Copyright question, How do I film actors playing a video game

A

Angelshare1

Well-known member
I've a got a scene similar to the "know how I know you're gay," scene in 40 year old virgin. Two characters talking playing a mortal kombat type fighting game on a big screen.

I imagine shooting footage of the actual game violates copyright law. Are there stock footage sites that sell video gameplay footage?
 
Most of such stock footage is for "Editorial use only". I had recently such problem - my solution was to create my own footage. I shot the scene with the green template on TV screen and replaced later with another footage (Mocha is very good to do that). Looking back though using green color was a bad decision. I'd rather had actual game on the screen while shooting.
 
Can you produce a mockup of a video game - in the shots, as long as it's fast moving and colourful, you could easily mock up some images, pan and scan them, add objects and get them to lurch around the screen, have all sorts of random on screen text. Add in the sound as an effect track and you are there - this assumes it doesn't have to be a game people will recognise? Then loop it and put that on the monitor and shoot it in the scene.
 
A friend of mine contacted a small local video game company, and got permission (sorry I don't know the name). If you asked Warner Bros to have one of their films play on a TV screen in a shot on your film they'll say no, a local indie filmmaker will probably say yes. Try for a more obscure video game?
 
Contact the game company and ask for permission. I shot a micro budget indie a while back and it wasn't hard getting permission for exactly what you're talking about.
 
There are free/freeware video games, under a variety of licenses. Maybe you can find one to allow you to use your game play footage for free?
 
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