Intellectual Property with Film Cameras


matthewchj

Member
Jun 3, 2010
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Singapore
Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but here goes:

Okay, so let's say my friend borrows my film camera and fires off a few frames with it. The camera belongs to me and so does the film inside it. Once I develop the film, are the pictures that my friend took on my roll of film considered his property or my property? Is he the copyright holder of those few images or I am?

Anyone got any insights on this?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, just curious.
 

From an "artistic" point of view, technically speaking your friend has the so-called copyright because he was the person who squeezed the shutter button. Your camera and film are just a medium of his expression, in a manner of speaking.

While I am sure this whole scenario is rather debatable, if the day comes when someone uses your camera to shoot some incredible, potentially award-winning shot... I'm sure you will give him the due credit and allow him to claim the copyright... no?

That said: I seldom allow other people to handle my camera(s), much less film unless they know what they're doing. I say let the person who took the shot own the shot themselves, and give credit to whomever really owns the film/camera itself too.
 

I would also say the image belongs to him. Borrowing ErrikWong's term of medium, it brings to mind a painter who borrows acrylic paint and brush from you and paints a masterpiece. That painting does not in any way belong to you, right? At the most, you can say, "The paint that he used is mine!" Haha!
 

your friend is the creator of the images, the camera and film are just a tool and medium, doesn't really matter the tool and medium are belong to who.

and since he create the images at his own free will, not commissioned or hired by anybody, so he own 100% of the images he created.