PDA

View Full Version : Copyright question...


DeeperShade
19th Apr 2008, 02:03 PM
I know none of you are lawyers, but I figured i might aswell ask.

If i've created something, which is 100% of my making (not using anything from anywhere else), but is based upon an element from a TV show, could I then sell what i've created?

Say for example, if I've made a papercraft model of the USS Enterprise (D), could I sell the templates?

What legal restrictions am I under, if any?

SleepyHe4d
19th Apr 2008, 02:12 PM
It depends what element of the show it is and if it was just inspired by it or a copy like the USS Enterprise thing. :p Yeah, I don't know anything about law but I'm pretty sure you can't sell stuff from an IP someone else owns. :lol:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property_infringement

JaFO
19th Apr 2008, 02:23 PM
That's not merely an element of a tv-show any more ... it practically *is* the most important part of the show.
It probably isn't copyright, but 'intellectual property' you'd be dealing with and that would mean that even though you built it from your own plans the idea is still theirs.

Why else did George Lucas make so much money of selling the IP/marketing-rights to other companies to allow them to built their copies of items from the movies ?

DeeperShade
19th Apr 2008, 02:35 PM
Oh well, i'll just have to give it away for free then and make something else for moolah :)

SleepyHe4d
19th Apr 2008, 02:41 PM
You can always put it on teh net. :p

JaFO
19th Apr 2008, 02:46 PM
Oh well, i'll just have to give it away for free then and make something else for moolah :)
Be careful ... even 'free' is something the IP-owners might consider an insult for their product.

DeeperShade
19th Apr 2008, 03:02 PM
They can screw themselves. I'll release this even if I have to rapidshare it.
I've worked too hard on it not to.

ambershee
19th Apr 2008, 03:31 PM
You can get away with releasing something like this for free as 'fan-art', it's unlikely anyone would have any qualms, although they could ask you to stop distributing it.

You'd never be able to sell it though, you'd definitely get slammed.

dragonfliet
19th Apr 2008, 05:16 PM
Basically what everyone is saying. No, you can't sell the papercraft of the Enterprise, but if you made something that was inspired by, or based off of the enterprise (but obviously not the same thing), then yes, you could sell that.

~Jason

ambershee
19th Apr 2008, 05:26 PM
I'm pretty sure he can release templates so that everyone can make one themselves - like I said, it really does constitute 'fan art'.

dragonfliet
19th Apr 2008, 06:30 PM
I'm pretty sure he can release templates so that everyone can make one themselves - like I said, it really does constitute 'fan art'.
Yes, so long as it's free, it really shouldn't be an issue.

~Jason

Mister_Prophet
20th Apr 2008, 03:45 AM
If you give the model a penis and change the big saucer to a big triangle and call it the USS-Enterphear...you could probably get away with it and it would look awesome.

Matfei
23rd Apr 2008, 12:48 AM
If you give the model a penis and change the big saucer to a big triangle and call it the USS-Enterphear...you could probably get away with it and it would look awesome.

Seconded.

DeeperShade
23rd Apr 2008, 02:34 AM
Seconded.

Spamming to get your post count up huh?

Lurk more.

Matfei
23rd Apr 2008, 02:42 AM
Spamming to get your post count up huh?

Lurk more.

I've been lurking for the better part of two years.

Giving my succinct opinion is hardly spam.

DeeperShade
23rd Apr 2008, 02:50 AM
Adding a one word reply to a 3 day old thread that had almost fallen off the front page, adding a total of NOTHING to the thread is not succinct. It is however postcount whoring.

If you'd been lurking for 2 years, you'd know that.

hyrulian
23rd Apr 2008, 02:55 AM
Closing thread at OP request. He already got his answer anyway it seems.