Copyright Culture & Documentary Films

Documentary films are profoundly important to any modern, liberal, democratic society. Films can be informative, entertaining, educational, insightful, critical, expressive and more all at once. They are significant economically, artistically, socially, politically and culturally.

Yet documentary filmmakers in Canada and around the world increasingly face obstacles to creating their art. Copyright law, policy and practice can be one such obstacle, though paradoxically copyright protection can also be critically important to filmmakers. The concept of fair dealing or fair use of copyright-protected works represents a way out of this paradox. If properly implemented in practice, the fair dealing doctrine can facilitate access to the raw materials creators need to make documentary films while fulfilling their own reasonable requirements for copyright protection.

On February 18, 2009 the Torys Technology Law Speakers Series presents a panel of internationally-renowned experts from Canada and the United States, discussing the practical impact of copyright culture on documentary films, and the creation of best copyright practices for fair dealing in the documentary film community. Join the conversation from 11:30 – 13:00 in room 147B of the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law.

Panelists will be Peter Jaszi and Sean Flynn from Washington College of Law, Tina Hahn from the Documentary Organization of Canada, and David Fewer and Jeremy de Beer from the University of Ottawa.

Time and Place: (iCal file for this event)
Date: 18 February 2009
Time: 11:30 – 13:00
Location: Room 147B, Fauteux Hall, University of Ottawa
Street: 57 Louis-Pasteur
Town/City: Ottawa, ON

For more information, visit the Law & Technology website, the Facebook group, or email techlaw@uottawa.ca. You can also print the poster for the event.