We've been talking here for some time about using your fair-use rights so that you don't lose them (Fair Use It or Lose It). But what happens if you do what the copyright maximalists appear to encourage and ask permission for every use of copyrighted material -- even the most defensible private home use? JD Lasica answers the question, documenting his own experiences asking movie studios for permission to include small clips of movies in a home video he's making with his 5-year-old son. Asking for 30 seconds of a classic Disney film yielded the following response (emphasis, mine):

Due to the growing number of requests that we are receiving from individuals, school groups, churches, corporations and other organizations that wish to use clips from our productions as part of their video projects and other similar uses, we have had to establish a general policy of non-cooperation with requests of this nature. Unfortunately, we simply do not have the staff necessary to oversee and review all of the details of each specific request that we receive in order to determine whether the request uses fall within acceptable guidelines or whether talent, music or film clip re-use payments to those featured in the footage and other legal clearances would be necessary to obtain before permission for requests of this nature can be granted.

(Via Ernie Miller @ Importance Of...)