| Author | Message | ||
     Albie (Albie) Username: Albie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.195.244.67 |
I had this idea for a story about a man who becomes the victim of a body snatcher alien. But the man is a proffessional impersonator. An impressionist. And instead of his own personality being stolen the alien accidentallly steals the persona of one of the man's impressions. Would it be allowed to use a famous person as that persona? Like Frank Spencer or the Prime Minister? IS their any copyright on using famous people in fiction? Also, is this story idea a new one, as far as you know? It would be written as comedic sci fi. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
It's new to me, Albs. Sounds intriguing... I haven't a clue about this copywrite thing you mention. Is this new? Something to do with computers? :-) | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.229 |
Sounds like a good idea. I'm pretty sure you can reference real people without copyright infringment. Libel's another issue, tho... :<) | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.149.129.211 |
Gary's right: libel is the issue here. If you attribute bizarre acts or circumstances to a real living person you can be sued, no matter how far from realistic convention the framework is. The safe solution is to go for someone no longer alive. | ||
| Craig (Craig) Username: Craig Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 75.5.2.90 |
Let me just remind you.... BEING JOHN MALKOVICH. Spec script first, before JM ever got involved. Got lots of heat. Made Charlie Kaufman the A-list screenwriter he is today. I have a friend/cowriter who wrote a script called GOD IS MY COPILOT, in which John Travolta is the protagonist; an alternate-reality story, it imagines Travolta didn't get the part for SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, so he turned to his second greatest passion, flying planes; and his next job is to fly around the guy who *did* get the role, another actor who just happens to have the same name, John Travolta. Also got around, got lots of interest and heat (but didn't sell), because of its odd nature. There are other examples in Hollywood. ... fortune favors the bold....  | ||
| Chris_morris (Chris_morris) Username: Chris_morris Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 98.220.108.241 |
In America, celebrities trade some rights just for being famous. It's okay, for instance, that in Jay Leno's nightly monologue he says awful things about famous actors, singers, and politicians. He doesn't need to clear these statements with lawyers; these people are fair game as long as his statements are within reason and within a joking context. I'm not sure if the laws are the same where you live, Albie, but it's probably true that as long as readers know you're joking, you're okay. | ||
| Albie (Albie) Username: Albie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.195.236.131 |
Best to stay on the safe side and give up writing. Phew. That's going to save me a lot of hassle. Just joking. I think I'll use the vague moniker of "The Prime Minister." | ||
| Griff (Griff) Username: Griff Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.100 |
Have you ever sent any scripts off to the BBC, ITV or C4, Albie? | ||
| Albie (Albie) Username: Albie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.195.236.131 |
No? You think I should try to influence entire stations with my evil clowning darkness jokes? A good idea. I could irradicate so much seriousness like that, and return this universe back into the dripping hoarseness it deserves!!!!!!!!!! Ahem. Actually. I did think this idea of an impersonator and his alien offshoot would be like a rubbish channel 4 sit com from the nineties. Like that one with the guy who lives with the ghost of his dad. Remember that one? I generally don't send stuff off anywhere. I think you should have a good body of work before you start looking for attention. The way I work, sending out one two page story every year wouldn't even touch the sides, so to speak. You need to be everywhere, suddenly, at once. I'm still attempting that trick. | ||
| Griff (Griff) Username: Griff Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.100 |
What town do you live in, Albie? | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.23.225.121 |
'So Haunt Me'. >shiver< | ||
| Albie (Albie) Username: Albie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.195.236.131 |
Hull. The grey capital of nowhere. Streets that end as rooftops looking down onto old maps. The sun striving to shine through cardboard skies. And the moon projects images of rape and facial worms onto the waters of the river. Our snow is litter. A black deflated balloons tied up with audio cassette tape is our mayor. And John Prescot. We have him. | ||
| Albie (Albie) Username: Albie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.195.244.67 |
Although we do have the highest life expectancy. Having said that, those figures are skewed by the vast number of zombies we have in the populace. |