Producer can defeat rights of music composer or lyricist
The core of the question, whether the producer of a cinematograph film can defeat the right of the composer of music or lyricist by engaging him; the key to the solution of this question lies in the provisions (b) and (c) to section 17 of the Act reproduced above which put the matter beyond doubt.
According to the first of these provisions, viz., proviso (b), when a cinematograph film producer commissions a composer of music or a lyricist for reward or valuable consideration for the purpose of making his cinematograph film, or composing music or lyric therefore i.e.: the sounds for incorporation or absorption in the sound track associated with the film, which is already indicated, are included in a cinematograph film, he becomes the first owner of the copyright therein and no copyright subsists in the composer of the lyric or music so composed unless there is a contract to the contrary between the composer of the lyric or music on the one hand and the producer of the cinematograph film on the other.
The core of the question, whether the producer of a cinematograph film can defeat the right of the composer of music or lyricist by engaging him; the key to the solution of this question lies in the provisions (b) and (c) to section 17 of the Act reproduced above which put the matter beyond doubt.
According to the first of these provisions, viz., proviso (b), when a cinematograph film producer commissions a composer of music or a lyricist for reward or valuable consideration for the purpose of making his cinematograph film, or composing music or lyric therefore i.e.: the sounds for incorporation or absorption in the sound track associated with the film, which is already indicated, are included in a cinematograph film, he becomes the first owner of the copyright therein and no copyright subsists in the composer of the lyric or music so composed unless there is a contract to the contrary between the composer of the lyric or music on the one hand and the producer of the cinematograph film on the other.