Copyright Permission and Fair Use

Indie Filmmaker’s journal: Part Three.  

As we learned more about copyrights and trademarks.  We looked around as we filmed, doh, almost every thing is property owned and controlled.  Making a copy of it, even not intentionally copying it could be copyright infringement.  What about Fair Use?

“We’re almost ready to do the interview.  Sound check good.  Could you turn off your CD player.”
“Why. Can’t you hear me?”
“Hear you fine.  You are playing Zappa’s “Apostrophe” album.  If we tape his doing “Stink Foot” as background to your interview, we could have a copyright problem.”
“Oh, Okay.  Stink Foot is Zappa’s best.”
“Yeah I know. One more thing.  Could you move to your right a couple of steps.  We need to get the “Big Lebowski” movie poster out of the frame.”
“Okay, moving to the right.” 

Fair Use is an important limit on copyright owner’s rights.  Deciding if  a copyright protected work is fair to copy or film is more artful than a science.  No clear and agreed upon guidelines.  There are four factors to consider.