Hello I have just started to write a script, but it centers on some one I know in real life and all the charicters are from where I worked. Can I do it?
No, it's not that simple Quezacotl. At the very least, check into the laws locally in and in areas where you want to publish. In the U.S., States have varying degrees of right of publicity laws, some being more protective than others. Celebrity is not required in all jurisdictions, so in many places the average person has a potential "right of publicity" claim. If the people are cast in a negative light, this claim can be, and often is, coupled with some sort of claim of defamation. These kind of lawsuits have been brought in the past for the use of real people in works of fiction.
The question was can he do it? He can. Therefore yes. Obviously he has the sensibility to be sensitive of others.
No, that's not the question. I don't think rainshine was asking whether it was physical possible to write or type a work of fiction using real people as characters (in this case in a script). The question goes to the legalities of it and the risks involved, which I address above. It's the sort of thing that is worth looking into, and once the risks are identified they can be quantified further by assessing the likelihood of someone bringing an action, etc.
Hi thanks for your kind replies, herm I have to put every one streight though as I am a girl all though I have to wonder sometimes. and I dont think I would deliberately insult any one intentionaly in the script, as I adore all the characters immensely. But at the same time from their stories it would be immediately obvious to them who they are.
Hey rainshine. I don't know the law in the UK, so maybe someone can chime in on that. I think the risk is pretty low, but it is always good to know that it exists. The risk usually increases as more money gets involved, so if you turn out to to be the next JK Rowling, making tons of money on book sales, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of those people making a claim that they're owed something. One thing you can do is develop characters that are basically a combination of bits and pieces of people you know, but not identifiable as any single person.
