There's a certain well-known Youtube video, that I've somehow managed to incorporate into one of my sitcom episodes. I was wondering, if I wanted to show one of my characters watching it on their computer, would it be free to use, or would there be copyright issues? The video doesn't feature any people, just two animals.
Yes they're would definately be a copyright issue. You would have to get the shows lawyers to clear it or you can't use it. You could always do you're own version aswell.
Okay, thanks. Do you think I'd haveany trouble, asking the producers to clear it? It's actually an integral part to what is by far the best episode I've written.
is there a way you could recreate it? Even with puppets??? Make it a lot easier as you would need to get permission.
Actually, I thought about recreating it, and realised it would be almost impossible. Also, I thought it would be cool to use the original, as it's a pretty famous video. I wanted people watching it to turn to their family/friends and say, "Oh, I've seen that video!".
Clearing is just the producers and the show's lawyers contacting the person who owns the copyright of the video and asking if they can use it usually by paying them. YouTube may have a license to the material so you could also ask them.
Arrested Development - Star Wars Kid. *ahem* etc, etc.
Quote: catskillz @ October 8, 2007, 5:37 PMThere's a certain well-known Youtube video, that I've somehow managed to incorporate into one of my sitcom episodes. I was wondering, if I wanted to show one of my characters watching it on their computer, would it be free to use, or would there be copyright issues? The video doesn't feature any people, just two animals.
I believe the situation is that if you deliberately captured it (i.e. chosen for the clip to be there, rather than say filming a documentary in which it just happened to be on) you would have to get clearance.
If you haven't seen it yet, I'd definitely recommend watching the Screenwipe special on TV production: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOPIbb8ZjA
Charlie Brooker briefly touches upon clearance at 3:30 into the video - the basic summary being it can be very, very expensive (£500 a clip). Admittedly that's proper TV rather than a YouTube clip though.