
This set the new standard for disputes between directors and producers. Casa Duse was found to have owned the copyright in the finished film and its prior versions, including the disputed raw footage. Casa Duse initiated the project, acquired the screenplay rights, selected the personnel, controlled the schedule, and coordinated the film’s publicity/marketing. The director exercised a significant degree of control over many creative decisions, but Casa Duse exercised far more decision-making authority over the project as a whole. Here the film production company was determined the “dominant author” and therefore owned the copyright. The director contended that he owned all copyright interests in the raw film footage. Court of Appeals in New York City held a film production company owned the copyright interests in a film entitled “Heads Up” rather than the film’s director. The 2nd Circuit Court denied directors this right in a significant and fairly recent decision cementing a new regulation within Hollywood. Specifically, whether a film director can maintain a copyright interest in a film. The biggest struggle between the two vital roles is the question of who is the rightful author of a film in the absence of a WMFH agreement.

Producers and directors are known to clash on occasion. Directors desire to have complete creative control over the film.
#Director vs. poducer full
In most cases, the producer hires the director, puts together a full cast, finds an area for shooting the film, and many other fundamental decisions. The producer’s role is to handle all of the business matters behind the film. A producer does have a great impact during the production process.

There is no denying that many people are needed to create a completed film. In light of these decisions, all directors face a copyright injustice that courts need to remedy. But when a work made for hire doctrine is NOT signed, practical wisdom would suggest the director would be the rightful author of their film.
#Director vs. poducer movie
Studios only want 1 version of a movie released and complete ownership to that version. Rather the studio that hired them owns the entirety of the work. In a “work made for hire” (WMFH) agreement, contributors to a film including actors, directors, set designers, and other crewmembers do not own ANY part of the end product. However, the film industry has a different approach under the “ work made for hire” doctrine. The general copyright rule is whoever creates the work is the owner. Merkin, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals held that unless joint authorship was actually intended by 2 or more parties, only 1 person or entity known as the “dominant author” could own the copyright to a film. Google, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that an actress did not own any separate copyright interest in her performance that was embodied in a film and could not use copyright laws to block the release of the film.

Two cases have changed the entire structure of copyright ownership rights in regards to a completed film: Garcia v. Up until recently, the role of a director concerning the ownership of a completed film was never in question. A director has the “final say” on all major creative and technical decisions. A director is in control of casting, shot selection, editing, script changes, lighting, sound effects, design, and any other elements concerning the film. A writer creates a script and a director brings that script to life. A director is the known leader of these productions. A film crew is assembled for lighting, camera control, costume design, and other areas needed for the production of a motion picture.

There is no denying that filmmaking is a collaborative process.
