Copyright & Fair Use

Our approach to copyright, fair use, and content rights

Fair Use Notice

We reference short clips, frames, or stills solely for commentary, criticism, education, and analysis. All rights belong to their respective owners. Rights holders may contact hello@cinematicnotes.io for prompt review and removal where appropriate.

Educational Fair Use

Our content falls under educational fair use provisions of copyright law. We use copyrighted material in a way that is:

  • Transformative: We add substantial commentary, analysis, and educational value
  • Limited: We use only small portions necessary for our educational purpose
  • Non-competing: Our analysis doesn't substitute for or compete with the original work
  • Educational: Our content serves to educate about filmmaking techniques and craft

How We Use Copyrighted Material

Still Images

We may include still frames from films to illustrate specific compositional, lighting, or color techniques. These are used solely for educational analysis.

Short Clips

When necessary for educational purposes, we may reference very brief clips to demonstrate specific techniques, always accompanied by substantial analysis.

Attribution

We always provide proper attribution to the original creators, studios, and distributors of the content we analyze.

Respect for Rights Holders

We deeply respect the creative rights of filmmakers, studios, and distributors. Our goal is to:

  • Promote legal viewing through official platforms
  • Educate audiences about filmmaking craft and technique
  • Drive interest and appreciation for the analyzed works
  • Support the film industry through legitimate channels

Original Content

All written analysis, commentary, tutorials, and original photography on this site are created by Cinematic Notes and are protected by copyright. You may:

  • Share links to our articles with proper attribution
  • Quote brief excerpts for commentary with proper citation
  • Use our content for educational purposes with attribution

For commercial use or substantial reproduction, please contact us for permission.

Content Removal Requests

If you are a rights holder and believe we have used your copyrighted material inappropriately, please contact us at hello@cinematicnotes.io with:

  • Specific identification of the copyrighted work
  • Location of the material on our site
  • Your contact information and proof of ownership
  • A statement of good faith belief that the use is not authorized

We will promptly review all legitimate requests and work with rights holders to resolve any concerns.

DMCA Compliance

We respect the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and will respond promptly to valid DMCA takedown notices. We also respect the rights of users to fair use and will consider counter-notifications where appropriate.

Last updated: January 2025

This policy reflects our commitment to respecting intellectual property rights while providing valuable educational content under fair use provisions.