Discussion:
hello, i'm trying to make a no-budget movie and I want to include a short snippet from a cartoon series. now, the copywritten material wouldn't be visable for more than a mere five seconds. a line from it is also briefly spoken by two or three characters. so my question is, do i need to pay to use this?
in my researching of this show, i've only found one current trademark by hasbro, though it seems only for games and toys. as for copywrites, i could only find coloring books and one video listed. if there are dues to pay to use this material, i need help finding out how. if i knew what it might cost, i could start saving some money. what do i do?
-thank you
Answer:
If what you are doing is commercial, there are issues of copyright and trademark. While you'd possibly be able to use it as a parody, you may be in for a lawsuit.
You'd need permission of the copyright owner, and they could charge you whatever they want, or not grant permission.