copyrights question

[danplnsk]

A company hired me (I'm a freelancer) to shoot and edit a video.
Who owns the rights for the source footage. the company or me?
Thanks,
Dan

 

[justalayman]

to start with, read this publication from the copyright office of the US gov.

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ09.pdf

That helps explain a work for hire situation where it is possible the employer to be considered the owner of the work. Check it out and then ask about what you don't understand.

 

[danplnsk]

Thanks justalayman for the prompt answer.

As I understand my work is not Work for Hire. I don't have any employer-employee relation and I don't have any agreement written.
In any case I'm not talking about the finished product (the final video) but about all the raw footage I shot for the video.
Can you clarify on that?

Thanks again.

 

[justalayman]

Barring a contract to the contrary specifically addressing the raw footage, if it isn't work for hire, you own the rights to all of the works unless/until you subsequently transfer those rights to another party.

If you were hired to produce an edited video, why would you believe anybody but you would have ownership rights to the raw footage?

 

[danplnsk]

Because the company asked for the raw footage and I was wondering if I have the right to charge them for it
or alternatively have them pay me in case they use the footage.

Thanks

 

[justalayman]

Unless it is in your contract that you provide the raw footage, it is yours to do with as you please. You can charge them, you can refuse them, whatever you wish. That is not a copyright issue though and even by selling or giving them the raw footage, you do not relinquish your copyrights unless you choose to do so.

So, even after you give/sell them the footage, you still retain the copyrights on the images until you transfer them. As such, they have no right to use the footage for much of anything unless you allow it.

 

[danplnsk]

Thanks so much for clearing things for me.
All the best.