Film Protection And Preventive Steps

Protecting Legal Rights During Filming Your Feature Film

One of the biggest problems that can shut down a movie after production has wrapped is the threat of a lawsuit. This is something that can occur at any point in time, and will likely create huge headaches. If you find yourself trying to avoid these problems you will have much better luck ensuring that your films actually are released, rather than being trapped in the holding pattern. Taking the time to avoid potential legal problems in the beginning as you are working on the script will go a long way towards avoiding these problems.

When you are working on your script, you need to ensure that you are basing all characters off of complete fiction to avoid all problems. If you really want to base a character on someone that is real, you should take the time to obtain their written permission. However, if you really work at adjusting the character you should be able to remove most of the differences. Additionally, when you are naming characters you should check in the location where you have set the feature film to ensure that nobody has that name there. For example, if you are creating a film that is set in Omaha, Nebraska and are planning to name a character Otis Smith you should look in the Omaha area to determine if anyone has that name.

If you find someone who does have that specific name in the area, you have two different options. You could either change the name, or you could change the location where the movie is based. If you are set that the name needs to remain then changing the location is best. If you are set on the location then your best option is to change the name. The ultimate choice is up to you, but this will help you to prevent anyone from ever saying that you have taken their life to use in your feature film.

As an added step for your film, when you are editing you need to take the time to add in a small disclaimer at the beginning. The disclaimer should just plainly state that all characters are purely fictional and that any similarities to anyone living or deceased is merely a coincidence. This will help to protect you legally in the event that someone tries to make unfounded claims against your film.

If you are considering using fictional characters that someone else has created for your film, you absolutely must obtain permission in writing. Without the permission, you will almost certainly find yourself the victim of a lawsuit. Depending on the characters that you are interested in using you may have a bit of trouble obtaining permission. The higher the profile of the fictional characters the more important the permission is. If you are interested in using only limited rights to the characters, make sure all of the details are laid out clearly in a contract that is signed by both yourself, as well as the creator of the characters.

Taking a few steps to protect yourself, as well as your film will ensure that all of your hard work is recognized. Working on a film and discovering that you are not allowed to release it to the public is a crushing blow to many filmmakers. Taking the time to avoid such complications will only take a brief amount of time, and frees up your attention for other matters. You may educate yourself and read more about legal rights and trademarks before getting into it.

Featured Film Making

Best Time of Year to Shoot Your Feature Film

While the idea of shooting a feature film in the spring or summer may be top on your mind there are several reasons why it might not be a great idea. Knowing exactly what these reasons are may make it necessary for you to adjust your film schedule, or it would be at a minimum a good indication of potential problems that loom on your horizon. Making appropriate choices about the season to film your feature film is very important to success; after all large problems that are completely unexpected can shut down your film before you ever wrap filming.

One of the biggest problems is the best season to film. Winter is typically the best season to film. This is especially true if you are working with a very small, or even zero budget. While there are always actors around to choose from, they are likely to be working on top projects during the warmer months that will pay better. If you are unable to match the pay of the larger projects, or even the scope you will need to work around these schedules. Be prepared to experience huge problems replacing cast at various times as they drop out to work on other projects if you do not schedule for a winter shoot.

The weather is a huge downside to shooting in the winter. If you are truly serious about wanting to shoot your film during a different time of year you must make certain there is ample time built into the schedule to accommodate these problems. Additionally, you need to be extremely flexible if you are trying to work around production schedules for different projects. Without the added time and flexibility, you will find that you are fighting an almost impossible battle that you will not win. Being aware that this is a battle you cannot win is critical.

If you want to shoot most of your scenes in the winter but save a few for warmer seasons make sure that the cast and crew are aware of this ahead of time. All indoor scenes could be shot in advance for example. If you are only shooting a small amount of footage outside you could cut the time needed in the warmer weather down to a matter of days, rather than weeks or even months. This would go a long way towards ensuring that your budget is able to hold up, and your cast and crew will still be around for you.

If you absolutely do not want to start production until the warmer months you need to be sure that you have a budget that is able to pay the actors and crew. Filmmakers who are working with extremely small budgets have to be a lot more flexible in schedules. In contrast, if you are paying a premium wage to the cast and crew, you have a much greater right to be demanding that they adjust to your schedule. Regardless of the wage you are paying, you will find that during the warmer months you are going to have a higher rate of people calling in, rather than coming into the filming as scheduled. This is again where an appropriate schedule is absolutely critical to ensuring that you are able to keep the project on track and targeted to be released appropriately.

Video Blogging

Getting started with videoblogging


Videoblogging is the next generation of posting ideas and products over the internet. Everybody knows about textblogging. Now they use videos for a better way of expression. This form of communication may entail a lot of resources, but it is all worth it. If pictures say a thousand words, videoblogging exceeds that by far.

A videoblog requires larger disk spaces on websites, a faster server, and a whole new set of programs to support it. Videoblogs can be fed through RSS. This is technology of syndicating your website to other RSS aggregators.

Videoblogging works with people on the internet expressing their selves. Now if you put this on a business prospective, you are up to a lot of benefits. Think of it as a powerful tool in making showing your prospective customers your line of products or your services. It’s just like showing a commercial all for free. And if you videoblog through RSS, then most probably you are getting your target market.

People like to see what they are going to buy. Some would like to see proof and be sure that they are getting their money’s worth before shelving their dimes on it. All of us know the influence of a thirty second commercial. The effect of videoblogging is similar to that. You show your product, people watch it. If they like it, they buy it. If you present it good enough, they’ll buy the product even if they don’t need it.

Now on the web, things are pretty much static, unlike in television in which all are moving. If you post something that is mobile, it would most likely catch attention. Now imaging your product parading in all it’s royalty through videoblog. You’ll get phone call orders in no time.

If your business is just starting up, you can create a videoblog right at your own home. All you need is your web camera, microphone, video software, and lights. For as long as you know how to use your camera, then you can create a videoblog.

Invest in a good web camera. The higher its resolution is the better the output. And you like to present your goods in the optimum way so get the best one possible. Make a short story, or just capture your goods in one go. Just make sure you are getting the best profile for each. Get those creativity juices flowing.

Lights are important in a production. Make sure you illuminate entirely the area you are going to use to create videoblog. The brighter the area, the crispier the images will be. You can also use lighting effects for added appeal to the presentation.

Should you require sounds for your videoblog, you need a microphone. Record you voice as a voice over for promoting the product and its benefit to consumers. Sounds are as important as videos on a videoblog. It is advisable to make your sound effects as enticing as the video.

Your video editing software can be any program. You need this to finalize your work. You can add sounds, delete some bad angles, or insert some still pictures in there too. Some programs are user-friendly and can be used even with zero knowledge on video editing. Even simple video editing programs should do the trick. Select your background carefully too. The light affects the presentation so make sure that the background and the light complements each other.

Videoblogging is a great tool but it also has it downside. It may slow down the computer so other may steer clear of it. Download time may also be time consuming especially if customer is still on a dial- up connection.

But don’t let those stop you. Let videoblogging be an alternative for you, though it is best to still keep the text and pictures present in your presentation to accommodate all possible viewers of your site.

Nowadays, the more creative you are in presenting your product to the market, they more you are likely to succeed. Videoblogging offers an interactive way of selling. You involve the customers. You instill in them the advantage of your goods. And at times, those are enough to make a sale.

Play Station Portable vs iPod Video

Comparison between the play station portable and the iPod video


The new iPod video was one of the most surprising products of 2006, due to the fact that iPods didn’t include the video feature, since the launching of the 5th generation of iPods in 2005.

Still, the natural comparison the customers (and not only) made was the one between the play station portable, also known as the PSP and the new model of the iPod series. PSP is basically a handheld game console which was produced by the company Sony Computer Entertainment, back in 2004. The public’s reactions to this new device which was rather different than almost everything on the market was very good, due to the fact that the small device allowed customers to play famous games, and, at the same time, watch clips.

Comparing the batteries of these 2 devices or, better said, the life of the batteries, it is a fact that the PSP device lasted much longer than the iPod. While playing a movie, the battery of the iPod dies after almost 2 hours and a half, while the PSP battery lasts up to more than 7 hours, which is a big plus.

Comparing the audio quality, it must be said the fact that both the devices provide a good audio quality; still, the iPod video turned out to provide a slightly clearer sound than the play station portable. This is due to the act that the audio in the iPod video file is encoded into AAC audio. On the other hand, the PSP seemed to have more bass in some cases, but overall, the difference was not that relevant and significant. The video quality of the 2 devices is another subject worthy to discuss and debate upon. It is known the fact that the PSP has a much larger screen. Even so, in this case, the large size advantage does not equal a better picture: the iPod manages to show a very sharp picture and sharp and clear text (even long ones). On the other hand, when discussing the difference in the video conversation, the fact is that a video iPod takes around 12 hours to encode a video, while the play station portable only needs a bit under 3 hours to do the same thing.

Comparing the 2 devices, it is obvious that they both have advantages and some flaws. Even though the video quality seems better on the iPod video device, the PSP presents a longer life of the battery and faster ways to encode videos. Still, the iPod is a smaller device, so it is natural that some features are not that optimized as in the case of the PSP. Even more, due to the fact that it is smaller, the iPod is much easier to transport and to use in various occasions. The studies even showed the fact that both items are sold mostly in vacation periods, meaning the fact that the customers use them as an entertainment item in their both summer and winter holidays.

The 2 devices, even though they are similar in many ways of their practical usage, present both pros and cons or advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the customer’s needs and desires, they can choose the one that best fits their necessity, available time or quality expectations.