Do you want to put famous movie clips in your YouTube or Instagram videos?
Are you hesitant because you know there are steep penalties for violating copyright laws?
First things first: Do you even know what Copyright is?
· It is the law that protects any kind of creative content or expression in the world
· It attaches to the work the moment it is produced in tangible form
· It protects the work from being used or shared except by those who own the rights to the material
· Copyright is especially important for the movie clips you want to use in your videos
· It is important to note that there are 2 exceptions to the copyright law –2 times that you can use copyrighted work or material that is not your own.
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Permission, and
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Fair Use
If you still want to learn how to use movie clips in your videos, then keep reading as I discuss the exception of PERMISSION. (I will discuss the Fair Use exception in future blogs.)
Here are my 5 tips on how to get PERMISSION to use movie clips in your YouTube or Instagram videos:
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Hire a permission specialist
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For a reasonable price and a short amount of time, you can find a company online that can deliver the rights for you to use a movie clip in one of your videos
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Make sure to read the company reviews so you find a reputable company.
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I have used Greenlightrights.com and have found that they have pre-existing relationships with the movie studios which makes the request process easier.
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[Disclaimer: I do not have any affiliation or get any money from mentioning or referring you to Greenlightrights. I just think they are a great company and I want to share it with you.]
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Do-It-Yourself
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Find the copyright holder on your own.
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With the help of the Internet it can be relatively easy.
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When I wanted to use a clip from the movie Jaws, I googled “Jaws Movie Distributor” and came up with Universal Pictures.
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Submit a Written Request to use the movie clip
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Once you identify who the copyright holder is you will need to send a request.
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Each movie studio is different so you will need to research exactly how the company wants you to make your request.
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Watch my video on YouTube lawyer for more about this
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Wait
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You will need to wait at least 4-8 weeks for your request to be reviewed.
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Because of this delay, you will need to plan your videos several weeks in advance and then be prepared to w-a-i-t. I know it can be hard to wait when you have a great idea bursting to be finished, but if you jump the gun and add the video without permission, your great idea may go down in flames.
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I would suggest submitting requests for multiple clips at the same time that will have a similar effect, so if one gets denied the other might be approved.
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Bad news alert: ☹Requests for use of movie clips are routinely denied, so it’s important that you do a lot of planning and you submit early for the clips you want AND make sure you have backup plans.
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Enter into a written licensing agreement.
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If you are lucky enough to get permission from a studio, then you will enter into a licensing agreement to use the movie clip.
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At this point it is wise to hire an attorney to walk through the agreement with you so you understand exactly what you are and are not allowed to do.
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There you have it!! Now you can use those famous movie clips in your videos and make your videos really stand out.