Okay, we get it. Copyright is complicated and publishers must protect their investments from infringement.

But sometimes, well, publishers don’t have to be such jerks about it.

This headline just about says it all:

A young UK girl who made a Charlie Chaplin tribute video to raise money for a children’s hospice has been hit by publishers for copyright theft.

Ten-year-old Bethany Hare, a young girl from the UK, sang the Chaplin song “Smile” for a short Internet fundraising video.  The video, seen below, was created in order to raise money for Martin House, a children’s hospice in Yorkshire.

The villain in this story, U.S.-based Bourne Music Company, owns the copyright to “Smile.”  The company recently demanded that the copyrighted song be removed from the video.  After Bethany’s mom pleaded with the company, it allowed them to use the song, contingent upon a $2200 fee, in addition to a $280 fee every time they perform it live.  Oh Bourne Music, your generosity is astounding.

To top it off, Bethany used her own money to make the video, money she made playing a child extra in a British soap opera.  Yes, the ten year old spent her own money to create this video.

“Bethany has no savings left,” her mother reported to charity website JustGiving, “and will therefore not be able to afford any fees – we hope you will now appreciate a silent movie instead.”

Coverage on YouTube

By Eric Perrott

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