Illegal to edit movie trailers and scenes?

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Illegal to edit movie trailers and scenes?

I've seen this done a lot on YouTube and such, and wanted to try it out for myself. So, I downloaded the new trailer for "The Dark Knight", and I thought I'd mess around with it a little bit (audio and video effects) and see if I could make anything entertaining. But, before putting it on YouTube, I wanted to know if this is in any way illegal, because I don't want to get in any trouble. Please don't flame me, I'm new to this (video editing).

Thanks!

Posted on Dec 17, 2007 4:48 PM

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Answer 1

PT

Level 7

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Dec 17, 2007 4:58 PM in response to car42

Depends on where in the world since copyright laws differ from one country to another. But in the US, depending on what you plan on doing, parody is a protected form of expression which copyright does not protect a work against.
Patrick

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Answer 2

car42 Author

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Dec 17, 2007 7:49 PM in response to car42

Thanks, PT.

Yes, I'm in the USA. So that means that if I make the voices high and low, pixelate the video, speed it up, slow it down, that type of stuff, it is classified as parody and it is legal, correct?

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Answer 3

PT

Level 7

20,894 points

Dec 18, 2007 6:10 AM in response to car42

Well of course this isn't really the place to ask for legal advise and I am not a lawyer. So my advice is worth about what you are paying for it, nothing. 🙂
But in my OPINION, if you are making some sort of parody, it probably falls under those guidelines for fair use. Of course if You Tube decides it doesn't or the original copyright holder complains, then they will likely just yank it. But considering all the other blatant copyright infringement up there (people posting unedited originals that they have no right to), yours will probably fall way to the bottom of their list of concerns.
Patrick

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Answer 4

car42 Author

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Dec 18, 2007 1:26 PM in response to car42

Thanks very much again, Patrick. 🙂

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