Notes
Answers for producers, written down.
Short, direct pieces on the questions that decide whether a film clears delivery — releases, fair use, life rights, archival, music, and E&O.
Clearance
Aug 26, 2026
Annotation guides for long-form film and TV based on true stories
A strong annotation guide is the connective tissue between script, legal, and E&O. It is how you prove to a distributor and its insurer that every real person, place, and claim has been reviewed.
ReadDefamation
Aug 25, 2026
Defamation law on a US and EU documentary about corruption
Corruption documentaries face two legal systems at once: US First Amendment defenses and EU member-state defamation laws that can be stricter, faster, and more expensive. Here is how I approach that tension.
ReadClearance
Aug 20, 2026
Do I need a release for someone filmed in a public place?
Usually no for news and documentary use, but the answer changes fast once the person is identifiable, the footage is promotional, or the film sells to a distributor with E&O requirements.
ReadFair Use
Aug 12, 2026
When fair use actually covers your archival clip
Fair use in documentary is not a vibe. It is a four-factor argument you have to be able to write down before your E&O carrier will insure it.
ReadRights
Jul 28, 2026
Life rights: what you are actually buying
There is no such thing as a 'life rights' property under U.S. law. What you are buying is cooperation, exclusivity, and a covenant not to sue.
ReadDelivery
Jul 10, 2026
The E&O checklist your distributor will send you
Errors and omissions coverage is where every clearance shortcut surfaces. Here is what carriers ask for, in the order they ask for it.
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