Capturing footage for presentations - illegal?

Mar 15, 2003
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A non-profit hired me to make a dvd presentation for them, mixing powerpoint slides, tiffs, and video clips from commercially available DVD documentaries..I know how to do the work but asked them about the legality - they claimed that, since it is for non-commercial use, that we would be ok. I'm doing the job but wonder, am I walking into something that could bite me in the butt?
 

AbsolutDealage

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Dec 20, 2002
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Well, in any case, you are being hired by them, so I think the lawsuit would be directed towards the non-profit, not the individual associated with the content creation.

Having said that, I'm not a lawyer.
 

mundane

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Jun 7, 2002
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Originally posted by: oynaz
Get their reply in writing.

I was thinking the same thing, but wouldn't going out of your way to obtain this document imply that you had some suspicion the activities weren't entirely legal?
 

AbsolutDealage

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Dec 20, 2002
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Originally posted by: mundane
Originally posted by: oynaz
Get their reply in writing.

I was thinking the same thing, but wouldn't going out of your way to obtain this document imply that you had some suspicion the activities weren't entirely legal?

He already let that cat out of the bag. Still not a bad idea to CYA.
 

virtuamike

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2000
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If it's covered under fair usage (editorial, satirical, and parody) then no worries. If it's anything else, I'd tread carefully. Non-commercial doesn't make it ok.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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Originally posted by: virtuamike
If it's covered under fair usage (editorial, satirical, and parody) then no worries. If it's anything else, I'd tread carefully. Non-commercial doesn't make it ok.

Would an invoice of sorts, stating the task (capture and encode video from [DVD TITLE]) signed by them be enough to cover my butt? Not that you guys are lawyers, I'm just not getting paid enough to hire one. ;)