Concerning copyrights...

[Frank Kotora]

I honestly didn't know exactly which forum to post this is, so go ahead and move it if need be.

I am wondering how to deal with copyrighted material in my films, particularly songs and writings. As you can imagine, I have only just begun my film career and the only projects I will be working on in the near future are my own independent, very very low budget nonsense. I don't want to screw up in this day and age messing around with copyrighted material without proper consent, so that's why I'm here.

I intend to use plain ol' songs recorded by various bands as backround music/mood music in my films. These films will not make a profit of any sort, they are simply to give myself more experience and to explore my creativeness. How do I go about contacting the proper authorities to use any given song in my films. Is it even necessary? Will I have to pay anyone? Or perhaps is it only necessary that I acknowledge the bands and the songs that I use?

Also, I plan to use various texts...for example, dialogue from Calvin and Hobbes...probably verbatim. Seeing as how that dialogue is strictly owned by Bill Watterson, how would it be possible to use that same dialogue in my films? Do I need to contact anyone and ask permission? If so, who controls that aspect of Mr. Watterson's work, and how should I go about asking for the rights to use it? Or as in with the songs, do I simply have to make reference to Mr. Watterson and Calvin and Hobbes in the credits?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[Jeff Donald]

Frank, do a search here in the business section, using the name Paul Tauger. Paul is very helpful with his comments and thoughts on copyright matters. If you can't find the exact answer your looking for, please post in an existing thread on this topic.