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Is it bad to use footage from other movies, when making a documentary?
I am making a doc type of project right now, but I don’t want to just show interviews only, as that can be quite boring, especially compared to other docs how it’s done. The project is on war and politics in history.
Some of the things, the person being interviewed is talking about though, are hard to find in original footage. I mean it’s not I can just travel around shoot these things or get footage from somewhere by purchase, on my budget.
So I have used scenes from movies to illustrate the point, such as The Birth of a Nation (1915), The Battle of Algiers (1966), etc, but I feel that it comes off as cheap cause I am putting footage from other movies, in my movie.
What do you think?
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9 Replies
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In the most simplified answer, it really boils down to the intended use. If it’s for non-profit/educational purposes, the answer is ‘maybe’. If it’s for profit, then get clearance and/or license it (assuming it’s not in public domain). Remember that not all parts of a public domain product may be free and clear. For example, the music might be a separate issue.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com
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Okay thanks. It’s a documentary short film, and the producer’s want to profit from it and send it into film festivals.
Is there any kinds of archival type footage I could use that is free and don’t have to worry about that? Basically I don’t want to show people being interviewed only in the documentary cause they do pause and things like that, and I don’t want to have to jump cut all the time, and want throw some sort of alternate footage over their dialogue if possible.
As for music, we already have a composer working on it, so that part’s okay. But what about archival footage or some sort of b roll?
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[ryan elder] “Is there any kinds of archival type footage I could use that is free and don’t have to worry about that?”
There are, but I don’t know specific names off the top of my head. Something that requires research. You can cut it in now and then try to go through a rights and licensing agent to clear them before you exhibit. Obviously where you can’t use or budget won’t allow, you’ll have to swap it out. Sometimes you can get limited licenses for film festivals. Of course, if you sell it, you’ll have to clear it all up (pay for licensing).
[ryan elder] “As for music, we already have a composer working on it, so that part’s okay. “
I meant any music that might appear within the film clips you wanted to use.
[ryan elder] “But what about archival footage or some sort of b roll?”
Check with a stock footage company. There are a number that offer buy-out historical footage (like old newsreels or government military footage) for low cost. Anything paid through a US Govt contract is generally useable (like NASA footage), but you’ll have to pay for duplication costs. The bottom line is that what you want to use, might be OK, but you will have to check on an individual basis for each title.
PS: A quick check brings up Historical Films Stock Footage Archive. http://www.historicfilms.com
– Oliver
Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com
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Okay thanks. I looked around but some of what the people are talking about in the documentary, I cannot find any stock footage for. For example, they are talking about how priests, when people donate money to the church, that the church uses it for their own personal gain, and buys all these luxuries for themselves.
But where do I find stock footage of something like that? I can’t find anything like that anywhere.
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I think that’s wrong
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Well the producer wants me to use footage from other sources, and he gave me a list of some of the sources, but they are not public domain.
Here is a rough edit I did, with some of the sources he wanted, but do you think it looks bad, since it’s not ours?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXaJxkZantI&feature=youtu.be
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yes. never pirate. That is what wedding videographers are for.
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