Permissions for promotional photos

If they are needed, does anyone know who to get them?

from WinCustomize Forums
I've made a hobby out of creating logon screens and wallpapers for movies I like. I use promotional photos from the films that are freely available on the internet and carry no watermark or other indication of limited use. These are usually released by the studios that make the films. I use photoshop elements to blend and modify them to fit the overall theme.

I also make sound schemes from my DVD's. [HAL, etc.]

My Question: Do I need permission to upload the logon screens and sound schemes to win customize? If so, does anyone know how to contact the appropriate people at the studios. I'm an actor, but I'm a stage actor, and don't have those kinds of contacts.

Thanks for any help.

Citizen Actmeister
permissions
3,237 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Have a look at this page: https://www.wincustomize.com/Guidelines.aspx
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Do I need permission to upload the logon screens and sound schemes to win customize?


Alot of others submit logons and bootscreens using images they manipulated. The system is not cut and dry. Certain topics (Star Wars, Marvel comics, etc.) might and probably will be rejected unless every pixel is original. They may not. You have to take that chance.

Sounds are a whole new entity. Taking them from DVD's doesn't seem right but it can't hurt to try.
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

DVDs are subject to copyright. It should tell you about unlawful copying when you play it   

Sound schemes are a grey area for which I do not have an answer. There appears to be a lot out there already...

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This is all very helpful, thanks. I do know this about sounds--In most not for profit environments [my experience is in theatre as an actor and designer] if the clip is less than twenty seconds and no specific charge is being made for the material a royalty and permission are not required. Certainly all the sound clips are well under twenty seconds, but I'll try to keep the whole scheme under that just to be safe.

Logic would also seem to dictate that promotional images released by a studio would be acceptable to use as long a no charge is made for the resulting image, as it does promote awareness of the film. I certainly don't want to steal anyone's work or make a profit from it, but these things are not unlike a collage, so I would think fair use would apply. For instance, the wallpapers I upload to fan sites, and the others are accepted and the studios have never complained to the sites regarding the use of promotional photos.

Of course, all that could be wishful thinking on my part. I'll upload a couple of logons and we'll see what happens!
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Fan Art.

call it Fan Art.