copyright malarkey

[MrStevie]

I've made a couple of dv films which I plan to send to festivals and perhaps upload to film sites. But what do I do about copyright? I haven't got a clue about this subject, so I'd really appreciate anyone's help on this. I can tell you that everything I shot was entirely original, except for some television footage - 2 or 3 second clips of news broadcasts, weather, sport, etc. (The context is that my character is watching television, channel-surfing.) The music is my own.

Cheers.

[MrStevie]

Thanks for your message, Paul, but would you have any idea what I would search for on the net? Yes, I'm that helpless. And does it matter that I don't want to make money from my films? Or am I going to have to write to, say, ITV and ask 'I've got a 2-second clip from one of your news broadcasts in my short film - do you mind?'?

[davidsanction]

If you use footage that is generic enough then you won't have any problems. For example, if the news report was didn't contain shots of the presents or reporters, nor any identifying logos.

Brass Eye, for example, uses BBC news footage (e.g. Peter Sissions supposedly getting oral sex) but I doubt they got permission from the Beeb or Sissions to use this. It's probably covered under fair-use or commentary clauses in the copyright laws.

You can also buy stock footage of this type, although you probably wouldn't want to do that. Also, try asking ITN for some stock generic news report footage and they might be willing to oblige.

[Curtin-Parloe]

As far as I know, if you have anything recognisable in your film then you must get permission! I'm sure I read on this board about a film which featured a poster of another film on a wall in the background, and the other film stopped its release!

As for the copyright of your own film, I think you're covered as soon as you've made it, but I'm sure there are places on the net where you can find out.

cheers

Paul

[Curtin-Parloe]

Mr. Stevie (what's your first name)
Davidsanction sounds plausible enough to me.

The other alternative is to make your own spoof shows and have your character watch that. Of course both options may involve reshoots (drat!)

Anyway, here's some stuff from my favorites(sic) list on copyright.
What a great guy I am
http://filmmaking.about.com/cs/copyrightlaw/index.htm
http://www.cyberfilmschool.com/columns/berry_9.htm
http://www.cybercollege.com/tvp066.htm
http://www.cybercollege.com/tvp067.htm

cheers

Paul

[MrStevie]

Cheers, guys!

[austintash]

Example: You could take some footage of Fiona Bruce reading the BBC 6 o'clock news in her nursery school style, and have one of your characters say over the images "Why does Fiona Bruce read the news in a nursery school style?" Or, alternatively, they could say something like: "Why is Fiona Bruce such a daft cnut?" Relevant, incisive comments like that are the type of thing covered as "commentary/fair use".

When all those news reports carried clips from the *!$ BRASS EYE $!* paedophile special, they didn't have to ask Channel 4 for permission since it was reportage, etc. Blah, blah, fcuking blah.

Austen Tassletine