portfolio copyrights?
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- reluct
My former employer doesn not give me permission to publish the work I did for his company on my site. Does anyone know if he has the right to do that?
He used a lawyer and everything... It's two years of recent A-client work, so I'm not very happy with this.
- unknown0
Yes he has the right to do that. You should take a look at your employment papers, but in 99% of the cases while you were working for the company everything you produced is their ownership. That's the main difference between working freelance and working for a company. Although even when you work as a freelancer you still need to ask for permission to use client's work in your portfolio. Don't forget your portfolio brings you money, that's why there are legal restrictions about that.
- reluct0
Thanks boz. I'll just put print outs in a folder then... It really sucks though :( No much chance that I'll be doing work for Sony, Heineken and Nivea as a freelancer I'm affraid...
- unknown0
Well keep the faith man. And by all means look through your employment contract with a lawyer. It might be possible to use it if there is no explicit info that says otherwise.
Btw, everything is possible man, I got Nike for a client back in Europe when I thought it was absolutely impossible. Luck comes when you least expect it. :)
Heads up!
Best,
- reluct0
Thanks for the words of advice. There is nothing in my contract about it. My lawyer said I could use it, but I can't afford another lawyer bill. Still have to pay for this one...
- motivdesign0
Password protect the portfolio section of your site so that only authorized people can see the work you did for your job.
Even if he pretends to be a potential client and finds out, what can he possibly do to you that will inconvenience you other than send you a cease and desist letter?
It's not like he can prove a monetary loss by it or anything, so you can't really get sued.
- newgun0
just put the no no material in your portfolio book. and bring that with you when you go on interviews.
- MrDinky0
i had that in few agencies that i worked for...
so i am missing about 60% of my work in past 7 years...
o well...
- ribit0
you should try working in an industry with high product security like automotive design... you can't show any of the work you do for a manufacturers design studios, especially when the car is still not on released like 2 years after your design work ends...
- reluct0
Hmm that's true ribit. That's why I'm trying to make some money as an independent designer. That will solve most of my problems. (And create new ones of course)
Is Cardesignnews your site? Or is it a site you like to visit? I really love that site. (And not even a car owner!) It's a shame that most of the content is for paying users now... Especially the student work. They could use a wider audience.
- fogle0
hey reluct.
i had a legal contract drawn up that i ask all my clients to sign so that my company gets to display our work in our portfolio section. i know this doesn't much help with what you are going through now, but it could help in the future. email me if you want a copy.jared.
- jevad0
FUCK that mate...put that work up regardless of what you signed. Password protect it or whatever - but even if you did sign something - that's your work buddy - not theirs....
- fogle0
could you, for the time being, just put the names and no artword of your "A" list clients on some sort of list in your portfolio? that way, your potential clients see that you have worked with these people before and you dont totally lose that aspect of it.
when all this confusion over the rights to the designs, etc clears up, then you can post your work on your site.
- reluct0
Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll just use my clientlist and show my work on request only for now.
I'll try again when I have legal insurance :P ehehe.
- ribit0
reluct... I'm producing Car Design News... we had to start the subscription thing to stay in business... there's still a lot of free content on the site though...
It's a very niche market we're targeting, which makes it hard to get a huge audience, and since it's content-driven, we're flat out all the time... (anyone want to buy it?)
- reluct0
I'm sorry to hear that ribit. If I was a cardesigner I would defenitely subscribe, but I'm not. And I agree there is still a lot of free content. I hope the site will stay online :) There are not many resources on that topic.
- lyrek0
hee hee@newgun. 'no no material.'