I'm setting my novel in the early 1980s, specifically in the middle of 1982. My protagonist takes a girl to see Blade Runner, which was released on June 25th, 1982. I mention advertisements for the film's release early on in the novel. The plot circumstances involves him being coerced into killing, which throws into question his connection to the rest of humanity, and I'd like to have him think on the Voigt-Kampff test and nature of replicants. My question is: can I do that? Or would that be in violation of copyright rules?
If it was copyright infringement, I should think no one could ever make book references in other books. I thought this site was relevant: Technovelgy.
I just ran across an article in Writers' Digest today that deals with the issue of copyright and copyright violation (in the USA, at least.) Apparently you're okay if you mention the name of a song, movie, a book, or a person in your story, as long as you're not using lines from the film, book, song or libelling the person. (Saying negative things about them.) Here is the link, if anybody is still interested: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/6-questions-writers-ask-about-copyright-and-the-law?et_mid=732521&rid=239329351
thanks for this! My main character works in a movie theater, and I have referenced lots of movies in my novel. It takes place in the 1970s and I tried to be very accurate as far as what was playing at the time.
