a lawyer. Please don't use the info here as 100% accurate; I could be completely mistaken.

 

[Fiendish Astronaut]

BTW - and please correct me if this is wrong as I haven't looked too closely - it looks like the US copyright laws are 70 years after the author's death or for a company: 120 years after creation and 95 years after publication whichever is sooner.

If I create a work in the UK, does anyone know which law applies to those people wanting to use my work in the US? Is it US law?

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Copyright Law is a minefield and you are best advised to consult a lawyer specialising in this area to get a definitive answer.
That being said, the law which applies to copyright is the one that prevails in the Country in which you take the legal action (and would normally have to be the one in which the breach of copyright occurred).
If you sue someone for breach of copyright in the US then you use a US court and the US law applies. .
You also have to consider International Copyright agreements which might allow you to pursue the case in your own Country.
If a US based company wishes to use your work then it is best to stipulate in the contract which laws apply and the precise terms of the agreement.
There is at least one law firm in London which deals primarily with Artists and who specialise in all of this (Collyer-Bristow in Holborn are one).

Computer generated work is generally defined as work created wholly by computer. Digital images are classed as being lens-based images and so are different.

 

[Fiendish Astronaut]

Cheers Hertz. Haven't got any specific issues - just curious.

 

[skieur]

Computer generated refers to graphic art or 3D work that has been created and then rendered on a computer such a CGI work. It would get rather complicated when graphic art is mixed with photographic shots.

skieur