As a performer there are right which protect your performances, however these are slightly different from the other types of intellectual property (IP).
Performer’s right last 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the performance took place. Under the UK law there are two different types of rights for performers; a property right and a non-property right.
The non-property right means that a performer has a right against recordings of live performances made without their permission. These rights cannot be assigned to anyone else and if the right is infringed it is considered a breach of statutory duty.
The property right means rights in authorised copies of their performances. These rights can be assigned or transferred. An infringement of this right can occur if the recording is reproduced, distributed, rented, lent to or made available to the public without permission of the performer. If these rights are infringed it is the same as infringement of any of the other IP rights, so it can be remedies with things like an injunction or damages.
In film making, the performer’s rights are usually set out in the contract. The performer may waiver their rights, assign their rights or licence their rights to the film producer.
You can read more about performer’s rights here and here and here.
The UK Law on performer’s rights can be found here.
Image credit : Veronica Otero Guellin, Bedouin of Palestine, Tahane playing with a pink sheet, 2016: www.veronicaotero.uk
