Are TV characters copyrighted?

Fictional characters can, under U.S. law, be protected separately from their underlying works. This is based on the legal theory of derivative copyrights. To obtain this type of protection, a creator must prove that the characters are sufficiently unique and distinctive to merit this protection.

Can I mention a TV show in my book?

No permission is needed to mention song titles, movie titles, names, etc. You do not need permission to include song titles, movie titles, TV show titles—any kind of title—in your work. You can also include the names of places, things, events, and people in your work without asking permission. These are facts.

Can you mention copyrighted characters?

Famous Characters and Copyright Law: As I said earlier, copyright law does not protect stock characters. So just mentioning the name of a character won’t be copyright infringement without more.

Can you write a book about a celebrity?

It is acceptable and safe to mention a celebrity in your book in some circumstances. Just naming them is fine, for example. You may be tempted to use many other possibilities, like having them as a romantic character that is more likely to get you in trouble.

Can I use a quote from a TV show?

To cite an episode of a TV show in MLA style, list the episode title, the name of the show (in italics), the names and roles of any relevant contributors, the season and episode numbers, main production or distribution company, and year. In an in-text citation, cite the name of the episode in quotation marks.

How do you know if a character is public domain?

Search for the work in the Catalog of Copyright Entries, a list of all works registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. If the copyright of a work published between 1923 and 1963 was not renewed in the 28th year after publication, the work is in the public domain.

Can fictional characters be protected by copyright laws?

In short, the copyright protection available to fictional characters is a complex issue with a good deal of money at stake. Courts will often weigh the fair use considerations against the rights of copyright owners to control derivative works.

Can you get in trouble for writing a crappy TV show?

The short answer is ‘yes’. However, the question indicates a core misunderstanding of the basics of fiction writing. You are not your characters. “Bob was watching a crappy TV show – The Kardashians.” – This could get you in trouble. Ultimately you have expressed an opinion through narartive.

Is it copyright infringement to use stock RoboCop characters?

As I said earlier, copyright law does not protect stock characters. Consequently, any use of a gun-toting cyborg won’t be considered copyright infringement of RoboCop until that cyborg looks and acts like RoboCop.

Is it legal to use brand names in fiction?

The short answer to your question, paraphrasing from this article, is that you can use names of brands in works of fiction without a problem as long as you’re not writing disparagingly about those brands. This would include names of shows and the like.