For Independent Filmmakers

Welcome

Our Independent Filmmaker pages are loosely organized in the chronological order of legal and business matters you might face throughout your project -- from treatment to final cut. Please help us improve our site. If you notice an error or have a suggestion for a link or additional information, please contact us.

THIS WEB SITE HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE OR A LEGAL OPINION. ONLY YOUR ATTORNEY CAN ADVISE YOU ABOUT WHICH LAWS ARE APPLICABLE TO YOUR SPECIFIC SITUATION.

Animals

You’ve no doubt seen the “No Animals Were Harmed®” end credit, and you want to use it because you didn’t harm any animals. It’s not quite that easy.

The “No Animals Were Harmed®” end credit cannot be used by everyone. Actually, it is a trademark owned by the American Humane Society, and it is issued only as the Society’s highest rating for a film.

Before issuing the rating and allowing its trademark to appear in the end credits of a film, the Humane Society monitors the production of a film to ensure that no animals are, in fact, hurt during production. For more information, visit the Humane Society’s site.

For safety guidance, visit the CSATF site, which is maintained by an industry-wide motion picture and television safety committee.

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