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Copyright question

 
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Nameless
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Joined: 06 Sep 2002
Posts: 1368
Location: Vienna, Austria

PostPosted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 4:09 pm    Post subject: Copyright question Reply with quote

A question on copyright on characters (and a bit of a mind-bender):

Two of my stories ("Tiffany" and "Catfood") take place on our world, only a few decades in the future. Genetic engineering has progressed to the point where GELFs (Genetically Engineered Lifeforms) / Furs / Chimera can be and are produced. Initially as pets and slaves, later (a generation later) they are freed and treated equally to humans.

Given that they are genetically engineered and can be customized (for enough money), what are the chances that someone would have one (or more) of them designed to resemble a fur from artwork or stories that they liked. Pretty good, I'd guess.

So it is pretty likely that someone somewhere has bought himself a female tiger-striped skunk and, rather unavoidably (since that was the point of the exercise) called her Zig Zag.
Now, how is that considered for copyright purposes. The fur in question is definitely NOT the real Zig Zag, but she is supposed to be her.
Is she a seperate character, would I have to (should I) get permission from MBR to use her?

Sabrina would be a somewhat different case. There is not much that is unique about her (among the attributes that can be duplicated by medical science, I don't consider it possible that one could implant her a personality built from a description). Basically she'd just be a (more or less) generic female skunk whom someone called Sabrina.

Not that I really intend to use them in one of the stories, I just had this thought and wanted to hear anyone else's take on this.

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Elfen_Furry
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Joined: 18 Jun 2002
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Funny, I must say; 21st Century Fox uses the Sabrina and Zig Zag characters as a joke- where a certain species of Rabbits living on the Moon (on a Moon base), undergo a transpieces tranformation/operations because everyone of them, aside frombeing genetically identical from one another, all want to be different- with 'Sabrina' being one of the changes they want to become. Zig Zag is a distant fifth...

Considering that only the appearence and not the character traits, one can say that the Copyright was not infringed, and as well, the characters in question were being used as a Satirical pupose. It is also being used as a character device and not the actual character itself.

MBR and Eric could argue the point of copyright with appeareance issues, but as for the characters themselves, they would have a weak defense for. I think the Fan-Fic laws would protect you and allow you to create your own copyright from your creation; though I would note that Simillarities between your characters and others are coincidental, and give them respect and honor for their works too.

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mwalimu
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Joined: 08 Nov 2002
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Location: Normal, IL

PostPosted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 1:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Permission to use the likeness of Zig Zag in the manner described above may not be strictly necessary, but if you ask anyway I doubt if MBR would have any objection to it.
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Shadu
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Joined: 21 May 2003
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think they would mind though i guess to avoid any type of missunderstanding you should at least mention the fact that you are using the body characteristics of zigzag or sabrina. but permission to use them is allways a good thing.
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Shoobie
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just bug Max about it. I mean, it's his character and all. Have a chat, mark each other's specifics, and you should be fine. If you want to really cover your butt, you could always post a little blurb in your copyright/doco notice about it.
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