Authorship, likeness and consent

Two questions come up on every AI-assisted film: what do I own, and whose likeness am I allowed to use? This lesson summarises the main sources as of 2026. It isn't legal advice; for a film with money behind it, talk to a lawyer where you live.

What you own (United States)

The U.S. Copyright Office's January 2025 report on copyrightability concluded that copyright requires human authorship. Its main points:

• Material generated entirely by AI isn't protected by copyright.
• Writing prompts, on their own, doesn't make you the author of the output.
• Human contributions can be protected: your script, your own footage, and the creative selection and arrangement of material, such as the edit.
• It's decided case by case, under existing law.

So the more of the film that is visibly your work (your script, your shot choices, your cut), the more of it you can claim. MoviePro doesn't claim ownership of what you make; generated content may also be subject to the model provider's terms.

Using a real person's likeness

• Actors under union contracts. SAG-AFTRA's contracts since 2023 require informed consent, and payment, before a producer uses a performer's digital replica. Its 2026 TV/Theatrical agreement, ratified in June 2026 and running to June 2030, builds on those terms.
• Anyone else. Use a real person's face or voice only with their permission. The Copyright Office's July 2024 report on digital replicas found that existing laws don't adequately protect people against unauthorised replicas and called for a new federal law. Until the law catches up, consent in writing is your protection and theirs.

In MoviePro

Character replace and Face swap ask you to confirm that the person is you or has given permission, and voice cloning asks for a sample you have the right to use. Keep the signed release with the project. For a cast built from scratch, generate the character rather than describing a real person.