NHETG Copyright do’s and don’ts

 

 

The Plays:

 

  1. If you are doing a play without royalties, you do not need to have any paper work. Non-royalty plays include Shakespeare, student written plays; old translated versions of non-English scripts such as Greek plays, French plays, etc. Be careful with translations because some are covered and royalties paid.
  2. If you are doing a play as written with no changes you must be in possession of proof of royalty payment.
  3. If you are cutting a longer play you must be in possession of proof of permission to cut the play and a copy of the approved script.
  4. If you have made changes in gender, number of actors, lines, etc. you must be in possession of proof of permission to make these changes.
  5. If you have deleted words or lines or actions that are considered inappropriate for high school students you must be in possession of proof of permission to make these changes and a copy of the altered script.
  6. In some instances you may get permission to delete lines to create a play that fits a time limit and the publishing house or playwright will give you blanket permission. In this case you need to be in possession of a letter, which states you have permission to cut for time.

 

Music used in plays:

 

  1. Music played live by students may not be subject to royalty payments. You need to check with the publisher of the sheet music to determine if they want payment for the intellectual rights.
  2. Student written or adult written music may be performed without royalty payments.
  3. Recorded music that is longer than 30 seconds is subject to royalty payments and/or written permission. The company to contact is BMI.  You must have a letter for any music you use in your play. This needs to be in possession at the festival.
  4. Recorded music that is altered by 20% or more is not subject to royalty.

 

Projections, Movies or Pictures:

 

1.      If you are using a picture or movie, you must obtain the rights to do so.  Items found on the internet are almost always subject to copyright.

 

 

Upon request, proof of permission and royalty payment must be produced at the festival.

 

The principal of the performing school will be required to sign a registration document acknowledging that all appropriate permissions have been obtained and royalties paid.