Can I use printed pictures from the internet in my film?

[dr stilly]

These pictures relate to what I talked about in the film, like a wall of pictures and the character lingers on each picture, the camera close ups on the picture too, however these are saved from google. I've seen documentaries do it and get away with it but then I'm told they have fair use policy for educational purposes or something like that...can i get away with it??

 

[Dreadylocks]

ray, your posts make me

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

No one's going to notice

Not so. This is the second thing I notice when I watch indie films . . . hmm . . . did THAT get cleared?

The first thing, of course, is the music.

If I notice, so do festival screeners. Besides, who wants to be asked that question during a Q&A?

 

[JakeSully]

Illicitly obtained?

Pilfered?

Plundered?

Swiped?

Looted?

Misappropriated?

Diverted?

Poached?

Embezzled?

Purloined?

Filched?

Raped?

Oh, no, wait...

 

[dr stilly]

these are pictures that documentaries use regularly by the way, not artistic photography or anything like that but more historic pictures of like pyramids and pictures of ancient cave drawings, archeology...some astrology drawings things like that. im not worried about answering questions as long as im in the festival...cheeky bugger...

 

[NickClapper]

Not so. This is the second thing I notice when I watch indie films . . . hmm . . . did THAT get cleared?

The first thing, of course, is the music.

If I notice, so do festival screeners. Besides, who wants to be asked that question during a Q&A?

You would think that way about photographs stuck on a wall? If you saw a photo of a dog in an indie movie you'd be questioning whether the photo was cleared?

I've had my film screened a couple of times and submitted to a handful of UK festivals and not one has asked me for as much as a location release. Obviously it depends on the scale but I think you've got to be hunting distribution before you start worrying too much about individual pictures.

Spoiler

Obviously it's better to have cleared stuff and your own photos where possible, but the OP suggests that what's done is done and, personally, I think it's not a problem to spend too much time worrying about.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

For the OP, yes, but for those who have yet to start their projects, remember this: If you didn't create it yourself, it belongs to someone else!

 

[Lucky Hardwood]

Hence the use of quotation marks. It was sarcasm

Terribly sorry, I didn't catch the intention there. Now that I know, hehehehehe.

 

[CamVader]

ray, your posts make me

I know you better with this information, Dready.

Anyhow, we live in a world where money is given for product placement and at the same time lawsuits are filed for use of trademark or image. Honestly, if you are making an epic short and want to risk re-cutting your favorite scene, re-releasing it, and pulling every copy of the original that is physically possible and don't have deep pockets - go for it.

It's bad form to use something you're not licensed to use. The more you do it, the worse your odds are in getting away with it.

I'll leave the soap box for the next speaker at this point.