Q: In his memoirs a diplomat recalls a rather funny incident he experienced while serving in an embassy which I believe I could slightly expand and rewrite as a scene in my script, The minute I read it my mind wrapped around it and I could see it’s value in adding another dimension to my…
Q: I have watched hundreds of films and read as many screenplays. The question I have is, are lines from movies protected by copywrite or are they considered in the public domain? The best example I have is whenever a character or story transports a character to somewhere foreign or bizarre the standard line is “We’re not…
Q: Can you shed any light on how to best use a pseudonym from a legal standpoint? I have my copyright indicating the other identity, but what about in the marketplace? For example, if I’m to be paid, how would that be arranged? A: Using a pseudonym is actually pretty simple. Tell your agent, manager and lawyer…
Q: If a screenwriter sells the copyright to their screenplay, do they also give up the rights to the novel if they’ve written one based on the same story? A: Not necessarily. If the novel is based on the screenplay, or tells the same story, then yes, the transfer of copyright in the screenplay would prevent…
Q: When does a parody of someone else’s material infringe on their copyright? For instance, having a character use the Vulcan mind-meld in your story. Changing some content within a Dr. Seuss story to create new characters but keeping the same meter, structure and rhyme. Changing a word in a famous slogan to reinvent it….
Attorney Gordon P. Firemark answers the question: “What can I do if my co-writer bails out before our script is finished?”
Q: I am thinking about writing a series of YA novels featuring the characters and world of King Arthur and Robin Hood. Does anyone own the rights to these historical/fictional characters and settings, or are they considered in the public domain? A: This is both a simple, and a tricky question to answer. As a…
Q: What happens if a friend, or someone else, makes a suggestion that you think is good and without written permission include the line, scene, or piece of business in your screenplay. Is there now a copyright issue? A: Assuming, for the moment, that the friend just blurted out this suggestion, and you’ve decided that it…
Q: I have an excellent screenplay concept I’m into – Inspired by a previously published literary book, written by a now-deceased author & screenwriter whose trade and screen writing professional work was quite successful. The publisher of the original “book” is contemporary The author’s literary affairs are now handled by an “estate Trustee,” and a capable Hollywood industry literary agent is still in…
Q: As a TV/film screenwriter I’ve sent short pitches and query letters to several agents. Some have responded with requests to see my work, but other have returned my queries with a “no unsolicited” material letter from the submissions department. I have two questions: 1) Since when is a query to an agent unsolicited material…