Michael Donaldson on copyright
From Fears Filmmakers Have Hiring An Entertainment Attorney by Michael C. Donaldson & Lisa A. Callif · · FilmCourage
“The most common problem is not having signed agreements with people, which results in those people having a valid copyright claim over elements of the film.”
On , Michael Donaldson, Executive VP & Chief Legal Officer at EOG Resources Inc, spoke about copyright during Fears Filmmakers Have Hiring An Entertainment Attorney by Michael C. Donaldson & Lisa A. Callif on FilmCourage.
About Michael Donaldson
In a 2015 video, Michael C. Donaldson, an entertainment attorney and author, discussed common fears independent filmmakers have about hiring legal counsel. He stated that the primary concern is cost, but argued that consulting an attorney early in a project is typically less expensive than fixing problems later. Donaldson also noted that filmmakers often fail to obtain signed agreements from contributors, which he said can result in those individuals holding valid copyright claims over elements of the film. Donaldson promoted his book *Clearance & Copyright, 4th Edition*, describing it as a resource that provides contracts and agreements filmmakers need. He emphasized that even small projects, such as a short film made with friends or a camera operator hired from Craigslist, require signed releases to avoid complications during distribution. He added that obtaining proper releases at the time of production is easier than trying to secure them afterward.