Posted on August 3, 2010 in Contracts and Law, Internet, Legal & Copyright | 1 Comment
Margaret Gould Stewart, YouTube’s head of user experience, talks about how the ubiquitous video site works with copyright holders and creators to foster (at the best of times) a creative ecosystem where everybody wins.
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Posted on April 14, 2010 in Contracts and Law, Legal & Copyright, Marketing | No Comments
Although film is an expressive art form, it is also an increasingly international and highly commercial business. As a result, filmmakers should be very selective regarding choices to use a third party’s property—copyrighted works, trademarks, readily identified individual names or corporate names—without express permission. Permission is not always difficult to come by. Without the express permission, the errors and omissions insurance may be drafted to exclude any liability for the use of such content, and the lack of coverage may discourage distributors or exhibitors from buying or showing the work.
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Posted on January 17, 2010 in Legal & Copyright | 2 Comments
Mark Galsor and Jesse Saivar tackle the question of what’s legal when dealing with fictional characters from other movies.
…Q: My company is producing a film which has a character that is taken from another very well known film. This new story has absolutely nothing to do with the previously established film, is not [...]
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Posted on November 29, 2009 in Contracts and Law, Legal & Copyright | No Comments
By Jon M. Garon
Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell, PC
Despite the short-term glut in the market, documentaries have become an increasingly important part of the film industry as well as tools of public discourse. Since documentaries only rarely receive national theatrical distribution, audiences do not treat nontheatrical distribution as an aesthetic judgment against the film. They expect [...]
Posted on July 22, 2008 in Legal & Copyright | No Comments
by Dina Appleton & Daniel Yankelevits
Q: I am interested in writing a sequel to someone else’s movie. I was wondering, do I need permission from the original filmmakers, or can I just write the screenplay and market it as one of my own spec scripts?
Margaret C., Far Hills, NJ
A: Dina Appleton & Daniel Yankelevits respond: [...]
Posted on July 15, 2008 in Legal & Copyright | No Comments
Entertainment Attorney Mark Litwak helps writers navigate the tricky legal issues involved when portraying real life stories with this educational FAQ.
…Question: What are the legal issues pertaining to writing a screenplay based on someone’s life story? What rights need to be secured, etc.? Is it advisable to engage an attorney prior to any discussion [...]
Posted on July 13, 2008 in Legal & Copyright | 1 Comment
by Evan Smith
To steal someone’s car, money, parking space – that’s low. But to steal someone’s story? A little made-up tale? A hundred pages of FADE IN here and CUT TO there? Is that even stealing?
Um, how can we put this – YES, DAMMIT! It is! Stealing of the worst kind! Because many hours have [...]
