Did we violate "fair use"?

LRH · Fri 03/06/2011 23:37:05

I had some spare time recently, so I got together with some friends and we produced a video we had a lot of fun with.

It's something of a parody and we *did* use copyrighted materials, and we're not sure we've done it correctly.

It's here, if you want to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh8tPpJeUYg

Does anyone know if it's done correctly?

Ali · Fri 03/06/2011 23:57:51

I wonder how many forums there are which regularly get posts from people worried that they might have unintentionally infringed intellectual property. The internet as a whole doesn't have many qualms about that sort of thing.

I'm by no means qualified to answer your question, but I don't believe there's such a thing as "free use". I guess you mean "fair use"? Unfortunately, I don't think what you've done is a parody. You're making jokes about the song, but you haven't actually parodied it.

I hope you don't mind me offering a little feedback on the video itself. It's quite nice, but parody and mockery are more effective when they're targeted at something that takes itself seriously. Henery the VIII is a joke song, so you have less comic mileage when making fun of it.

LRH · Sat 04/06/2011 00:02:11

Ah, I did mean fair use, yeah. That was actually a typo.

Also, I do appreciate the feedback

Something13 · Sat 04/06/2011 05:36:47

I agree with Ali in that what you guys did really wasn't parody. However, judging by the things listed on this site (which is a pretty good site for this sorta thing) http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/9-b.html I'd say you're ok. You didn't really use that much of the clip, and you didn't have any bad intent with it (such as wanting to somehow reduce sales or popularity of the group), so you're fine.

Just so you know... if you actually did do a parody of a song you could copy quite a bit of the original tune and still be covered under fair use. It's sort of a special case for that sorta thing.

FamousAdventurer77 · Mon 06/06/2011 19:23:43

Parodies are allowed under fair use laws, and even if you just did a cover, so long as you're not distributing it for profit you're in the clear.

RickJ · Tue 07/06/2011 21:19:48

Commentary, Critique, Ridicule, etc is also covered under fair use.

Stupot · Wed 08/06/2011 09:29:53

This was a fair use of that song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZxIAN6don4

Hudders · Wed 08/06/2011 13:56:23

Quote from: RickJ on Tue 07/06/2011 21:19:48
Commentary, Critique, Ridicule, etc is also covered under fair use.

In the USA.

Everywhere else, YMMV.