影视作品名称的法律保护

Legal Protection for Titles of Audiovisual Works

影视作品名称受制于表达有限性,很难获得著作权法保护,但目前商标法律制度和《反不正当竞争法》都为影视作品名称提供了保护的可行性路径。注册商标保护的必要步骤是在先通过法定注册程序,以此获得受保护的影视作品名称,保护范围受注册核定使用的商品或服务的类别限制,除非商标已成为驰名商标而获得跨类保护。影视作品名称通过《反不正当竞争法》制止市场混淆行为规定获得保护的前提是该名称已经具有一定的市场影响,但其不严格限定商品或服务类别。司法实践也通过虚假宣传规范保护影视作品名称,但更多的判例则确立了影视作品名称的商品化权益保护思路,在判定侵权时要考虑影视作品名称的知名度、对应性和市场关联性。

Due to limitation of expression,it is difficult for titles of audio-visual works to be protected by copyright law.However,Trademark Law and Anti-unfair Competition Law both provide feasible routes.Trademark protection is premised on registration and its exclusiveness is subject to the designated categories of goods or services unless the mark has been recognized as a well-known one.Titles of audiovisual works may also claim Anti-unfair Competition Law protection against market confusion with no restrictions on category of goods or services,provided that they have acquired certain market influence.Courts also protect titles of audio-visual works through false propaganda regulation,but more often court cases set up the routes for protecting the commercialization rights of the titles of audio-visual works with consideration of the popularity,correspondence and market relevance of the title.