Infringement on Characters

[rumely28]

I know this has been asked before, but I want to be sure my bases are coverd. If your character pretends or fantasizes about being a character from literature or another film, how much can you get away with before it's infringement?

I have a scene in my comedy where I have the main characters role play Tarzan and Jane. I know that the Tarzan estate is rather touchy about people using their trademark. I need to know if one scene is enough to warrant infringement.

Thanks,
R28

[jimjimgrande]

don't worry aboutit. It's not a concern until it comes time to shoot. You just wnat to show them what a kick ass writer you are so do what's best for your script/

[dpaterso]

Just asking, they don't actually call each other "Tarzan" and "Jane," do they? If you don't use the character names, that's less of a potential problem. And technically, it's more likely you're parodying the Weismuller films than ERB's Tarzan. Problem begins to dissipate like morning mist.

-Derek

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My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies.

[rumely28]

I use their names. It's a bedroom role-playing scene. One of the characters has a hard staying in the fantasy character. After a minute, things fall to pieces and hijinks ensues. I thought it was funny to make an uptight character try to act like Tarzan, which then leads to a turning point in the story.

Basically, the infringing elements would be "Tarzan", "Jane", "Cheetah", and a vine.

R28

[dpaterso]

Just asking, again, how hard would it be to rewrite the scene(s) so they don't say Tarzan or Jane or Boy or Cheetah? People rarely use each other's names in conversation, after all. A loin cloth and a safari suit and pith helmet would clearly identify their characters to the audience, no? Or are you Hell-bent?

-Derek

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My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies.

[rumely28]

I posted it in the Pages section.

p068.ezboard.com/fdonedea...2039.topic

R28