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Public Domain?

R

reserv0ird0g

Whew, copyright laws give me a headache. Been trying to find information on my own, but of course, have had no luck. So I'm hoping someone can help me out on here. :)

I know the general rule is, if it's been published before 1923 then it is in public domain (please do correct me if I'm wrong). Now does this also include foreign books? And is there any website where I could look up a book to see if it is in public domain? (Or how am I supposed to tell if it is or isn't in the public domain) Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
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Thanks mate. And true true... but I'm writing a sort of memoir/biographical historical type movie. I do have permission from actual people to use their stories... but I'm just trying to get permission for a book, if possible. If not possible, then it's all good. Thanks again.
 
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I'm actually pretty sure that a lot of things that were released before 1973 are in the public domain now except obvious stuff that had it's copyright renewed by the big companies that own them, like Elvis music or The Doors etc...
 
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I wasn't completely sure if it was correct. I was reading a book at barnes and noble but I didn't buy it so I can't tell you exactly what the reason was for the cut off. Maybe I'll go back and take another look.
 
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I am pretty sure it's case by case. I am currently filming an adaptation of an H P Lovecraft short story. It was published in 1919. It's public domain because it was published in an amateur publication and his family never renewed the copyright. However some of his stories published in Weird Tales ARE copyrighted because Weird Tales renewed the copyright.
 
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