Author Topic: Are rights for using copyrighting materials (posters) for books are expensive ?  (Read 2467 times)

guest4531

  • Guest
Hi there !

I keep thinking about doing a book compiling niche posters with stories (mostly African thema).  To be printed and sold locally only (that is in East Africa).

Few questions:

1/ Feasible or not ?  I guess it is, it may be lot of work but technically feasible.

2/ Asking for authorisation to owner of copyright is a must.  I guess copyrighted owner of posters are film studios ?

3/ Are request usually granted and is there a cost for this (if yes, price range. fixed or depending of region of distribution and number of books to be edited)


Well, if you have experience in that domain, I would love to discuss about this with a specialist; just to get things running.


Offline jonesjb

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  • Posts: 17
I can't advise on the feasibility or legality on this from a copyright perspective. Can anyone opine if the recent case regarding Grateful Dead posters established any precedent?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Graham_Archives_v._Dorling_Kindersley,_Ltd..
« Last Edit: July 10, 2016, 07:43:09 PM by jonesjb »

guest4531

  • Guest
I have read quite a lot about US copyright law online, always had fascination for all these copyright cases. 

Problem is that fair use depends greatly of quantity of copyrighted material you use, how you used it and impact it has on copyright holder. Regarding the Grateful Dead, it was considered fair use because they only used 7 images (so just a little), images were reduced to low resolution (enough to recognize the art) with explanation, the transformative reproduction is mainly there to stress the historical interest of the image; and last the book (and the low resolution image) has not financial impact.

But it is a very interesting reading as it seems that reproduction of artwork with transformative change AND text with facts next to image can be considered fair use (was not shown to recreate the creative expression reposing in plaintiff’s [copyrighted] film, [but] for the transformative purpose of enabling the viewer to understand the actor’s modest beginnings in the film business”).  But who is gonna buy a movie poster book with low resolution images or image poster cut in four :)

I guess for a movie poster book, it is quite different as:
a) Most movies are copyrighted material as copyright are usually renewed
b) Image of poster are large and high resolution
c) It applies to 90%-100% of images in book
d) Considering that copyright owners can be counted on the fingers of one hand, than many posters are own by the same people and publishing the book may be seen as depriving owner of income or undermining new potential market

It looks like the usual method is to credit all copyrighted owner and source material, wait and pray that no claim are filed.  Although, it would wiser to get authorisation from copryight owner.

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No idea about price for use of movie post image in book... I am sure someone knows.

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If you know any cheap high-resolution movie poster repository image databank, let me know.  I know Bruce does it, I have no idea about price though.