School Plays - No Pictures Please

pspreston

I have a question that may be WAY off topic but couldn't find a better place to ask......

Our daughter is in a school play called "Mulan Jr." by Disney. We have been told because of copyright laws taking photos or video of the perfromance is NOT allowed.

I can understand not allowing flash photography, I can even understand no video but why no photos? And to use copyright as the reason..... IS this true? Anyone hear of this before?

Any feedback would be great...

Thanks

JESTER

Have they let you take photos of other school plays and are just limiting this specific one? If so, it might be because it is "Disney" related and they might have something to do with the restriction.

Also check to see if they have their own photographer. If so they might be limiting others so that they can sell more of theirs.

windoze

if my daughter was in a school production, despite their objections I would take pictures. However, I would make sure not to use flash or use a camera that does not interfer with the audience ( either too loud of a shutter release or blocking someones vision ). My 4 kids have been in school productions and plays and I have constantly been told "no pictures" but I have never been stopped to date. Im not suggesting you take my advice but I would never let anyone stop me from taking pictures of my daughter.

windoze

pspreston

We've only had Disney Plays..... They make one video of the play and give parents a DVD.

I wanted to see if anyone else has heard of this before or can direct me to any legal info that can substantiate this.... Or even a better place to ask the question

I can take pictures of the shows when I'm at Disney but I can't take pictures of my daugher in a Disney "jr" school play? I just don't understand

Foochar

pspreston wrote:

I have a question that may be WAY off topic but couldn't find a better place to ask......

Our daughter is in a school play called "Mulan Jr." by Disney. We have been told because of copyright laws taking photos or video of the perfromance is NOT allowed.

I can understand not allowing flash photography, I can even understand no video but why no photos? And to use copyright as the reason..... IS this true? Anyone hear of this before?

Any feedback would be great...

Thanks

With respect to video there are a number of copyrights that come into play, the performance itself (held by the school), the script of the play (held by the author of the play), if using recorded music the recording of the music (held by the record company), the actual contents of the music (held by the author of the music) etc. Just like a photographer can license his work for specific uses for different prices (the license to publish in an editorial context in a publication with a circulation of 1,000 does not imply the right to use the same photo in a comercial context for 10,000 for example) the holders of the copyright license the performance for specific terms, which do not include video recording by the genral public. Its no different than video taping a movie or copying a rented DVD, which just about everyone would agree are illegal.

With respect to phtography, to the best of my knowlege and some brief research copyright in and of itself does not require this. However the school is within their rights to restrict this, and their license granting them the right to perform the production may require them to do so (for example Disney might specify a fee of $500 and that all photography be prohibited in order to get the rights to perform the play, no different than a photographer have a fee and a requirement to list their name and website as part of the terms for use of photograph). This is along the same lines as concert venue prohibiting photography etc. Although the school may be "owned" by the public, it is a not a public space in that access is controlled, unlike a street or public park. Many stadiums are "owned" by the government but they may still restrict cameras etc.

It may also be that there is an "official photographer" who has an exclusicivity clause in his contract with the school, and is requiring the school to enforce that excluscivity clause as part of the contract.

pspreston

I understand copyright for video and I understand the school doing everything it can to keep from getting sued. But why would Disney, if that's the case, say in effect "parents can not take picture of their children during the performace"?

It all just seems a little extreme to me.

Fred Maurer

My local High School presented "High School Musical" (also a Disney production). There was an announcement before the show saying no photographs due to copyright and licensing agreement for the show. No one took photos, but there were photos of the rehearsals on view in the lobby.

Foochar

pspreston wrote:

I understand copyright for video and I understand the school doing everything it can to keep from getting sued. But why would Disney, if that's the case, say in effect "parents can not take picture of their children during the performace"?

It all just seems a little extreme to me.

If I had to guess, I would say that they view it as a revenue stream in one way or another. Either they are making it available as an additional right that the school/photographer would have to pay for, or they view pictures of school productions as competition with the pictures of their professional productions.

Keep in mind that sometimes these kind of agreements are written by lawyers whose mandate is "protect rights/revenue", not to play nice with the public image. If I were in your shoes I would see if I could get more details from the school regarding why this policy is in effect. If it is because of restriction placed on the school by Disney, and I was passionate about taking the photos, I would right the public relations people at Disney, they may view the potential ill will from a policy like this differently than the lawyers and have lawyers modify the policy. In any case it can't hurt to try.

Another option would be to see if the restriction applies to the dress rehearsals. There are actually some advantages to photographing a dress rehearsal, you don't have to worry about getting in the audience's way so you can move around more, your mirror/shutter won't annoy the audience etc.

jeffreaux2

We have been in similar situations at our kid's school. There are plenty other photographic opportunities and it is a perfect opportunity to play by the rules as an example to my kids. They request "no photos" I take no photos. It si actually kinda nice to attend something at school and not be "expected" to show up with a camera!!

Enjoy the show!!

pspreston

Thanks for all the info.....

Maybe as the kids get older they'll get away from the "Disney" plays making pictures available again to parents....

StevenV

If you're in this situation and care enough, I'd recommend asking to see the agreement signed by the school with the company supplying the script and right to use it.

IANAL, but there's nothing in the U.S. Copyright laws (as I read them) that would preclude photographing such an event. That doesn't mean that Disney or other companies don't try to get schools etc. to buy a license that forces them to say "no photos."

There are plenty of places that use "Copyright" as an excuse when the real reason is "that's the license we signed - we gave up your rights in order to get the deal." And the sad fact is that they do it just because that's what they're told by the media companies' salesfolk/lawyers. Our school staff/administrators/teachers, as with most people, are woefully ignorant of the law.

[end of rant]

pspreston

StevenV wrote:

There are plenty of places that use "Copyright" as an excuse when the real reason is "that's the license we signed - we gave up your rights in order to get the deal." And the sad fact is that they do it just because that's what they're told by the media companies' salesfolk/lawyers. Our school staff/administrators/teachers, as with most people, are woefully ignorant of the law.

[end of rant]

I think this is what's going on in our case....I'll be at the school on Wednesday. I'll stop by the office and see what I can find out.

LittleLew

Many schools now use a play/script/scenery package so the actual scenery is a copyrighted item.

StevenV

LittleLew wrote:

Many schools now use a play/script/scenery package so the actual scenery is a copyrighted item.

which means you can't copy it, not that you can't photograph it. the license purchased for that package might have limits.

If copyrighted items couldn't be photographed, the security cast members at Walt Disney World and DisneyLand would have a much more difficult job.