In most countries and regions, unauthorized use of film and television clips may involve copyright infringement, but according to the principles of “Fair Use” (such as the United States) or “Fair Dealing” (such as some Commonwealth countries) in the law, use may be legal under certain circumstances. The following are some suggestions, but please note that this is not legal advice. You need to consult a professional lawyer for specific circumstances. --- ### **1. Application of the principle of Fair Use (Fair Use)** Reasonable use usually requires the following four core elements to be met (take the United States as an example)： -**Purpose and nature of use**: Whether it is used for non-commercial purposes such as education, commentary, news reporting, research, and parody, and is “transformative” (that is, a new expression or meaning is added). -**Nature of the work**: The protection of the use of fictitious works (such as movies) is usually higher than that of factual works (such as documentaries). -**Number and proportion of use**: Use only the minimum number of fragments necessary, and avoid using core content or substantive parts. -**Impact on the market of the original work**: If the use may replace the original work or affect its income, it may constitute infringement. **Example**: When making a film and television commentary video, cite a small number of clips for analysis or criticism, and add your own opinions, which may be in line with reasonable use. --- ### **2. Practical suggestions for avoiding infringement** -**Indicate the source and disclaimer**: Clearly mark the source of the clip and the copyright attribution, but it should be noted that this is not completely exempt from liability. -**Limit the length of use**: Minimize the length of the referenced clip (for example, no more than 10% of the original clip or a few seconds). -**Add original content**: Secondary creation of clips through commentary, subtitles, special effects, mixed editing, etc., reflecting “transformative”. -**Avoid commercial use**: Non-profit use is more likely to be considered reasonable, but not absolute. -**Public domain or CC agreement materials**: Use materials that have entered the public domain (copyright expired) or follow the Creative Commons agreement. --- ### **3. Absolutely not recommended behavior** -Directly use complete film and television scenes or core plot clips. -Use unauthorized clips for commercial advertising, profitable content, or simply to attract traffic. -Carry film and television content without modification or comments (such as simply editing a collection of highlights). --- ### **4. Alternative** -**Obtain authorization**: Contact the copyright party (such as the film company, the distribution platform) to purchase the license. -**Use genuine material library**: Purchase or subscribe to platforms that provide genuine film and television clips (such as Getty Images, Storyblocks, etc.). -**Create original content**: By shooting original videos, animations, or using non-copyrighted materials (such as Pexels, Pixabay) instead. --- ### **5. Pay attention to regional legal differences** Different countries have different definitions of fair use. For example： -**United States**: Reasonable use has high flexibility, but case analysis is required. -**EU**: Usually stricter, focusing on “right of reference” and specific exceptions. -**China**: According to Article 24 of the Copyright Law, it is allowed to appropriately quote other people's works for the purpose of introduction, comment or explanation, but the source must be indicated and the normal use of the original work must not be affected. --- ###**Summary** The safest way is to obtain authorization or use legal materials. If you need to rely on the principle of fair use, you need to strictly evaluate whether the usage scenario meets the legal requirements, and be prepared for the risk of being complained or removed from the shelf. It is recommended to consult with a legal professional before publishing, especially when it comes to commercial use.