US Copyright Law stymies my Doctor Who idea

Television, Movies Games and Books Doctor Who
#1

Here’s my idea:

I would like to get copyright permission from the BBC to start a Zazzle page of fan-artist-created tee shirts to sell and promote Doctor Who to everyone. I and a BBC representative would review all submissions, and split the profits on each shirt equally. It’s not clear yet if the BBC would give permission (Doctor Who rights are actually owned by some subsidiary), but the US Copyright Law seems to be a huge stone wall in the way.

I’ve asked who this subsidiary is so I can contact the directly for permission and thus not have to worry about Copyright Law, but I’m trying not to get too hopeful…

#2

Copyright is a huge problem. It’s essentially middlemen demanding that they be inserted in what was previously a function of culture.

So, good luck with that. Best bet is to just do it. Better if you can claim parody (in the US at least.)

#3

I’ll try to find specifics about the word “parody.”

#4

…I have an address to write up a proposal to mail. I’ll start writing one up after the weekend. A long-range idea would be to use the permission that I would have for Doctor Who to gain permissions for other series as well! This is just a far-off idea that will take a lot of time, if it happens at all.

#5

The BBC are very protective of their Doctor Who rights and have shut down a number of people doing similar projects. Zazzle is alive to the issue, as about 6 months ago they removed a number of T-shirt patterns from various suppliers after complaints from the BBC. If you want to make money, then this is a business and you should treat it as such. First, approach the BBC or whatever legal entity actually owns the rights to Doctor Who. You will find that in reality parts of Doctor Who are owned by different entities, but the best place to start is the BBC. Eventually, you will very likely need to buy a type of licence which is often locked to a specific geographic location.

Contacting the BBC is the best first step as they will have someone there who is hired to field similar enquiries and will know the licensing issues. The BBC deals with a large number of groups wishing to use Doctor Who property and I would guess they have strict requirements and set licensing agreements. You may need to present a business plan and I doubt the BBC approach will be very flexible, but it is worth a try. Remember, if the BBC must approve of each design, they need to pay someone to do that and so the profits will need to make it worth their time jumping into what will be fiddly work. Unless you can interest the BBC, you are not going anywhere with your idea. I cannot see how the US copy write law would be an impediment if you are properly licensed. Obviously, if you get serious with your idea you will want to speak to a lawyer who knows a thing or two about intellectual property.

Good luck.

#6

Sigh… Another dream likely squashed.

#7

Yeah, copyright is a bitch.

Look up the ownership of the Daleks, for how weird it gets.

#8

Someone is selling Doctor Who t-shirts, so your dream is not without merrit. You might need to jump more hoops that you thought. Quite alot of the initial leg work will be free, save of course for the cost of your time. Don’t give up just yet, but expect that you may need to be flexible. Worth a try. You might have more luck if you have a track record of either making and selling t-shirts or of running a lively fan art site. The latter would not get into any trouble if no money was being made. Established fan artists and a thriving community could be used as a base for your business plan. From there, you would need to contact the BBC, of course, and also work out contracts with artists regarding their rights. Moving from a fan based free use site to something that will generate income can be tricky but is certainly not impossible. Just ask Facebook.

Good luck.