I recently watched the film “Blackberry,” a true story about the rise and fall of the first real smartphone manufacturer from the late 90s to the 2010s. Despite a budget of only $5 million, the film includes lots of pop culture references relevant to the time periods in which the story takes place.

The filmmakers used a unique approach to comply with copyright law. They worked with their lawyer to ensure the script adhered to the Fair Use exceptions of USA copyright law.

I’m currently developing a podcast that explores business lessons from various TV shows and films, including “Blackberry.” Before that is ready to go, I wanted to share this video that brilliantly explains how “Blackberry” stretched the boundaries of copyright law compliance without requiring permission from the copyright owners. Enjoy!