Urban Angles: Copyright on Delivered Assets
Copyright and usage are two different things, and property marketing gets them confused often enough to be worth separating.
Copyright versus licence
Under Australian law, copyright in a photograph, a video or a render is a distinct asset from the file you receive. Being supplied a high-resolution image gives you the file and a licence to use it — it does not, on its own, transfer copyright in the underlying work.
What your account is licensed to do is set out in your engagement terms with Urban Angles. If you need those terms confirmed — or need copyright assigned rather than licensed for a particular project — raise it before the shoot rather than after delivery.
The distinction in one table
| Concept | What it means | Who normally holds it |
|---|---|---|
| The file | The image, video or render you download from DREAM | You, on delivery |
| Licence | Permission to use that file, for defined purposes | You, per your engagement terms |
| Copyright | Ownership of the underlying work | The creator, unless assigned in writing |
| Moral rights | The right of attribution and integrity | Always the creator; cannot be transferred |
| Third-party rights | Music, stock, talent inside a video | The respective third-party licensors |
Where this comes up in practice
- A property sells and relists with a different agency, and the imagery is still current
- A builder or developer partner wants to use imagery you commissioned
- A portal or publication asks for supply of the original files
- A brand campaign where the client requires exclusivity or assignment
- Third-party content in a video — music, stock, talent — carries its own licence terms independent of the footage
If assignment is genuinely required
Some corporate and brand engagements need copyright assigned rather than licensed — typically where the client's own contracts require them to own all campaign assets outright. That is a commercial term, agreed in writing before production rather than requested at delivery, because it changes what the work is worth to produce. Raise it at briefing.
Credit and moral rights
The creators of a work hold moral rights, including the right of attribution, regardless of who holds copyright or a licence.
Confirming your position
Contact studio@urbanangles.com or 1300 144 255 with the asset and the intended use. See also Image & Video Usage Rights.
This page explains how these terms are structured — it isn't legal advice. For a binding position on a specific matter, seek your own advice.