I'm writing a book and I wanted to know because I wouldn't want to be breaking the law or anything by mentioning it!. Because I'm having my character audition for it!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
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Position:Home>Books & Authors> Would mentioning High School Musical in a book be copyrighted or something?Question: Would mentioning High School Musical in a book be copyrighted or something!? I'm writing a book and I wanted to know because I wouldn't want to be breaking the law or anything by mentioning it!. Because I'm having my character audition for it!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: No it isn't a problem!. Usually!. Not if it is an every day item that a person might normally use!. The problem comes in the context!. If you say something bad about the product like he opened a can of (a certain beverage in a red can) and found a dead roach in it, THEN you are saying something derogatory about the company and are entering lawsuit territory!. Citations aren't used in fiction!. When you see something that looks like a citation on the publisher's page of a novel, it means someone paid money for the use of the words, etc!. Usually that applies to song lyrics - which always cost BIG money to use!. What I always tell people is this!. If you are publishing traditionally, copyeditors read this material and mark things like this for the legal department to look at!. If the legal department senses that there will be trouble, they will change it!. Remember that at that point you have sold the rights to your book and the company has the right to edit it as they see fit!. So they might say "He opened a can of cola and found an insect in it!. Soften it up a bit - make it generic!. No publisher is going to knowingly leave themselves open for legal action!. That is why they have a legal department!. The real issue comes in if you self publish!. Remember self publishers print ANYTHING!. They do not read it first!. If you can pay for it, they will print it!. So if you use a company's name in a manner that is derogatory and defaming, YOU will be sued!. If you are minor and your parents signed the contract, they will be sued!. This has happened many times!. One major self publishing nightmare of a company printed a book of naked photos of a man's ex-wife for him to pass out to his friends as revenge!. She sued him AND the company - claiming they should have looked at the material before they printed it!. They lost and now they owe millions in damages!. So err on the side of caution if you are self publishing!. Take the names out!. Do not even use similar names like High School Music Show because people will know what you mean!. Your real problem here is Disney!. Disney is the one company that I (and many others) fear!. Because Disney sues!. They are very protective of their trademarks, characters, etc!. The proper thing would be to talk to a trademark attorney, but it would be much simpler to just say the character was auditioning for a teen musical show!. People will understand what that means!. Basically this is the rule -- If you are traditionally publishing, allow the legal department to make the decision!. If you are on your own, back away!. And never mess with Disney!. Pax-CWww@QuestionHome@Com I don't think so, I mean, it is a public thing, so everyone could have seen it and love it in a book!Www@QuestionHome@Com Just put a citiation in!. At the end reference the people who own the copyrights to HSM!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |