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I'm thinking of giving up on my major Feature because of licenses/copyright

I'm midway complete with my Feature Length film I've worked so hard on and day by day it's getting more popular.

The only problem is, I went into getting the film without any knowledge or care about getting the proper licensing and copyright info before making the film. And I think I'm treading along very dangerous ground now but I don't know.

My official facebook page now has around 13,000 fans, and they're all anticipating this pretty large indie film i've been working on. Unfortunately, there is a ton I messed up on.

My dad is a lawyer, so he has been helping me a lot of the way with contracts for the cast to sign but I didn't even think about, until the last minute, about a Production Company. I recently (When almost 90% completed with the project) made up a copyright name for the movie trailer without thinking twice if it was in use or not. The movie trailer now has around 42,000 views on youtube and I'm like "Shit, it's gaining too much ground to be brought down now" so I'm still leaving it up. Generally people come up with Production Company names, get the proper licensing for them, with film insurance, during the Pre-Production stages of a major feature, and then when signing the cast, they sign the cast to the production company as well as insurances, etc. but I didn't think about that at all during the Pre-Production stages, I just jumped straight into the film. I've also released pics from the film without any copyright symbol on them protecting my rights for the film. So if film festivals catch that, they most likely will not let me use the film because they take that stuff extremely seriously. Especially at Sundance.

I also didn't get a copyright for my film until just recently as well. So after all that time of releasing pics, setting up a website, etc, I just compulsively did it all without copyright, patents, etc. Even though my dad's a lawyer, he and I have no idea if that stuff is serious or not.

Maybe I'm just overthinking all of this, but I think once your film starts gaining some serious ground commercially, you better start worrying about copyrights, patents, etc, or you are in some deep dog shit.

Opinions? Should I just drop the project? Or is it not too big of a deal? Especially since I now have obtained a copyright for my film, and am in the works of patenting a production company
 
You're definitely overthinking it.

Get as many actor releases as you can get, but as for everything else, don't worry about it. You don't need a registered production company, or trademarks, or patents, or even an original film title to get into festivals. Look up the film Escape From Tomorrow, which by the way played at Sundance. They didn't have any rights to shoot that film at Disneyland and Disney World.

I shot my entire feature with only actor releases and I played at film festivals around the US and world. I had logos and names of businesses in my shots, etc. Didn't even register an LLC, but none of that mattered.

Now let's say you DO get into a big festival and now someone wants to buy your film. THEN you'll need to start worrying about that stuff, but there are literally companies that take care of all of that for you at that level. And you'll be able to afford it because you've got a successful film now.

Just learn from it, and plan better next time.

Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64WGwD6VIhI
 
Just make sure that you don't use someone else's music without a release. If you don't have money to pay licensing fees, work with smaller, up-and-coming bands that will be willing to let you use their music in exchange for a credit & thanks. And be sure to get that permission in writing.

Beyond that, yeah I agree with moonshieldmedia that you're over-thinking it.
 
I'm midway complete with my Feature Length film I've worked so hard on and day by day it's getting more popular.

The only problem is, I went into getting the film without any knowledge or care about getting the proper licensing and copyright info before making the film. And I think I'm treading along very dangerous ground now but I don't know.

My official facebook page now has around 13,000 fans, and they're all anticipating this pretty large indie film i've been working on. Unfortunately, there is a ton I messed up on.

My dad is a lawyer, so he has been helping me a lot of the way with contracts for the cast to sign but I didn't even think about, until the last minute, about a Production Company. I recently (When almost 90% completed with the project) made up a copyright name for the movie trailer without thinking twice if it was in use or not. The movie trailer now has around 42,000 views on youtube and I'm like "Shit, it's gaining too much ground to be brought down now" so I'm still leaving it up. Generally people come up with Production Company names, get the proper licensing for them, with film insurance, during the Pre-Production stages of a major feature, and then when signing the cast, they sign the cast to the production company as well as insurances, etc. but I didn't think about that at all during the Pre-Production stages, I just jumped straight into the film. I've also released pics from the film without any copyright symbol on them protecting my rights for the film. So if film festivals catch that, they most likely will not let me use the film because they take that stuff extremely seriously. Especially at Sundance.

I also didn't get a copyright for my film until just recently as well. So after all that time of releasing pics, setting up a website, etc, I just compulsively did it all without copyright, patents, etc. Even though my dad's a lawyer, he and I have no idea if that stuff is serious or not.

Maybe I'm just overthinking all of this, but I think once your film starts gaining some serious ground commercially, you better start worrying about copyrights, patents, etc, or you are in some deep dog shit.

Opinions? Should I just drop the project? Or is it not too big of a deal? Especially since I now have obtained a copyright for my film, and am in the works of patenting a production company

You havent mentioned for what? doesnt really matter find it afterwards. all those people are defeatist. truth is most films dont matter so no one will care. if they do they will bargain with you to have their product or whatever in it.
 
Especially since I now have obtained a copyright for my film, and am in the works of patenting a production company
Talk to your dad again. You cannot patent a production company. You
cannot copyright a name. Get releases from the cast immediately. Use
your own name. You do not need a copyright symbol on pictures.
 
You only have a (possible) problem if you violated someone else's copyright.
You don't have a problem if you didn't put a c in circle on your pictures.

Don't panic.
Just breathe...
 
Just make sure that you don't use someone else's music without a release. If you don't have money to pay licensing fees, work with smaller, up-and-coming bands that will be willing to let you use their music in exchange for a credit & thanks. And be sure to get that permission in writing.

Beyond that, yeah I agree with moonshieldmedia that you're over-thinking it.

The first part is correct, the second part is incorrect, "credit & thanks" is never appropriate and it's extremely unprofessional. Musicians, composers, sound engineers ect... put a lot of time and money into their craft. Whether they have a name or not does not change that fact. If they're good enough to be in your film they're good enough to be paid for it. By not paying someone you are literally saying that they are worth nothing and that's incredibly insulting. Not to mention, why would you want someone to work for you if they're not worth something to you? I wouldn't "hire" a doctor that would gladly accept "credit & thanks", would you? And finally, "thanks" doesn't pay the rent, these people have to dedicate time that might be otherwise spent productively.
 
Not to mention, why would you want someone to work for you if they're not worth something to you? I wouldn't "hire" a doctor that would gladly accept "credit & thanks", would you? And finally, "thanks" doesn't pay the rent, these people have to dedicate time that might be otherwise spent productively.
I work for "credit & thanks" often. It is not insulting to me when
asked to do a favor. I have asked people to donate their time, shills
and talent for "credit and thanks" many times. They do not find it
insulting. I even know doctors who treat people for "credit & thanks"
when they can.

Every once in a while I meet someone who feels it's incredibly insulting
to be asked to donate their times and skill and experience. I understand
saying no (I do often) and I understand not wanting to dedicate time
that might be otherwise spent productively (I turn down non-paid work
for paid work all the time) but I do not understand feeling incredibly
insulted by being asked.

I feel that people I ask to work for "credit & thanks" are worth a LOT
to me. I would never ask such a big favor of people whose skill, talent
and dedication is not worth something to me.
 
I agree with Rik on that. I have done favors for people in the past and know others in the business who have done the same. Some have donated equipment. You still have to make a living and as long as it doesn't interfere with you paid jobs, people have volunteered their time.
 
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