Student video productions: Who owns the copyright?

Statue and case law provide little direct guidance as to student works. However, a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court decision defined the Work for Hire provisions of the 1976 Copyright Act in such a way that student‐producers would seem to be able to retain the copyright of their productions. Accordingly, recommendations are made concerning a contract between a school and a student acknowledging the student's copyright in the work but granting the school a non‐exclusive license to air the program. A prototype of such a contract is presented.