A Quick Guide to Copyright and Multimedia Usage
Copyright for Multimedia: Guidelines from http://depts.washington.edu/uwcopy/Using_Copyright/Guidelines/Fair.php
4. LIMITATIONS - TIME, PORTION, COPYING AND DISTRIBUTION
The preparation of educational multimedia projects incorporating copyrighted works
under Section 2, and the use of such projects under Section 3, are subject to the
limitations noted below.
4.1 Time Limitations
Educators may use their educational multimedia projects created for educational
purposes under Section 2 of these guidelines for teaching courses, for a period of up to
two years after the first instructional use with a class. Use beyond that time period, even
for educational purposes, requires permission for each copyrighted portion incorporated
in the production. Students may use their educational multimedia projects as noted in
Section 3.1.
4.2 Portion Limitations
Portion limitations mean the amount of a copyrighted work that can reasonably be used
in educational multimedia projects under these guidelines regardless of the original
medium from which the copyrighted works are taken. In the aggregate means the total
amount of copyrighted material from a single copyrighted work that is permitted to be
used in an educational multimedia project without permission under these guidelines.
These limitations apply cumulatively to each educator's or student's multimedia
project(s) for the same academic semester, cycle or term. All students should be
instructed about the reasons for copyright protection and the need to follow these
guidelines. It is understood, however, that students in kindergarten through grade six
may not be able to adhere rigidly to the portion limitations in this section in their
independent development of educational multimedia projects. In any event, each such
project retained under Sections 3.1 and 4.3 should comply with the portion limitations in
this section.
4.2.1 Motion Media
Up to 10% or 3 minutes, whichever is less, in the aggregate of a copyrighted
motion media work may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part of an
educational multimedia project created under Section 2 of these guidelines.
4.2.2 Text Material
Up to 10% or 1000 words, whichever is less, in the aggregate of a copyrighted
work consisting of text material may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as
part of an educational multimedia project created under Section 2 of these
guidelines. An entire poem of less than 250 words may be used, but no more
than three poems by one poet, or five poems by different poets from any
anthology may be used. For poems of greater length, 250 words may be used
but no more than three excerpts by a poet, or five excerpts by different poets
from a single anthology may be used.
4.2.3 Music, Lyrics, and Music Video
Up to 10%, but in no event more than 30 seconds, of the music and lyrics from
an individual musical work (or in the aggregate of extracts from an individual
work), whether the musical work is embodied in copies, or audio or audiovisual
works, may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as a part of a multimedia
project created under Section 2. Any alterations to a musical work shall not
change the basic melody or the fundamental character of the work.
4.2.4 Illustrations and Photographs
The reproduction or incorporation of photographs and illustrations is more
difficult to define with regard to fair use because fair use usually precludes the
use of an entire work. Under these guidelines a photograph or illustration may
be used in its entirety but no more than 5 images by an artist or photographer
may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part of an educational
multimedia project created under Section 2. When using photographs and
illustrations from a published collective work, not more than 10% or 15 images,
whichever is less, may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part of an
educational multimedia project created under Section 2.
4.2.5 Numerical Data Sets
Up to 10% or 2500 fields or cell entries, whichever is less, from a copyrighted
database or data table may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part of
an educational multimedia project created under Section 2 of these guidelines. A
field entry is defined as a specific item of information, such as a name or Social
Security number, in a record of a database file. A cell entry is defined as the
intersection where a row and a column meet on a spreadsheet.