Fair Use Legal Doctrine
Fortunately there are many circumstances that can be free and clear of any legal culpability due to the implementation of Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Presently, you are able to use, without license, the encyclopedia of copyright protected material in special circumstances. One of the key features of Section 7 is based upon the manner in which the material, or protected property, is used.
Let’s pretend you used a leading soft drink manufacturer as a brand in your feature film. During the climax of the movie, the protagonist decides to use the respective brand’s material in a way that degrades the nature of the brand. Just to make things interesting let us imagine the same protagonist using the can of soft drink as a weapon or means to injure or hurt someone or something. Such an example would be in stark contrast to what is acceptable under Section 7 of the Copyright Act. In this case you would be ripe for a lawsuit or civil complaint from the brand you disparaged, that’s all but guaranteed. Be smart, hire an attorney that can help you navigate some of these waters up front. Plus you should call a great group of insurance agents @ (412) 212-8577, we are licensed in most states. A complete explanation of the Copyright Law can be found here.