Legal Implications About a Film Club in High School?

[Andrew]

I'm a junior in high school who's interested in creating a film club for my school. I have a few questions about legal issues concerning a film club. I was wondering if i have to require licenses for the selective activities.

For my club, we will create commercials/ clips to promote other clubs and events, and compete in teen film festivals within the state. We will also have planned schedules to meet at the theater or visit an officer's home to watch films (members only). I was also considering on using portions of copyrighted music/ video clips for videos/films, and was wondering if they would violate the fair use act. i was also hoping to post videos on the web, such as on the group page for the club on facebook or Youtube. Most of the material we will use will be self-made and produced.

For the activities above, would any of them cause an infraction to the law, and require licenses? Don't forget that this is a club in high school, which means everything the club produces will reflect back at the school, and being concerned with copyright materials, etc can be troublesome. Not to mention that the videos will be posted online.

[tkquestion]

Since this is a club in high school, it will be done in a context of education. Also, you have a teacher in charge of your club. So you or your members do not have any legal obligations including licenses.

What gets weird is when you upload your "products" to external sites, as these are commercial sites, not educational. There, you may violate some copyrights, if you were using any copyrighted materials.

I think you are thinking too much though. You'll have a teacher responsible for guiding your club. He or she will tell you what is allowed and not allowed. Your responsibility is to follow this guidance. You, being minor are not able to enter into any contract or agreement with anyone outside anyway.

Sounds like a good activity. I'd go for it.

[bcnu]

The "educational use" exemption (not "fair use" ) is pretty much limited to classroom use of existing copies of copyrighted materials and does not authorize you to create more copies or derivative work. 17 USC 110.
Just because it's "educational" does not automatically mean it's "fair use", otherwise why would any school bother to buy more than one copy of a textbook, knowing it can be duplicated under "fair use" for all 1,200 students?