Resources Copyright cases One-Page Guide to Copyright Law – CopyrightData.com An extensive discussion of why a work might still be in copyright or not with cases and exceptions. Citations and Case Summaries – CopyrightData.com This page hasn’t been updated for a while, but contains a really extensive list of copyright cases. Public domain […]
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Resources Contracts and Clearance Clearance & Copyright: Everything you need to know for Film, Television, and other Creative Content – Michael C. Donaldson , Lisa A. Callif, and Christopher L. Perez Getting Permission – License & Clear Copyrighted Materials – Richard Stim Contracts for the Film & TV Industry – Mark Litwak Downloadable templates in
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Resources This list can help you have some idea if the use of material in your film could be claimed as fair use and the best ways to apply those principles. However, if you are going to be claiming fair use for material in your film, you should also really consider talking to an attorney.
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Resources As of 2024, works published in the U.S. in 1928 or before are in the public domain. In order to determine if a work is in the public domain or not, typically you can check Wikipedia or do an internet search and just make sure that it was published in the current year that
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Protecting Yourself You will want to create a legal entities to regulate your film productions in the form of one or more production companies. This helps to protect the rights and livelihood of each partner in the film’s control structure. Commonly filmmakers would like to have an ongoing company that encompasses multiple projects, while having
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Protecting Yourself When it comes time for post-production, you will need to be able to send a huge list of deliverables to your distributor. The deliverables associated with intellectual property rights will be just one part of that list. (A couple of good articles by filmmakers documenting their trials with deliverables and tips for getting
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Protecting Yourself Since 1978, copyright is automatically granted to any original creative work that is fixed in a tangible form of expression. So, if you create a screenplay or a film in any format (assuming that you created most if not all of the artistic elements), you have copyright. So why go to the trouble
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Protecting Yourself Making an independent film is exciting. You’re creating something wonderful to share with the world, and working with other brilliant people to make your dream a reality. But it’s also full of potential legal headaches. (And possibly also personal relationship headaches.) Here are some tips for security and problem prevention for your film.
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Music is Complex If you want to have a very specific mood set by the film score, you will probably want to hire a composer. The benefits are having a custom made set of music tailored just for your film by a professional. But you will then have to pay attention to a new set
Music is Complex So you might think if you are just at the film festival stage that you don’t have to acquire the licenses to use any copyrighted music in your film. This would generally be wrong. Attorney and former television documentary producer Gregory R. Kanaan notes in an article for MovieMaker that most film
