Using Quotes.

supercarz

supercarz

Hey Guys

If I wanted to say use a quote from a Beatles Song to play at the start of my film, (something along the lines of David Bowie's quote at the start of Breakfast Club) would there be any legal issues that would arise?

I am quite unsure of the copyright infringements around this.

Thanks heaps

Matt
 
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Using a quote in your screenplay does not infringe on
copyright. However, using the quote in the movie itself
might. Use a quote in your screenplay with the understand
that it's very likely that the quote will not end up in the
movie. My advice is to just leave it out. No matter how
essential you believe it is, or how important it is to you,
this is something that really isn't needed in a script.

Keep it on the front of your mind - when you sell the script
and are meeting with the producer and director you can
mention the perfect addition of the quote.
 
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Good info, Rik. :) Out of curiosity, is it the same with a quotation that comes from an interview or a speech?

For example, if I have a character quote someone famous, do I have to have the character attribute the quote to the source?
 
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Things people say are not usually covered by
copyright. I'm sure there are exceptions.

Remember, the right to copy (copyright) has
nothing to do with giving credit or even paying
money. It's about the owners right to protect
their property from being copied without their
permission.

Some quotes come from material like books or
speeches that might be under copyright, but
many are things a famous person said and never
copyrighted. Even most quotes from speeches
("ask not what your country can do for you; ask
what you can do for your country.") are fine if a
character simply says it out loud.
 
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