[Videolib] copyright question: fair use or not?

Jessica Rosner (jrosner@kino.com)
Thu, 01 Jul 2004 10:33:44 -0400

Well this one is kind of like dancing on the head of pin but personally I
doubt it qualifies to either the letter or intent but I would need a little
more detail. It SOUNDS more like an orientation activity than an actual part
of course instruction. If for instance they were going to watch say BOWLING
FOR COLUMBINE & discuss violence in American Culture or ANN FRANK REMEMBERED
& discuss tolerance & diversity these are not really part of any
academic instruction but again more of a orientation activity. IF on the
other hand they were watching the SAME films , discussing various techniques
of documentary film making and writing a short paper regarding some aspect
of same it would seem to me to be an ACADEMIC activity and part of a course
as specified in the law ( albeit a brief one)

In reality no one is going to "catch" you but the question to ask is if
this is truly intended as an ACADEMIC activity or an orientation event.

Over all this reminds me too much of when I get calls from Universities
Churches, Non Profit groups etc who say that they are having a LECTURE
with the film and there will be a DISCUSSION with the film so they think
they should not have to pay for it. Your situation is definitely different
but you do have to look closely at it

Have fun

-- 
Jessica Rosner
Kino International
333 W 39th St. 503
NY NY 10018
jrosner@kino.com
212-629-6880


> From: "Maureen Tripp" <Maureen_Tripp@emerson.edu>
> Reply-To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu
> Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 09:25:01 -0400
> To: <videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
> Subject: [Videolib] copyright question: fair use or not?
> 
> Ok, I THINK I know the answer to this, but just in case . . .
> a college wants to show a copy of a recent popular documentary, which is in
> the Media Services nonprint collection, as part of a freshman orientation
> program.  The film will be introduced by an instructor, and small group
> discussions of the film will take place the next day, each moderated by an
> instructor.  Fair use or not?
> I think it is fair use, because the presentation is in connection with face to
> face teaching activities.  The tricky part, the part that gives me a teensy
> little pause, is that the discussions will take place the next day.
> I'd appreciate any thoughts anyone has on this,
> thanks so much!
> 
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