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copyright infringments

4 replies [Last post]
Anonymous

I've created a board game and would like to know what the restrictions are for using, for an example, TV show trivia, movie names, rock bands and the members of the bands names in the game. Would I have to buy the rights to any of these specific media types? Where would I find the restrictions for such things?
Thanks...

Drexxell

Anonymous
copyright infringments

First, I'm not a lawyer... although I married one.

There are only two cases wherein you can use the names of any entity that exists outside of a simple individual (which would therefore apply to ALL of the examples you listed):

Fair Use: This would be something along the lines of a mention of one of those items in conversation in a novel like,

He turned slowly and studied her shaking body. She was taking this hard.
"Need a Kleenex, Rosie?"

I don't think that is your intention.

The second case is where the work is a parody of the institution or entity to be so used... Thus "WOTC" listed as a manufacturer on a game will get you sued unless it says further on that it stands for "Whip Out The Cash" and its on a game called "Tragic, the Addiction".

So yes, get a license... and understand that any work created "may" be considered derivative (and thus their copyright, not yours) depending on how the license is framed.
XXOOCC

Anonymous
copyright infringments

...oops... one last thing. "Trivia" IS fair use... but be REALLY CAREFUL about how you use it.. I'd check with an actual lawyer, personally, even at $150 an hour.
XXOOCC

Anonymous
Rats

Thanks very much for the advice. I feared that my answer was what I saw in your response. I think I'm screwed...no matter how fun the game is. I suppose it'll have to be something my friends and myself will have to enjoy alone/together. Rats!

Game on!

Drexxell

Anonymous
copyright infringments

When my daughter turned nine, she was WAY into the Spice Girls... and I must admit that dear old dad (me) didn't find them too hard on the eyes... and that some of the music was ok too...

Long story short... I made her a trivia-based board game for X-mas called the "Spice Girls Game" that she thought was really cool... but it will, of course, never see print (although I did make a copy or two for some other industry folks that wanted to see it).

XXOOCC

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