Fair Use for Documentary Films

NH Entertainment Lawyer Jon M. Garon's latest Filmmaking 2.0 column is "Fair Use for Documentaries." Writes Garon,

"For documentary filmmakers to accurately depict their stories, they invariably need to rely on copyright’s fair use provisions significantly more than other filmmakers. This is particularly true if the documentary focuses on literary or visual works or incorporates copyrighted materials as background content..."

The column cover fair use basics, then takes a closer look about films whose subject is about media and culture, as well as background content. He also recommends the resources available from American University's Center for Social Media's Documentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use.

Filmmaker's Book is Updated for Social Media and Changing Economy

Rapid changes in the economy and within social media has prompted New Hampshire entertainment attorney and Hamline University Law Professor Jon Garon to substantially update his popular filmmaker's handbook, The Independent Filmmaker's Law and Business Guide: Financing, Shooting, and Distributing Independent and Digital Films, to address strategies for financing film, completing principal photography, and obtaining distribution.

Newly updated and expanded, this second edition explores concepts such as executing a digital distribution strategy through the use of YouTube and "webisodes," the importance of international distribution, and legal issues particular to documentaries. Six handy appendixes provide sample contracts, copyright circulars, Documentary Filmmakers' Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use, studio contact information, and more.