Under Australian copyright law, as the creator and maker of an original creative work, you have an automatic right to protect your work from individuals and companies copying and reproducing that work.

The following types of work can be protected by copyright:

• artistic works, both tangible and digital, including drawings, paintings, crafts, photographs, engravings, sculptures, cartoons and graphic arts, maps and plans;
• text including books, articles, scripts, poems, song lyrics, reports, newspapers, magazines and journals;
• sound recordings and musical compositions including melodies, tunes and compositions;
• dramatic works including theatre plays, choreography, screenplays and mimes;
• films and broadcasts including TV, radio, podcasts, corporate training videos and digital media productions; and
• computer programs.

NovelIP have conducted many successful copyright investigations involving artistic works, text, sound recordings, music compositions, dramatic works and computer programs. We collect and provide evidence to help you protect your client’s exclusive right to:

• publish the work;
• perform the work;
• reproduce or copy the work;
• adapt the work; and
• distribute or communicate the work to the public by broadcasting via TV or radio or via digital communication channels.

If your client thinks that a copyright infringement or intellectual property rights violation has occurred, Novel IP Investigations can help.

Case Study 3

As part of a copyright infringement investigation, NovelIP attended markets and identified stalls selling pirated video games. One investigator covertly photographed the goods and the person selling them. Our investigator then went back to our vehicle and prepared and printed individually tailored cease and desist letters for each infringement. A second investigator then served the letters and obtained undertakings. The use of two investigators helps to keep our anonymity and allows us to attend the market regularly and confirm that undertakings are being followed.

Case Study 4

Our client was representing the owner of copyright in house plans. They were asserting that their copyright had been infringed in the house plans that another builder was advertising. Our client hadn’t been able to determine who was responsible for the creation of the infringing plans – the building company or the drafting agency. Through a series of email inquiries, we secured an admission from an individual within the building company that they had copied the house plan and were responsible.

Our copyright infringement investigation reports are provided in a format that can be easily transferred into a Statutory Declaration or Affidavit for use by our clients moving forward.

If you would like advice or help with copyright or trademark infringement, please contact us and a trademark consultant will be in contact to discuss a strategy that meets your objectives and budget.