Can I put dead people into my Film?

Can i get sued if i put a dead persons likeness into a film? ive heard before that you can use anyone whos dead in a film, but i thought i should verify if thats true or not.

If i wanted to make a film that featured Hitler, would i have to seek out any of his descendants and make sure there alright with him being in the film. and what about people that are more recently deceased, like Michael Jackson, if i feature his face, will his family sue me?
 
What do you mean by feature his face? Like use footage of him?

If that's what you mean, more likely than not, you'll get sued by the people who shot the footage first. Or rather, asked kindly to remove your film from the film festival or youtube etc.
 
In Canada they have weird censorship laws ranging from things like lesbian sex to certain criticism of the government. Might want to check into the specifics. If you choose to proceed, keep a second copy of your footage off site in the event your film gets confiscated.

In the United States, public figures have no rights to privacy, and dead people have none at all.
 
You might want to check with an attorney. Estates of celebrities can sue. There was a piece on 60 Minutes a while back showing how profitable some dead celebrities can be.
 
I see dead people
movie_i_see_dead_people.jpg
 
Wouldn't they smell?
LOL. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that it's illegal. Call the coroner. Get that body out of there. Destroy any evidence (film footage, behind the scenes video) or it may be used against you in court. About your only defense is that you thought the dead person was a method actor. You didn't know they were really dead.
 
About your only defense is that you thought the dead person was a method actor. You didn't know they were really dead.

Badabum chhhhh! :lol:


To OP: I always ask abt legalities myself. But what came to mind, seeing ur thread, was the disclaimer in the end credits of every movie saying any resemblance to people alive or dead was purely coincidental. You might want to find out what that is there for.
 
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