Author Topic: Copyrights on Photonovels for personal use?  (Read 2447 times)

Offline BrentS

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Copyrights on Photonovels for personal use?
« on: October 13, 2006, 01:56 PM »
I'm just curious what your take on copyrights for Photonovels.  I've been toying with the idea of creating a "printed" copy of my Comic Book Style photonovel for my own book collection.  I love the way the photonovel is turning and would love a "permenant" version as my own personal keepsake.  I've found some sites that you can use to print or publish something like this but I'm not sure if it is legal.  Is there a copyright infringement for creating a photonovel?  Obviously, the artwork is all my own creation or borrowed from the public domain.  However, given the Star Wars theme and Star Wars Characters, I'm curious whether or not this would be considered infringement?  Any ideas?

I've posted this in a couple of places trying to get some insight.

Thanks!

Offline BrentS

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Re: Copyrights on Photonovels for personal use?
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2006, 02:18 PM »
I've been doing a bit of research on the internet and its seems like all these PNs would fall under the classification of "FanFic".  Here is good website I found that decribes this. 

http://chillingeffects.org/fanfic/faq.cgi#QID15

In reading through this, I think that all the photonovels would be described as "derrivative" works and would be considered a Copyright Infrignement against Lucasfilm.  What is unclear is whether or not they would actually go out and try to prosecute for something like this.

One of the sites I found to publish books looks very slick.  However, they are set up to be an actual publisher so that anything that is sent to them you need to have the copyrights for.

I'm obviously doing this for my own personal use and not for profit.  I can't imaginge getting more than one of these printed.  However, it seems like it still may be an infringement.

Its too bad, because it looks like I could get this printed for as little as $20 which would be pretty cool.

Offline Angry Ewok

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Re: Copyrights on Photonovels for personal use?
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2006, 02:39 PM »
One fanfic writer actually had the balls to sell her work on Amazon, not so long ago... The book recieved amazingly awful reviews, drove her name into the dirt, and then she got sued.

Offline TresobYr

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Re: Copyrights on Photonovels for personal use?
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2006, 02:44 PM »
While it would still probably be illegal, having a copy printed for yourself probably would fly under Lucasfilm's or Hasbro's radar.

Setting up a permanent Cafepress shop to sell your photonovel would probably be a bad idea.

If you really believe in your work, you should probably submit it to an agent, Toyfare, or to a press that already has a Star Wars license.

Also, keep in mind that the dpi image resolution for professional printing is much higher than for a monitor...What looks good on your screen might not look so hot if professionally printed.