Opening Quotes

Yodaman · 08-04-2004, 07:05 PM

I'm making a Star Wars fan film and I wanted to use a certain quote from LOTR as an opening quote in the film. Is it legal to use an quote from LOTR as an opening quote in a fan film?

Rosie Gamgee · 08-05-2004, 04:16 PM

Don't count me as an authority, but I read that if you only mean to show the film to your family and friends, then there's really no problem what you put in your film. However, you would probably have to get the rights in order to show the film at festivals and stuff like that.
btw, the same book also said that if the author of the book has been dead for- ohhh, was it 80 years?- then no copy-right laws apply unless someone's already bought the rights- like Jackson. So.....

Olmer · 08-06-2004, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yodaman

I'm making a Star Wars fan film and I wanted to use a certain quote from LOTR as an opening quote in the film. Is it legal to use an quote from LOTR as an opening quote in a fan film?

"For the most part, almost anything published should be considered to be copyrighted unless it is CLEARLY stated that it's been placed in the public domain. Copyrighted material shouldn't be distributed unless it's CLEARLY stated that the copyright holder has granted permission."

Thanks God that nobody knows who invented the seven notes!!!
Otherwise musicians would pay for every note they put on theirs note- sheets.

Elanor the Fair · 08-06-2004, 05:15 PM

[QUOTE=Olmer

Thanks God that nobody knows who invented the seven notes!!!
Otherwise musicians would pay for every note they put on theirs note- sheets.

[/QUOTE]

Or the alphabet!!

Yodaman · 08-06-2004, 06:05 PM

It's just going to be shown on the web, and maybe Theforce.net might host it since it;s a fan film. I was thinking about showing the quote, not a sound clip, before the film starts. Kind of like in the begining of Black Hawk Down, where the screen flashes with 'Only the dead have seen the end of war' quote from Plato before the film starts. Would PJ hunt me down just for this? By the way, the quote is:

"There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark".
-Aragorn
The Two Towers

Attalus · 08-06-2004, 08:42 PM

I believe that if it is short and properly attributed, copyright law would not apply. After all, Ace Books published the whole LotR without permission, and never got in trouble, except from the fans.

08-04-2004, 07:05 PM	#1
Yodaman Elven Warrior Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Swamps of Dagobah Posts: 234	Opening Quotes I'm making a Star Wars fan film and I wanted to use a certain quote from LOTR as an opening quote in the film. Is it legal to use an quote from LOTR as an opening quote in a fan film? __________________ "What about second breakfast?"

08-05-2004, 04:16 PM	#2
Rosie Gamgee The Lovely Hobbit-Lass Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bounded in a nut-shell Posts: 1,593	Don't count me as an authority, but I read that if you only mean to show the film to your family and friends, then there's really no problem what you put in your film. However, you would probably have to get the rights in order to show the film at festivals and stuff like that. btw, the same book also said that if the author of the book has been dead for- ohhh, was it 80 years?- then no copy-right laws apply unless someone's already bought the rights- like Jackson. So..... __________________ It's New Years Day, just like the day before; Same old skies of grey, same empty bottles on the floor. Another year's gone by, and I was thinking once again, How can I take this losing hand and somehow win? Just give me One Good Year To get my feet back on the ground. I've been chasing grace; Grace ain't so easily found One bad hand can devil a man, chase him and carry him down. I've got to get out of here, just give me One Good Year!

08-06-2004, 05:15 PM	#4
Elanor the Fair Elven Warrior Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: In the kitchen ...... still! Posts: 228	[QUOTE=Olmer Thanks God that nobody knows who invented the seven notes!!! Otherwise musicians would pay for every note they put on theirs note- sheets. [/QUOTE] Or the alphabet!! __________________ Life's too short to eat bad chocolate

08-06-2004, 06:05 PM	#5
Yodaman Elven Warrior Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Swamps of Dagobah Posts: 234	It's just going to be shown on the web, and maybe Theforce.net might host it since it;s a fan film. I was thinking about showing the quote, not a sound clip, before the film starts. Kind of like in the begining of Black Hawk Down, where the screen flashes with 'Only the dead have seen the end of war' quote from Plato before the film starts. Would PJ hunt me down just for this? By the way, the quote is: "There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark". -Aragorn The Two Towers __________________ "What about second breakfast?"

08-06-2004, 08:42 PM	#6
Attalus Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: On the Bay of Belfalas Posts: 1,125	I believe that if it is short and properly attributed, copyright law would not apply. After all, Ace Books published the whole LotR without permission, and never got in trouble, except from the fans. __________________ "What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial.

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