Ryan over on flickr pointed out an article on the Wall Street Journal titled: Candid Camera: Trove of Videos Vexes Wal-Mart about a company that spent almost 30 years getting paid to make video documentaries from inside the world of Wal-Mart.

It’s an interesting read, but what I like about it is that because the documentary company never signed a made for hire contract, it seems they can legally sell, distribute, and display these sometimes bizzare moments with whomever they want. They own the copyright.

You may already know this, but when you take a picture or make a video, in most situations you, the creator owns the copyright, even if a compny paid you to do the work. If you sign a contract with them that says it’s a work for hire, you do not own the copyright. They do. There are plenty of sites that go into why signing a work for hire contract is a bad idea. One of my favorites is Photo Business News & Forum by John Harrington author of the MUST READ BOOK for anyone who is or wants to be a professional photographer: Best Business Practices for Photographers.

Here is a video of the story.

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