Film school reviews students' film rights
Officials clear up a rumor about George Lucas and discuss film school policies.
Jennifer Smith
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News
USC officials are looking to expel rumors about the university's rights over student work after a Los Angeles Times blog reported that George Lucas stole the negative of his final project at USC to use as the basis for his first feature film.
Although the university owns the copyright on 95 percent of the films by students in the USC School of Cinematic Arts, students have underlying rights to their films and can work with the university to distribute their work, officials said.
"If a filmmaker wants to take his story or his script and make a movie, a book or anything with it, we have nothing to do with it," said Larry Auerbach, associate dean for the School of Cinematic Arts. "We are only involved in the specific film they make while in school."
The questions about student filmmakers' rights arose after writer Carolyn Kellogg said George Lucas resorted to stealing a negative copy of his short film, "Electronic Labyrinth," to use as the basis for his first feature film, "THX 1138."
But Sandrine Cassidy, director of festivals and distribution for the School of Cinematic Arts, was quick to dispel the rumor.
"His thesis film was called 'THX 1138,'" Cassidy said. "He sold this film as a feature film called 'THX 1138,' so we made an arrangement to change the title of his short film to 'Electronic Labyrinth' so there would be no confusion. But he used his underlying rights for his first feature."
School officials also said students can distribute their work as long as they do it in cooperation with the School.
"Although the School holds copyright, [the students] are eligible for any exposure, either on the Internet or on any other medium provided that their rights are clear and they go through my office to do this legally," Cassidy said. "This is what it comes down to; it has to be done legally."
Auerbach said the copyright belongs to the university because it gives multiple resources to the students to create their films.
Although the university owns the copyright on 95 percent of the films by students in the USC School of Cinematic Arts, students have underlying rights to their films and can work with the university to distribute their work, officials said.
"If a filmmaker wants to take his story or his script and make a movie, a book or anything with it, we have nothing to do with it," said Larry Auerbach, associate dean for the School of Cinematic Arts. "We are only involved in the specific film they make while in school."
The questions about student filmmakers' rights arose after writer Carolyn Kellogg said George Lucas resorted to stealing a negative copy of his short film, "Electronic Labyrinth," to use as the basis for his first feature film, "THX 1138."
But Sandrine Cassidy, director of festivals and distribution for the School of Cinematic Arts, was quick to dispel the rumor.
"His thesis film was called 'THX 1138,'" Cassidy said. "He sold this film as a feature film called 'THX 1138,' so we made an arrangement to change the title of his short film to 'Electronic Labyrinth' so there would be no confusion. But he used his underlying rights for his first feature."
School officials also said students can distribute their work as long as they do it in cooperation with the School.
"Although the School holds copyright, [the students] are eligible for any exposure, either on the Internet or on any other medium provided that their rights are clear and they go through my office to do this legally," Cassidy said. "This is what it comes down to; it has to be done legally."
Auerbach said the copyright belongs to the university because it gives multiple resources to the students to create their films.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
J. Smith
posted 4/04/08 @ 1:30 PM PST
http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/movies/dark_star_000718.html
Post a Comment