Copyright and Clearances (Introduction)

One of the most important responsibilities of every filmmaker is ensuring that their project has the legal rights and permissions necessary for public exhibition. Whether your goal is to submit your film to festivals, distribute it online, broadcast it, or pursue commercial distribution, your production must be properly cleared before it can be shown publicly.

In general, if you want to use something that belongs to someone else, you must obtain permission. This includes a person’s likeness, private property, artwork, music, photographs, trademarks, logos, written works, recordings, and other forms of intellectual property. Obtaining the appropriate releases, licenses, and permissions during production is far easier and less expensive than attempting to secure them after the film has been completed.

Failure to obtain the necessary clearances may prevent your project from being accepted by film festivals, broadcasters, streaming platforms, distributors, insurers, or other public exhibition venues. In many cases, an uncleared project may be limited to classroom use only.

The information provided in this handbook is intended to introduce the most common clearance requirements encountered during student productions. It is not exhaustive and should not be considered legal advice. If you have questions regarding copyrights, licensing, or legal clearances, consult Production Services before filming or using protected materials in your project.

This guide is intended to give you a general idea of what is needed in the way of clearances. It is not intended to be comprehensive nor should it be construed as legal advice.