i am making a documentary about how many high tech companies have contributed to a cities growth exponentially over the past 20 years. To illustrate them I was wanting to shoot their companies billboards and signs. Do I need permission from them?
also,
is how long until a piece of music comes into the public domain?
thanks to all in advance
Even if the music is in the public domain the folks that played the music still have certain rights so if you use Mozart (who is in the public domain) you'd pretty much have to get your own orchestra to play the music because any recordings around are most likely copyrighted (if that's the right word) by the symphony that played them.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
To answer your first question, no, you dont need permission because anything thats displayed in public is the publics domain. This was the same arguement used when the girlsgonewild CEO got sued for filming topless 16yrolds, and i believe he won (on the terms that he would check id or ask their age). So public domain doesnt give you the right to break other laws, but as long as your not responsible for the content being filmed then you probably can get away with filming it.
