Rights & Waivers

C

Catz

Member
! Warning - Newbie Question - Warning !

For local commercials or documentaries when do I need to get the people in them to sign a waiver letting me use them in the project? Does it change things if it's a public place, if it's the employees or customers of the company that hires me?

Where can I get the correct waiver forms? If you have them my email is zach@settewongse.com you'll get good Karma points. :)

What about music.

Can you use a certain number of second of a song without getting the rights? Where do you go to ask for the rights? Has anyone done it and how expensive was it? If you use it in a local commercial without permission do you think you'll get busted?

Help :dankk2:
 
re. commercials and documentaries: you definitely need signed clearances from every recognisable person here, if making a program that you intend to sell.

re. music: you definitely need copyright here (in other words, you have to contact the music publishing company and negotiate the price of these rights). They vary according to use.

On my first big documentary, starring the Governator himself, it cost me over 25% of the budget to secure music rights.

It is always worth calling the copyright holder him/herself: Talking Heads gave me permission to use one of their pieces as the linking music because I told them them that I had run out of money at this point—and they liked what they heard about the project.

Catz, I don't know where you live, but if in the U S, just keep in mind that it is the most litigious country in the world. I recommend not risking flouting the law here (and as a copyright holder myself, it's very surely *bad karma* to try to avoid paying for what someone else sweated blood over to create, IMHO).
 
I live on the west coast. I think I'll use a royalty free tracks that I can buy at first and contact the artist if I need to use a song.

Any idea on where I can get right waivers?

Is there actually guidelines from a film governing body anywhere?
 
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