I am in a similar predicament. I need newspapers and some news footage to use in the movie where people are watcing them or tv and reading at news shop etc.

Whats the best way to get them for free or cheaper as I can't afford hughe amounts and also copyright issues etc. I hope someone can take some time to answer this thread.

Many thanks.

Trademarks like "Time" and "Newsweek" cannot be shown legally in a movie without permission. the best way to get permission is to ask. Call the business affairs office (don't e-mail) and be prepared to tell them about your project. Not the story but your (realistic) plans for the finished product.

If they charge you more than you can afford, then you can't use their material.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

At the very end of the movie STRIPES they used a combination of real titles (Tiger Beat, Penthouse) and invented titles (Newsworld I think, designed to look like Newsweek). Clearly it's a pain to get some periodicals to play along.

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

I think it's best to just avoid the TM brand names if possible. Unless your story totally depends on it, why not just find creative ways of getting around showing them. You can still allude to the document, show must of it, but cover up the TM name.

What do you guys think of product placement in films, used for funding purposes? Is it that bad? Someone has to pay to get the film made.

I don't know exactly what the demand would be for companies to be seen in independent films...but if that doesn't work, try for sponsors...charge a business a simple fee and then agree to place their logo on any posters or promos. That way you don't have to worry about how to work in their logo into the film, and eventually those 'simple fees' will begin to add up.

"'It doesn't bother you, killing those people?' 'Well I wouldn't be very good at my job if it did.'"
-Casino Royale

I was filming a short about a drinking contest and I was able to get Rolling Rock to sponsor it and send me cases of beer. It worked in the situation because we had to use brand beer anyway and I'm all about not paying for anything.
Compared to IRobot where there is a 30second conversation about his "vintage 2001" shoes i consider it mild

I got 9 cases of Karl Strauss just be asking. I saw Karl Strauss bottles in an old Mike Hammer tv movie and boxes of the the beer in House of the Dead 2 so I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Sometimes all you have to do is ask and you can get food to feed your crew and other helpful aid.

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA