Copyright Permissions and LipDubs
Hardly a week goes by that some teacher doesn’t ask about the feasibility of using copyrighted music.
What is “fair use”? How do I get permission? Can I even get permission? This doesn’t apply just to LipDubs, but the use of any copyrighted material in any production.
“The probability of even a private citizen being sued for copyright infringement increases all the time. The recent fury over unauthorized copying of music files is the latest instance of copyright holders using the Copyright Act to enforce their rights. In the last few months, multi-national corporations have (even) sued children. If you produce videos that you will sell, broadcast or show in a public setting, it's wise to be concerned about copyright,” says Mark Levy, patent attorney and video producer.
“ ....if the video will be played outside of your classroom, you must obtain “copyright licenses” for the program. “Outside of your classroom” is a clear phrase which may be taken literally. It includes showing the video over the Internet, for example, on Youtube.com or SchoolTube.com,” warns Phil Harris, author of the new Television Production textbook being released this spring.
Stream Semester believes that we must teach our students to comply with industry standards and all the copyright laws and restrictions. Therefore, researching material that they want to include is a key component of that assignment or project. It also teaches them how to reach beyond the classroom, into the real world. By following the proper steps, we teach our students the ethical way to conduct business.
Barry Starlin Britt cautions us, “Don’t base your permission on that given by the artist or composer unless they are the sole owner of the copyrighted music. (Crediting the artist does you no good). You can almost bet that any popular piece of music is not owned by the artist but possibly by many, such as producers, publishers, attorneys and many others. This can be a problem, because you need permission from all parties.”
See our Legal section for all of the information you need to know.
Meet the Author, Barry S. Britt
Barry Starlin Britt is the executive producer and co-founder of Soundzabound Royalty Free Music. After being hired to head up the content and Professional development divisions at Soundzabound, Barry began educating the K-12 educators on various technologies and compliance in 1998.
As an ASCAP member with 20 years of experience in music and digital copyright, Barry also studied professional music at Berklee College of Music in Boston and classical music at Clayton State College in Atlanta. By trade, Barry is a songwriter, producer and instrumentalist who has gone on to ventures in film, video, broadcast, podcasting and web 2.0 applications for education.
Barry lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and daughters.