Copyright for Creators

This box is designed to address copyright concerns for library staff who record and produce video in the course of their work for the UCLA Library. Such recordings could include but are not limited to:

• demonstrations or tutorials to help with public service or outreach efforts
• recording Library-sponsored seminars for distribution via UCLA on YouTube or the Library’s streaming server
• documentary footage of focus groups or individuals for usability testing

The following are general suggested guidelines for such work by UCLA Library staff. Anyone capturing film on the UCLA campus, for official or personal use, should consider the same advice.

Waiver Forms

In general, it is good practice to secure a signed waiver form, granting rights to use the resulting footage in any/all of the specific ways it is intended to be used, from all human subjects who appear prominently in a video. You can find a PDF of a sample waiver form on the left side of this page. The Library also asks seminar presenters to sign this waiver when they are being recorded with an intent to distribute the video online, and the signed forms are kept on file by the producer.

The sample waiver form is provided as a template; make sure its terms match the intended usage of the footage. Other forms can be substituted if appropriate, like this other template found on the UCLA on YouTube website. If a modified waiver is needed for a specific project, email suggested revisions to <copyright@library.ucla.edu> to make sure the language is appropriate.

Other Important Considerations

• Waivers are required from individuals who speak or are the main subjects of a video. For individuals who appear incidentally, such as pedestrians passing in the background of a public area or in the audience at public events, waivers are not necessary.
• Per UCLA Policy 863: Filming and Photography on Campus, including interior or exterior images of UCLA campus buildings in a video requires a permit in many cases, but usually not for Library purposes:
• No permit is required for the incidental Filming or Photography by UCLA faculty or staff creating work to be used for non-commercial, educational, or administrative purposes provided such incidental Filming or Photography can be done unobtrusively without interrupting campus programs, classes, or activities and will not require any special campus services (Location Manager, traffic control, etc.).
• I suggest you read and understand the full policy.
• When incorporating materials created by others into a video:
• Whenever possible, choose to incorporate freely available footage or images such as that in the public domain, licensed by the Library for such uses, or available for reuse through a Creative Commons license.
• If you cannot avoid, or simply prefer, to use material protected by copyright, it is your responsibility either to do so within the bounds of fair use or to obtain written permission from the copyright holder and keep it on file.
• Always be sure to attribute the material properly within the video itself, such as in ending credits.
• When recording human subjects for formal testing such as usability, teaching effectiveness, etc., make sure to proceed in accordance with UCLA’s Office of the Human Research Protection Program guidelines. For more information, visit their web site.
• Consider making your videos available through a Creative Commons license, so that other librarians can benefit from your work. In fact, if your materials are posted on the library website, they should match the Creative Commons license that is posted there.

If you would like to distribute your own video through an official UCLA channel, you have these options available to you.