Creator and first owner

The author or creator of any work is also known as the first owner of the copyright or any written (including software and databases) theatrical, musical or artistic (including photographic) works.

However, when any work or creation is made by an employee in the course of his or her employment, or may be in some situations, two or more people may be joint authors and joint owners of the copyright, can be an exception to the above.

In the case of a film, the principal director and the film producer are joint authors and first owners of the copyright (and the economic rights). Similar conditions apply to those referred above, where the director is employed by someone.

In the case of a sound recording the author and first owner of the copyright is the record producer, and in a broadcast, the broadcaster; in the case of a published edition, the publisher is the first owner of the copyright.

Copyright like physical property, can be bought or sold, inherited or otherwise transferred, wholly or in part. If an owner of the copyright decides to sell or transfer his/her copyright there would need to be a written, signed contract stating a transfer has taken place which is known as assignment. Therefore, some or all of the economic rights may subsequently belong to someone or another party other than its original creator or first owner.

In contrast, the moral rights that give the authors of literary, dramatic, musical, artistic works and film directors the right to be identified themselves remain with the author or director or passed on to his or her successor on death. Such moral rights will last as long as copyright lasts, unless the creator did not give up his moral rights.