By Nate Shore, Bates College Class of 2027
When we think of watching movies, most of us are used to selecting our chosen film from a seemingly endless collection and pressing play, or on special occasions, going to the movie theater. However, when choosing films for a festival like the Bates Film Festival, we are faced with a distinct set of challenges, including budget, thematic priorities, and the need to secure screening rights. These are constraints that differ significantly from the large-scale licensing systems used by commercial streaming platforms.
This week, the BFF team discussed film clearance and copyright laws. We were thrilled to be joined by Bates’ very own music and arts librarian, Chris Schiff, who has a wealth of knowledge in this area. Together we discussed how filmmakers clear the music and media they use in their films. Chris highlighted that the original intention of music can be altered by the visual aspects of film. Editing techniques may modify the meaning of a piece of music, but using this approach often creates legal challenges that must be confronted. Attributing credit to the original artist (as you might do in a term paper) is not sufficient. The rights to a given piece of media may need to be purchased before the entire work can be shown.
“This week, the BFF team discussed film clearance and copyright laws. We were thrilled to be joined by Bates’ very own music and arts librarian, Chris Schiff, who has a wealth of knowledge in this area.”
Following Chris’ introductory comments, we watched a film that the festival is currently considering. Chris watched with us, pointing out the potential copyright issues that the work carried. This discussion was incredibly helpful to us as we look forward to making our final selections for the festival. Moving forward, I feel better able to evaluate not just the films but any potential copyright concerns they may carry. This conversation exposed me to sides of the film community that I did not realize existed and helped me understand that every film and every festival is the product of many hard-working teammates collaborating to incorporate their work together to make a well-oiled machine of media.
We wrapped up our discussion by examining films from Bates alums and unveiling the final designs for the festival T-shirt! Thank you again to Chris for spending time with us and helping build the Bates Film Festival!
