The Questions

When choosing my questions I tried to find situations that I might find myself in. I intend to work in the video ministry of my church and there are a few situations that can occur. Churches use music by different artists, services are recorded and sometimes televised, and at times, the congregation is used in advertisements. I fell that these questions are relevant for me both while in school and after I graduate. 

1.            I've asked one of my friend's kids to act in my film and the parents have given permission. Do I need to get the license from my local authority?

2.            My documentary doesn't show the contributors I filmed in a very favorable light. I have got all the contributor clearances but could they sue me for the way I presented them?

3.              I've recently discovered that the name of my production company is also being used by an established feature film production company in the US. Is this a problem? What can I do about it?

4.            A character in a film is reading a novel by a famous author. Do I need to get clearances for this?

5.             I have used a brand logo in my film but have disguised it by calling the company a different name (a pun on their name). The design is otherwise identical though. Does this count as a breach of copyright?

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6.            I made a film whilst at film school. It was not part of my course but I did use the school facilities. Does this mean they own the copyright?

7.            My film is loosely based upon a short story that I read. I've credited this in the film but I haven't purchased any adaptation rights. Do I need to?

8.             How can a filmmaker ensure her film doesn't end up being used without her permission, such as being posted by others on YouTube or screened at a festival without having applied?

9.               Music licensing is another big issue for a lot of filmmakers. Are there major differences between clearing archival rights for images and music rights?

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10.          When it comes to archival material, many filmmakers use a combination of resources with some coming from professional sources with fixed rates and standard contracts (such as news archives or footage houses) and others from non-professional sources (such as home movies or photos from the characters in the film). Does a filmmaker need to clear those rights too? What kind of agreement is needed for non-professional sourced material?