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Media release form for sporting events
So I’ve been shooting local sporting events for a very low fee, but all the client wanted was the raw footage with no need to edit, but they owned the rights to the footage so I couldn’t edit and sell it. So I proposed to them that I shoot the event for free and they still get their raw copies, but now I own the rights and can do whatever I want; edit and sell individual DVDs to fans, create a youtube channel, and so on. Someone I was talking to brought up the right to broadcast the footage. If I own the footage, don’t I have the right to broadcast it? And what about logos and such? I just assume if I own the rights, then I can choose what to do with it. Do they (the organization) have to sign a media release wavier? What about people in the crowd? It is a public event, but you have to purchase tickets to get in, so do I have to post somewhere in the forum that the event is being filmed and might be broadcast?
“Life’s a pitch and then you buy.”
-Billy Mays -
3 Replies
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You need to talk to a lawyer to really know for sure what you can and cannot do.
Generally speaking you only own the copyright to original works. For example, you cannot take a picture of the logo and then claim you own the copyright to the footage. You cannot then make t-shirts or hats, for instance, using your photo of the logo. Make sense?
The news on the other hand is a First Amendment issue because it’s journalism, freedom of the press.
Here is exactly where the nature of your youtube channel will matter. Are you a “news” organization? If so, then what you need is a press pass, from the team.
Are you a freelancer trying to make a profit from the team? Now, you need a license from the league, players union, and team before you can distribute. For example, consider this from the athlete’s point of view. You need to pay him or her a fee for using their likeness.
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Thanks for the insight. What I used to do was film the event, then edit it into a broadcast of the game so fans could watch at other times. Then the league would distrubite the show to a local bars so they could show it on their TVs. However, the league decided that they couldn’t afford to pay me to edit the event, and just continued to pay me to film and use the footage for training. So this year I was just the shooter and handed over the raw media, which was fine, but I’d like to make some more money to cover the cost of doing business. So my idea was to pay them to film it, in the round about way that they wouldn’t have to pay me to film, but still got the footage, and I could edit and sell DVDs on my own.
“Life’s a pitch and then you buy.”
-Billy Mays -
You can put up a sign stating the event is being recorded if you like but you have to from a legal stand point. It’s a public event so any likeness broadcasted is free and clear. As for as logos, fret not. When point of sale is placed in public it is meant to be seen and if someone didn’t want their logo in a certain place, they’d simply not brand there.
Not sure what you are gonna do with the footage but it’s yours. Do what ya will with it.
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