I'd like to use some famous quotations on merchandise that I will be selling. Are quotations copyrighted? I know that similar questions have been asked but I didn't find the answers overly helpful.
Thank you :)
2007-10-19 00:38:17 · 5 answers · asked by Opalfire 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
So quotations are the same as other works then? I can freely use quotes from public domain works such as Shakespeare but not a quote from someone that is living today, unless they have said that the quote is for the public domain?
2007-10-19 12:14:35 · update #1
Ashley Brilliant has won judgements as large as $18,000 for people who have used his epigrams without getting permission.
Something is copyrighted as soon as it's put in fixed form. In many cases, though, you can use it without permission, under fair use.
If you wanted to make a T-shirt saying "Hyman Roth has been dying from the same heart attack for the last twenty years" from Godfather II, it'd probably be covered by fair use, because it is such a small part of the movie, and it wouldn't affect the earnings of the movie's owners.
On the other hand, if you wanted to make one saying "You can't HANDLE the truth", from A Few Good Men, you're treading on dangerous grounds.
2007-10-19 03:06:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
As long as a quotation is given proper citation there is no copyright infringement occurring. I have seen many items with whole poems on cups, t'shirts and other merchandise and no problem exists because the author is given credit for the works displayed.
BB,
Raji the Green Witch
2007-10-19 02:05:10 · answer #2 · answered by Raji the Green Witch 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A copyright is a legal right that can be very complicated to explain to the lay person.
But, for your purposes, I will say this: You don't get a copyright just by saying something nifty. It has to be reduced to something tangible (i.e. written down). So, a quote from a speech is not something that would lend way to a copyright.
So, yeah, if you want to put Ben Franklin's greatest quotes on a T-shirt, go ahead.. knock yourself out.
2007-10-19 00:44:14 · answer #3 · answered by dpilipis 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In Europe and in many other parts of the world, copyright extends for the lifetime of the originator and for 70 years thereafter.
http://www.writewords.org.uk/articles/tips6.asp
I suppose famous quotations are usually really old so comercial use of it should be ok as long as they're acknowledged and you don't try to pass them off as your own.
2007-10-19 03:00:21 · answer #4 · answered by ٩(●̮̮̃•̃)۶ƃuılıǝɔ ǝɥʇ uo ƃuıɔuɐp 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes you must disclose who said it or you'll be in for trouble
2007-10-19 00:41:05 · answer #5 · answered by CJ 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋