“If my podcast is about a subject (like “Trains”), can I play copyrighted music about trains, like Tom Waits’ “Train song” as part of my podcast?” Short answer: it depends. Generally, you’ll need permission to use copyrighted works in your project. However, there are exceptions to when you can use a copyrighted work even without Read More …
“My film centers around a couple of fast food joints like Mcdonald’s and Burger King and it’s a major theme in the film with their names and logos are often mentioned. Is this okay or do I have to blur these out because of trademark laws?” You should ask for permission to use ant trademark Read More …
“I’m the author of an independent, self-published novel, and I sent copies of it to a number of film studios and production offices to see if they would be interested in optioning it. One studio, which never replied to me, has announced a project with a plot and characters that are very similar to my Read More …
“A character in my film is singing a popular Frank Sinatra song (New York New York). Can I include that in my movie when I post it online? I’m not using the Frank Sinatra version or any copyrighted music (he’s singing acapella).” Section 6 of the Copyright Act says: “The term for which copyright shall Read More …
“I’ve done some photography for a friend for his acting/modeling portfolio. Who owns the rights to these photos? Do I need his permission to use these photos on my website for my photography portfolio? What if I wanted to use the photos I took of him to make a calendar or prints that I want Read More …
“I’m creating a podcast about film music. I don’t have access to many of the composers I’d like to interview, so I’d like to use existing clips of interviews that they’ve already done in my show to feature them talking about their work and composition process. Can I do this or would it be violating Read More …
“A photo of mine that I posted online has been taken and slightly modified by somebody who is claiming it as her own work. What can I do to assert my copyright and ownership of the image I took?” You can register your copyright to assert your ownership over the image, but this is not Read More …