After posting links to Creative Cow's coverage of Copyright and Fair Use, one of the active participants in a discussion group I'm part of posted anther great series of articles on copyright issues faced by those of us making media. The DV Info Net community is known for great material and this five part series is no exception. It answers questions about all the headaches faced when recording material in public places, like what the potential consequences are for background music getting picked up by your DV cams microphone (you won't like the answer). Like the articles from Creative Cow, the DV Info series is not written by a lawyer. However, the topics are covered in a balanced fashion and make for good guidelines in proceeding to make recordings for either audio or video.
Recently in Legal Category
Intellectual property is a frequent topic of conversation for me, especially as it relates to publishing podcasts and video online. There's a great deal of misunderstanding about what constitutes fair use, what constitutes a copyright violation and where the lines are drawn for using any content from music or movies purchased on DVD and CD. Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's legal. Conversely, just because a copyright holder doesn't want you to do something doesn't mean you can't. Creative Cow offers a two-part article series on copyright, fair use and how using other people's intellectual property is done within the confines of the law, relating to creating your own creative works. The first article defines intellectual property rights. The second article goes on to cover some of the finer points of fair use. While these articles are not written by a lawyer and shouldn't be substituted for seeking an official legal opinion, they do cover the topic effectively, providing guidance that may steer you clear of pursing potentially infringing actions.
