LibGuides: Copyright: Copyright for Filmmakers

Introduction to Copyright for Filmmakers

Indiana University Bloomington Library has an incredibly comprehensive guide to copyright, including some particularly useful sources regarding copyright for filmmakers. We won't reinvent the wheel. They have sections dedicated to "Original and Adapted Screenplays," "Clips," "Music," and "Buildings, T-shirts, and the Like." Please view this highly useful resource here:

"Copyright for Filmmakers." Copyright, Indiana University Bloomington, accessed April 24, 2023.

In The News

"Disney could soon lose exclusive rights to Mickey Mouse"
Article by Erum Salam at The Guardian, from July 3, 2022. The origin of Mickey Mouse, a 1928 cartoon known as "Steamboat Willie" is due up for entrance into the public domain. Given Disney's history of copyright lobbying, this is an interesting story to follow.
"Why Mickey Mouse’s 1998 copyright extension probably won’t happen again"
Article by Timothy B. Lee at Ars Technica, from January 8, 2018.
"Disney In Washington: The Mouse That Roars"
Article by Alan K. Ota for CNN's Congressional Quarterly, from August 10, 1998. This is an article from around the last time copyright was extended as lobbied for by Disney (among others).

Other Web Resources

Music Copyright for Filmmakers
A July 13, 2021 blog post from the Freelance Video Collective. Summarizes the basic essentials of what you need to know about using copyrighted music in film. The article is primarily focused on productions posted to YouTube.
Documentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use
From the Center for Media & Social Impact, this document explores fair use in documentary filmmaking.
Frequently Asked Questions
A FAQ list from the US Copyright Office.

Copyright

Research and Instruction Librarian

Introduction to Copyright for Filmmakers

Further Reading

In The News

Other Web Resources