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Copyright & Fair Use in Teaching
Publications
The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy
The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy, based on scores of longform interviews with teachers, shows that the fundamental goals of media literacy education—to cultivate critical thinking and expression about media and its social role—are compromised by unnecessary copyright restrictions. As a result of poor guidance, counterproductive guidelines, and fear, teachers use less effective teaching techniques, teach and transmit erroneous copyright information, fail to share innovative instructional approaches, and do not take advantage of new digital platforms. This is not only unfortunate but unnecessary, since copyright law permits a wide range of uses of copyrighted material without permission or payment. However, educators today have no consensus around what constitutes acceptable fair use practices. The report concludes with a call for educators to develop a consensus around their interpretation of their most valuable copyright tool: fair use.
VIEW ALL Fair Use Classroom Tools
Fair Use Language for Course Syllabi[PDF]
In your syllabus, you often have some information on copyright. Here is some language to include in that section, specifically on fair use. This language has been reviewed by lawyers, including law professor Peter Jaszi of American University’s Washington College of Law and Michael Donaldson of Donaldson and Hart law firm, and it has been approved by the University Film and Video Association for use by its members.
Copyright Backgrounder[PDF]
By Michael Donaldson, Esq.
This concise background document describes what copyright is and what can be copyrighted, as well as what material is in the public domain and what is fair useable.
Michael Donaldson is an attorney in Los Angeles, many of whose clients are leading documentary filmmakers. His book, Clearance and Copyright (Silman-James Press, October
2003), from which much of this information has been drawn, is widely regarded as a basic text for documentary filmmakers. Donaldson also contributed his expertise to the Documentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use.
Fair Use Scenarios[PDF]
Here are four scenarios, or hypothetical situations, that a documentary filmmaker might find him or herself facing. The four scenarios are each linked to one of the Statement’s categories. These can be used for classroom discussion, and to inspire you to write other scenarios.
More Information
What’s Fair About Fair Use?
Listen to Pat Aufderheide and Renee Hobbs podcast “What’s Fair about Fair Use? The Rights of the Rest of Us under Copyright” at the ACME Summit 2006.
The Law of Fair Use and the Illusion of Fair-Use Guidelines[PDF]
By Kenneth D. Crews
Videos
April 5 watch · download
Remix Culture (3:51)
There is a ton of new creativity in the user generated space, and much of it builds on unauthorized uses of copyrighted material. In this new era of participatory media, where should we draw the line between infringement and fair use? Take a look at our new video, highlighting some of the ways that existing content is being repurposed. This video is designed to provoke discussion, so please share your thoughts with us on our blog. To download a quicktime version of this video right click here.
September 25 browse
UFVA and Center for Social Media Fair Use Contest Winners
UFVA and The CSM are pleased to announce the winners of the Fair Use Contest. The jury celebrates these films as demonstrating a successful good-faith effort to employ fair use. We were pleased that their makers evidently learned from the Documentary Filmmakers' Statement. We were delighted to note that in some cases, they have boldly and usefully extended the concept.
April 10 browse
Examples of Successful Fair Use in Documentary Film
Filmmakers have been successfully employing fair use, even before the Statement of Best Practices clarified their common understandings. Here are some examples of uncontested choices for fair use. They are organized here according to the principles that filmmakers articulated in the Statement, in the categories used in the Statement. These categories are only four of the most common situations for filmmakers; some uses could be hybrid, and others might fall outside these four categories. We welcome more examples at .
Events
UFVA Fair Use & Free Speech Contest - $500 for best fair use!
CALL FOR ENTRIES- MAY 1, 2008 DEADLINE
- First Place Student: $500 & 1 year membership to UFVA
- Second Place Student: $250 & 1 year membership to UFVA
- Best Faculty Video: $250 & 1 year membership to UFVA
UFVA is hosting a contest for the best short documentaries employing fair use, made by higher education students and faculty.
Fair use is the right, in some circumstances, to quote copyrighted material without asking permission or paying for it. It is a crucial feature of copyright law and what keeps copyright from being censorship.
Entrants must employ fair use in quoting material in their documentaries, using the Documentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use as a guide to their decision-making.
Download Submission Form here.
Download a Flyer here.
The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy
Release of The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy
A new report on copyright and creativity from the Center for Social Media, American University; Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property, Washington College of Law, American University, and Media Education Lab, Temple University
UFVA Fair Use & Free Speech Contest - $500 for best fair use!
CALL FOR ENTRIES- MAY 1, 2008 DEADLINE
- First Place Student: $500 & 1 year membership to UFVA
- Second Place Student: $250 & 1 year membership to UFVA
- Best Faculty Video: $250 & 1 year membership to UFVA
The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy
Washington College of Law, Room 603, 4801 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC