Legal

Adhering to media laws will help you avoid legal battles due to copyright infringement or lacking consent to use a person's image or property. Observing the laws and acquiring the proper signed contracts will save your production time and money.

Sub-categories

Attack on the Drones! Is Shooting with a Drone Camera Legal?

tkohfeld - Wed, 07/10/2013 - 12:06pm

Radio-controlled drones have revolutionized the video industry. But after the United States government's use of drone technology in Iraq and Afghanistan, drones are under a huge legal and ethical microscope.
Star Wars Spin-off: May the Force be with... Whom?

Jennifer O'Rourke - March 15th, 2013

Once the Star Wars franchise was sold to Disney, the spin-off genie was destined to be let out of the bottle. The popular Star Wars saga is going to have two familiar characters developed into their own movie spin-offs - is there a possible second and third franchise in the future?
Maintaining a YouTube Following

Jordan Claverie - Tue, 02/26/2013 - 8:21am

Once upon a time, in a small city in Canada there was a young boy who could really sing. In another place in time, he would have gone through years of struggling and frustration to be discovered. This young boy posted videos on YouTube and was discovered by a talent agent. His name is Justin Bieber. There have been hundreds of YouTube sensations from singing stars to political pundits to Chinese language teachers who have not only generated millions of followers, but some have also produced significant salaries.
Ken Burns Wins Legal Rights to not Give Up Documentary Footage

Jennifer O'Rourke - February 22nd, 2013

Ken Burns won a battle this week for journalistic rights and won't have to give up his footage to New York City. The well-known award-winning documentary filmmaker was subpoenaed to give up outtake footage from his documentary "The Central Park Five" about a high-profile rape case focused on five men wrongly accused and convicted for the crime another man admitted to. The judge denied NYC's request.
RED Sues Sony with Patent Law Concerning CineAlta Cameras

Jackson Wong - February 19th, 2013

RED makes excellent cameras. Sony makes excellent cameras. RED says the Sony CineAlta cameras PMW-F5, PMW-F65, and F55 embody RED's cameras and are an infringement on the RED's patent.
Documentary Tip Answers the Question - Do I Really Need to Use Release Forms?

Jackson Wong - December 31st, 2012

Do I Really Need to Use Release Forms? The answer is YES; if you're making a documentary that uses a person's image or voice, you need to be sure they sign a release form, plain and simple.
9 Copyright Laws Every Video Producer Should Know

mhageman - Fri, 12/21/2012 - 3:38pm

Copyright law is federal law and does not vary from state to state. It protects your video and every individual piece of that video. The protection occurs automatically and immediately when the video is fixed in a tangible medium.
Stunt Videos - Don't Try this at Home

mhageman - Wed, 11/07/2012 - 8:00am

If you're interested in creating videos of actors performing stunts, playing with fireworks, or anything else, beware of the legal consequences of your actions.
Recording in Public Places and Your First Amendment Rights

mhageman - Wed, 10/10/2012 - 2:00am

Ever since video cameras became accessible to the masses, there's been grand debate on what one can or cannot record while in public.
10 Places to Find Music for Wedding Videos

mhageman - Thu, 10/04/2012 - 8:00am

Adding the right background music can transform your wedding video into a memorable, professional project.