Spring Awakening Student Film Project

[TiMurray]

University of Miami Com School students wanted to make a movie musical and chose Spring Awakening for their project. They used students from the University's Theatre Arts Dept. and Music school to record songs in a studio and film an hour long adaptation of the show as a film, but with completely new dialogue set in 2010. No full songs were used in order to avoid copyright infringement. This was and is meant as a school project. It was no one's intention to sell any of this material, only meant as an educational opportunity. This is a highlights version of the hour of the student film "Bitch of Living".

http://youtu.be/sNOYwKDycPk
Spring Awakening Film Project

[jpbran]

Since when did not using the "full song" release you from committing copyright infringement?

[willep]

^^ my thought exactly.

I believe you are allowed to use somewhere around 10 seconds (?) legally...

[themysteriousgrowl]

A year and a day later, and no one's learned.
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150394-University-Production-of-Rent-Stirs-Controversy-With-Altered-Script

[JoeKv99]

Of all shows, it seems the most hypocritical for Rent to enforce copyright. I guess La vie boheme includes hiring a high-powered law firm to collect royalties.

[sbflyfan]

I want Diane Smith-Sadak and Dr. Jennifer Rinaldi to collaborate on a Student Film version of Spring Awakening where Wendla and Moritz can't sing, and also don't die.

[temms]

Does the not-using-the-whole-song-means-it's-not-a-copyright-violation thing apply to live performances, too? Or is it just for films?

Meaning if I did a production of "Sweeney Todd" with a new script and only half of each Sondheim song, I wouldn't have to pay royalties on it? Or is that only if I filmed it? And I guess I'd have to change the title to something like "Todd and Lovett!" or "Demon Barber - A Sondheimish Musical"

In the meantime I guess I'll get to work on producing "Mormon Stories" since, as long as I don't use the whole song, I'm free to film all the songs from "Book of Mormon"! Do you happen to know what the cutoff point is where it does become infringement? Is 50% of the original song the royalty cutoff?

Thanks, Broadwayworld! You're always teaching me new things.

[JoeKv99]

No its not. No one taught you that. The original poster tossed out that justification and was promptly slapped down by three different people.

[temms]

Oh, thanks, JoeKv99! Because I was seriously, genuinely confused about that topic and you've saved me SOOO much stress not producing those projects that I was so totally absolutely seriously going to produce. Phew, that's a relief!

But as a follow-up to your point about "Rent", I assume you're telling me that if the show I'm producing has an anti-establishment message, then I'm free to change it however I like because it would be unethical for the show's creators to do anything?

I'm learning, so, so much today!

[themysteriousgrowl]

Oh, dear.

[Taryn]

You know, choreography also falls under copyright.

[Idiot]

"I believe you are allowed to use somewhere around 10 seconds (?) legally..."

Nope. All statements like this are a rumor. Infringement is infringement and there's no time limit on it at all.

This 'production' is illegal. The intent to sell is relevant in court, but at that point you're already busted.

[willep]

Thanks for clarifying.

[Idiot]

I imagine they're justifying it under 'fair use' guidelines related to educational intent, which is dubious here at best, and completely irrelevant once they posted it to YouTube, which is an 'exhibition' by anyone's standards.