Is it necessary to obtain copyright permission to use clips or stills from films in a dissertation or thesis?
Our answer:
While it’s not strictly necessary to obtain copyright permission for film clips and stills in a dissertation, it is considered best practice. Generally, short excerpts are covered under Fair Use if they are used for educational purposes, include significant commentary or criticism, and do not harm the market value of the original work. For detailed guidance, see the Society for Cinema and Media Studies’ Statement of Fair Use Best Practices for Media Studies Publishing.
