What makes a documentary film a documentary?

A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to “document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record”.

Can you make a documentary without permission?

You MUST have their permission and/or pay to copy their work. And if you have the dream of having your film seen on television, you will have to PROVE to those broadcasters you own all the rights to every piece of content in your movie.

How do I pitch my documentary to Netflix?

If you have an idea, game, script, screenplay, or production already in development that you’d like to pitch to Netflix, you must work through a licensed agent, producer, attorney, manager, or industry executive, as appropriate, who already has a relationship with Netflix.

How do you license a documentary?

To obtain a public performance license:

  1. Check with the copyright holder directly.
  2. Check with the distributor to see if they have the authority from the copyright holder to grant licenses. (This is a good method for documentaries.)
  3. In the case of major feature films, you can use a licensing service.

How can I protect my documentary?

6 Ways to Protect Your Film From Legal Trouble

  1. Create an LLC for your film.
  2. Document everything.
  3. Learn employment laws.
  4. Get insurance.
  5. Be aware of copyrights, trademarks, and privacy rights.
  6. Understand the intellectual property of your film.

Do documentaries make money?

Of course documentaries can make money, but maybe not much As a general rule, documentaries are not big money makers unless you’re Michael Moore. Of course there are always exceptions, but depending on your subject, there usually is simply not the mass audience for documentaries like there is with fiction films.

How much do Netflix pay?

The average estimated annual salary, including base and bonus, at Netflix is $136,046, or $65 per hour, while the estimated median salary is $134,493, or $64 per hour. At Netflix, the highest paid job is a Corporate Counsel at $350,000 annually and the lowest is a CS Rep at $52,593 annually.