Doc U: Access Granted - A Guide to Fair Use and the DMCA for Filmmakers

Access Granted
A Guide to Fair Use and the DMCA for Filmmakers

In association with
USC Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic
at the USC Gould School of Law

Monday, April 22, 2013
Discussion & Audience Q&A: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Reception to Follow

The Cinefamily
611 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Last year, an IDA-led coalition of filmmakers achieved a historic exemption in the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) that allows documentary filmmakers to "crack" digital encryption on certain types of media (including "ripping" DVDs). What does it mean to claim fair use and how do you do it? What does the DMCA prohibit you from doing, and what does it allow you to do? What are the parameters for knowing when your access and use of copyrighted content is allowable under fair use, and covered by this exemption? In this special edition of Doc U, we will explore how to make fair use responsibly, and how to safely make use of the DMCA exemption for doc filmmakers.

Led by Professor Jack Lerner, IDA Board Member, and Director of the USC Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic at the USC Gould School of Law, the seminar includes an overview of fair use by Dean Cheley of the law firm Donaldson + Callif, and an in-depth "How To" guide to understanding and applying the DMCA exemption for documentary filmmakers, presented by Law Clinic participants Garrett Lee and Katharine Trendacosta.