I want to make a 2 minute montage of funny scenes using video clips from my favorite TV show (taken from my DVD collection). Then I would like to host it so other fans of the show can see it. Maybe I will put it on Youtube, or just host it for download on my own website... My question is, could I face any legal trouble for doing this? I understand theres a thing called copyright, but I don't know if this would fall under a gray area or not. I'm not doing this for monetary gain, just as a service to fans or potential fans. I see people posting video clips like these all the time, I just want to know if I would ever have anything to worry about by doing this legally? Comments? PS: I also want to make the montage with background music from a song I own. Would this be another legal issue too?

All Answers To Questions

I'm no legal expert, but I've watched a thousand videos with background music using songs that are definetly copyrighted, so one assume that every1 that does that doesnt get arrested lol. Also due to the fact it takes time and money to track down people on internet, there are certain amounts of such illegal activites u must do to get arrested (hence the reason so many people download music illegaly but they don't get arrested, they cant go after every1, so they set like a certain amount of songs in a certain time period must be downloaded for them to go after u). So anyways basically, as long as it is only clips and not entire shows, and the fact that its not for profit or stealing from any1, I highly doubt any1 would go after u even if it did break some fine print, but like I said, not a legal expert hehe

Best to look at the EULA on the video site that you plan on using or asking them... many of them have agreements with various entertainment groups on the displaying or not displaying their copyrighted material.

yes it is illegal to share any copyrighted material without permission. My internet got shut off for a week for uploading a copyrighted file. It was in my ISP's license agreement. There is a law against it called the digital millinium copyright act.