Documentary and the Law

3 credits · Law School

Educating audiences about real events and people, documentary filmmakers may generally use non-fiction storytelling to highlight current and historical topics and social issues, to inspire change, and to focus a spotlight on subjects that may otherwise remain underreported. In specific relation to the law, documentaries may be used as audio-visual advocacy by teaching about and influencing perceptions of legal issues, uncovering injustices and promoting reform, raising awareness about the intersection of the law and ethics, etc. Students will view certain documentaries, engage in discussions and evaluations of each work, and explore key documentary production legal principles such as copyright and fair use, materials clearances, freedom of speech, defamation, appearance releases, and privacy rights. Enrollment limited. [3]