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Drexel Library

Film + Television

Legacy Research Guide

These are resources about fair use and US copyright. The resources are not legal advice! Make your own, educated judgments on fair use.

General Resources

Fair Use Evaluator
Use this tool to understand how to determine the "fairness" of a use under the U.S. Copyright Code.
Copyright + Fair Use
Use the resources on this comprehensive website from Stanford University Libraries.
Copyright FAQ
Learn about use of copyrighted material for teaching, learning, and research.

Creative Commons Search
Search for CC content, but always verify that the work is actually under a CC license by following the link.
Art, Media Design + Postproduction: Open Guidelines
This ebook offers open-ended guidelines for art and design studio-based projects.

Using Images + Copyright

Citing Sources
Image citation examples provided by Artstor.
Copyright Checkpoint
A tool from Artstor, answer a few questions and examine the rights status of images.
Fair Use for the Visual Arts
This Code of Best Practices is from the College Art Association.
Visual Resources Association Fair Use Statement
Uses of copyrighted images that the VRA believes fall within the U.S. doctrine of fair use.

Open Access Images
This resource guide is a jumping-off point for finding Open Access images.
Wikimedia Commons
This is a mega-list of public domain image sites.
Image*After
Download and use any image or texture for your own work, either personal or commercial.

Media + Copyright

Music Copyright Videos
The Music Library at William + Mary produced three short videos explaining music and copyright.
Codes of Best Practices
From the Center for Media + Social Impact, explore their codes and best practices on fair use.
YouTube + Copyright
Overview and FAQ from Google on YouTube and copyright.
Everything is a Remix
Watch the videos as well as browsing the References.

ccMixter Music
Find open-source music that is free to use. Make sure to review the licenses.
Freesound
Search for samples and recordings all released under Creative Commons licenses. Get started with their FAQ.
Musopen
Search recordings, sheet music, and textbooks without copyright restrictions.
Vimeo Creative Commons
Browse CC licensed videos. Learn about what you can and can't do with other people’s videos on Vimeo.
Vidveo
Find free stock videos and motion graphics for use in any project.