This fall I am interested in doing a documentary about fantasy football and it's uproar/impact on today's society. I would like to use small clips of top players (not the primary point of interest of said documentary) from NFL footage. However while I believe this is fair use because: A) I am not using the footage as it was originally valued and am transforming it. B) The footage is not the primary point of interest/topic. Does anyone know if I am on the right track here? I do realize that the NFL is very stingy with copyright material so of course I have to attribute them. I just don't think that dealing with the NFL will be easy because they will have no sympathy for my school documentary project.
hmmmmmmmmmmm I don't know of any professors that all book it home during the summer lol. I'm sure there has to be one at random you can ask .
You aren't profiting off of it and I doubt anyone outside of your school would see it. It seems alright to me but as you said, I'd check with someone who has a definite answer.
Four factor fair use test. If you want it to be fair use, maximize the factors. 1 helps you here. Plus, since dissemination of facts or info helps the public, it helps when the stuff is not fictional. Documentary for school helps. 2 is probably the most significant. The more transformative the better. In your case, I think it is very transformative. 3 is obvious. Shorter the better, and the less significant to your work even better. 4 Your small usage probably will not diminish the NFL's market at all. You're not even selling anything. Nobody looking for the NFL is going to mistake you as a replacement. None of the above is legal advice. You're on your own. But like I said, maximize the factors in your favor. This is such a fact based analysis nobody has the answer until it goes into court and is decided. But you're on the right track.