If I Were To Write A Screenplay On A True Event, Would I Need Rights?
Posted by adminDec 18
I want to write a story on a true event, which is the discovery of America. I am reading a few books which are helping guide me in the direction that I’d like my screenplay to go towards.
My question is: Will I need any particular rights to do so? Is the discovery of America considered public domain and therefore free game?
Thanks!
No, but you weren’t there. Unless you have studied the discovery of America and can just write about it off the cuff, you should give citations for where your base information comes from. (Based on the works (or book) from XXXXXX)
As for a money proposition, like a movie getting made from the screenplay, I believe that you’d have to compensate the said writers in some form.
If you quoted a source, you would need to acknowledge that. If you veered away from the total and absolute truth about an individual, you would be required to get written permission from their nearest living relative to do so. Otherwise you could be sued for defamation of character.
By the way, I think a movie like this has already been done several years ago. You might want to check it out before you go ahead with your plans.
Since it is a long ago historical event, no.
The first poster has the right of it, however. You might want to make sure that what you’re planning to do hasn’t already been done in part, lest you get accused of plagiarism.
Good luck.
Beware of taking information from a copyrighted book. It could be theft from another writer. If the piece of information can be substantiated from various sources then no one source is likely to sue because they can’t prove it came from you. I am not a lawyer but have commissioned articles on the law and writers’ rights in TwelvePoint.com