For instance, if you were making a documentary on something like depression disorder or Alzheimer's disease, would you have to cite the facts that you presented in the film at the end of the movie (like in the credits) the same way you would do on the works cited page at the end of a research paper for a class? I'm in the process of trying to make a documentary (not on depression o Alzheimer's) and would like to discuss facts that I will be getting out of a book, but would like to steer clear of legal trouble. Do I need the author of the book's permission to even include information in my film? Do authors own information? Essentially they must have gotten the facts from someone else, and so on. Any helps or tips would be GREATLY appreciated!
how does citing information legally work when making a documentary?
- Thread starter ShawnMichael
- Start date
Do more research - that's the primary job of a documentarian, after all. Did you go through the bibliography of the book? Go through all of that information to find out if that's where the author found the information you want to cite.
Next, you should consult with someone who actually knows the answers to your questions, an entertainment attorney or someone similar.
Next, you should consult with someone who actually knows the answers to your questions, an entertainment attorney or someone similar.
1. Generally, documentary makers don't just read a scientific paper (from a scientific journal) to camera, they would interview an expert in the field who would give their opinion, which in turn would be based on years of reading various scientific papers. Providing you get a signed clearance from the expert you interview, you're covered. If, for some bizarre reason, you do just read a scientific publication to camera, then you could be infringing copyright and should take professional advice.
2. Ultimately, documentaries are entertainment, not scientific documents. You can present anything you like as fact, whether it is or it isn't. As a documentary filmmaker you are presenting your opinion (and that of whoever you interview). You could present a fact by stating that so and so scientist demonstrated this or that theory/fact in such and such a paper but it's entertainment, not a university essay, you don't have to Harvard reference it. The only thing you might have to be careful of is defamation.
G