So, lets say for example that I have a character who watches Game of Thrones and constantly quotes the show or even just quotes it once or twice. Am I allowed to add these quotes in my book, even if I don't offer opinion about the show and I explain that the quote is from the show? Also, does the same rule apply for song lyrics, if I cite those lyrics or give indication that those lyrics are song lyrics and not my lyrics?
I know for a fact you need permission for lyrics. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen contemporary quotes from literature. Even Picard just quoted moby dick and the Bible.
What about television shows or movies, if I cite the source? And thanks for letting me know about the song lyrics.
Copyright law in the US is just as screwed up as any other law in the US, so who knows. It is my understanding that as long as you make proper attribution and only mention the quoted line, and your story is not "derivative," as in not the same kind of story at all, you can do it. But what do I really know? There is no way to tell for sure until you're in front of a judge. God bless the American legal system!
Really? I'm on Earth. Where are you? Lawyers don't understand the law. None of them can even lift the paper it's printed on.
It’s not true that you automatically need permission. Fair Use May apply in these situations, even when the source material is under copyright. It’s often more of a problem with lyrics, because the entire work is short and part of the fair use analysis is the amount of the underlying work you’re using. The less you use of a song lyric (or any other work) the better off you are. A traditional publisher will often want to secure permission or eliminate the use out of an abundance of caution.
