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09-12-2006, 12:17 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 2
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quotes and copyright
Hi!
I am a writer currently writing an eCourse in screenwriting, and I wonder if anyone knows how and in such a case how much I can quote from other screenplays as examples in the education? Where do I find this information? And is this copyright law the same all over the world, since it is going to be delivered over the internet - are there anything else to consider?
Thanks for creating a great forum!!! Looking forward to get some guidance on this one....
/ Steve
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09-12-2006, 12:26 PM
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#2
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Profound Writer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Oregon
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,273
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Welcome!
Good luck with your course, but... I think what everyone wants to know is:
Is your mind way out on the ocean? See it swimming?
gigi
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09-12-2006, 02:12 PM
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#3
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Best Seller
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 625
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You really need to talk to a lawyer about the specifics of your business plan and the length of the excerpts.
IN GENERAL, educational uses and short snippets have a lot of leeway under the principle (not law, but judicial prescdent) of "fair use". At least that's in the USA. You'd need to ask a lawyer about crossing borders. Look to the recent case of Russian sites offering downloads for possible prescdent on this issue.
One issue is how open the site is to general browsing. If it's open only to paying students then you may have more wiggle room.
all this said, if you're really serious about this sort of business venture, you REALLY need to spend a couple hundred dollars (or more if the issues are at all complex) on a lawyer.
-Frank
__________________
"Sheepish Sentimentality" - 40 pages of verse from Michigan's north country
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09-12-2006, 03:44 PM
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#4
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Manager
Manager
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Great White North
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,351
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Umm, you may want to brush up on your own writing skills before you think about writing courses for others.
If you were able to find this site, you have the ability to search out some of those answers yourself, write them down, and check their validity with an attorney. Now, if you want to have people check over your content before you put it out there, WF.com is the place to come.
Good luck.
__________________
"...make your own nature, not the advice of others, your guide in life." --Pythia, Oracle of Apollo at Delphi
I'm here.
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09-12-2006, 07:04 PM
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#5
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Wordsmith
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Back 'home' on Tinian!
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,443
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using excerpts from copyrighted material is a VERY ticklish thing... you are not an accredited educational institution and seem to be setting up a money-making 'school' of sorts, so i'm fairly sure the educational exception will not apply in your case and you run the very real risk of being sued for all you'll ever have, if you use others' screenplays as examples in your 'course' without their permission...
you badly need an attorney, before going any further with this venture... one that deals specifically with international copyright law and the film industry...
i strongly urge you to cease and desist until you have sufficient legal input on what you can and can't get away with, for what you propose to do...
and i have to agree with valeca in that your writing here is so poor, i can't see how anyone would want to pay to have you teach them how to write... is english not your first language, perhaps?
__________________
For 100% free writing help/mentoring:
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"You must BE the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi
Last edited by mammamaia : 09-12-2006 at 07:09 PM.
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09-13-2006, 03:25 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 2
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You are right, english is not my first language - and I am not doing this alone. Thank you for your input though.
/ S.
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09-13-2006, 12:36 PM
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#7
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Wordsmith
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Back 'home' on Tinian!
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,443
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i'd thought as much, from your phrasing... and i'm glad to hear you have someone helping you with this venture...
btw, i mentor/help many aspiring screenwriters [hundreds yearly!], teaching them them the basics and guiding them along the path to learning the finer points of the craft, so if you need any help with setting up your course and/or want some input from one who's been 'teaching' a rather casual and entirely personal one for years, just drop me an email any time at all, and i'll be glad to answer any questions you have...
love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com
__________________
For 100% free writing help/mentoring:
www.saysmom.com
"You must BE the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi
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