Only BMCC student filming projects required by a faculty member for class credit would be exempt from requesting a filming location permit. BMCC students should receive guidance through their academic departments, and requests for filming should be submitted by the professor via email to: publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu.
BMCC students may film on BMCC property for a class project assigned by a faculty member for a grade. Filming must not be disruptive, violate any other college or CUNY rules, inconvenience members of the BMCC community or create a safety hazard.
Students must secure all required releases from the on-camera individuals. The college will accommodate filming for approved academic class projects when possible. Filming for academic credit requires a student to partner with the professor or departmental representative who is assigning the filming project.
Students are responsible for obtaining permission from the appropriate department(s) in campus areas where they wish to film. If questions or issues arise, students are encouraged to seek the assistance of the faculty member(s) who assigned the project.
Main Building (199 Chambers) or Fiterman Hall: Filming requests for the Main Building or Fiterman Hall will require an outline of the proposed project to be submitted by the faculty member to the Office of Public Affairs at publicaffairs@bmcc.cuny.edu. Proposals must include a description of the project, the name of the course and course number, and a description of how the final project will be used/displayed. Faculty members must also submit a list of students are completing the project for credit.
Special Use Facilities: To film in special use facilities such as the gymnasium/recreation center, cafeteria, conference rooms, individual classrooms, administrative offices, or departmental offices, you must contact the office or department responsible for each of those facilities. Filming in restrooms is not allowed.
Outdoor Areas: Outdoor space requests must submitted to the Office of Public Affairs. Space requests may be denied for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to privacy concerns, incomplete information from requestor(s), lack of staffing to supervise the project, safety concerns, logistical challenges, restricted access areas, or other issues.
Rules of Copyright
The BMCC Community, (students, faculty and staff) are encouraged to review the rules of U.S. Copyright Laws when creating materials (music, videos, films) to be shared or broadcast to audiences. Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Information is provided on the CUNY Copyright Materials website.
FAQs:
Q: How can I tell if I need permission?
A: Most music, software, movies, television shows and other media are covered by copyright. A good rule of thumb is to never download a media file without paying for it or getting permission unless it is offered as a free download on reputable site (such as iTunes weekly free song files), it is clearly labeled as a free download by the copyright holder (such as free downloads on a band’s official site), or you know the work is in the public domain. For more information about permission, take a look at the Office of General Counsel copyright permission page.
Q: What about fair use?
A: Some file sharing for academic purposes may be fair use. Downloading copyrighted files without permission to expand your personal media library is never fair use.
