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> Subtitles are a derivative work of that which they are created from and should be covered by that copyright. Even if the subtitles are a translation? There
by snogglethorpe 13y ago
> Subtitles are a derivative work of that which they are created from and should be covered by that copyright.
Even if the subtitles are a translation?
There are usually many possible translations, and the words in translated subtitles were most likely never written anywhere by the dialog copyright holders. [and based on what I've seen, subtitles are often a rather .... loose ... translation to boot...]
- lmm 13y agoStill a derivative work. In the same way that you can take a copyrighted novel and rephrase all the scenes in your own words - and the result is still a derivative, and still can't be distributed without the permission of the copyright holder on the original.
- VMG 13y agoYou can't just translate Harry Potter and sell it or give it away for free. edit: fixed analogy
- gillianseed 13y agoBut the creators/translators of these subtitles weren't selling them, they uploaded them for free. I guess argument could be made that the actual site owner made money from ads (assuming there were ads on the site).
- hussong 13y agoYou can't just translate Harry Potter and distribute it.
- gillianseed 13y agoWell I personally think that translating and distributing spoken dialogue from a film is quite different from translating a distributing a book. It's like song lyrics in my opinion. I realize that it is likely just as illegal according to today's copyright laws, but that something like this would warrant a police raid is just beyond me.
- hnha 13y agothat does not matter at all, you are "stealing" "intellectual property". yeah, those word are a dumb concept.
- icebraining 13y agoI don't know about translations, but in many derivate works, what happens is that the work is covered both by the original copyright and a new copyright hold by the creator of the new work. The creator is still prohibited from distributing the work without securing a license from the copyright holder of the original work.
- coldtea 13y ago>Even if the subtitles are a translation? Yes. Even for a book, you have to buy the rights for your language/country to be able to legally put out a translation.