Taking a books concept

[BrownwriterChi]

Hi,

I was wondering if I could get sued for taking the idea of a book and making it my own. For example, lets say I liked an idea that Stephen King made into a book, but didn't like his story. Could I take his idea of his antagonist and use it to make it into my own screenplay? Without getting sued.

Thanks,

BWC

 

[Aegis]

Nope - that's like making your own Batman movie and trying to sell it without the rights. If you're interested in adapting Stephen King you could take a look at the 'Dollar Babies' scheme he runs.

 

[NickClapper]

I think it depends on the extent to which you do it.

You can take a similar idea (let's say, The Shining, where you could also have a homicidal father) and there's nothing wrong with that.

Obviously if you go so far as to steal, say, Batman or The Joker, that's not kosher. But an idea about an antagonist should be fine so long as the setting is sufficiently remote from the book's plot.

 

[Ernest Worthing]

I think it depends on the extent as well. but bear in mind, im not a legal expert so take all this with a pinch of salt.

For eg if you can make a movie about a serial killer who eats his victims. but if u start giving him the same kind of mask and tit a tat with a young female fbi agent, ur starting to infringe.

if u tell us more about the antagonist you want, we could perhaps tell u more.

and we do have some resident legal experts here who will chime in im sure.

 

[directorik]

As long as it’s the idea and nothing else.

Batman is not an idea or a concept so that’s not a good
comparison. However, a man who goes stir crazy and kills isn’t
something than can be copyrighted.

Just be careful. Ideas cannot be copyrighted so you can use many
of the ideas you read in books.

To continue Nick's analogy, you can write a story about a homicidal
father. But if you then place that father as a caretaker of an old hotel
during the winter off season...

 

[BrownwriterChi]

Thanks for the replies.
This is why I asked that question.

I just read a GOOSEBUMP book and I like the idea of the story. But obviously it was written for kids, so at first I was going to adapt it for fun, but then I decided to take the main idea (a ghost in a camp). I also decided to rename the story, characters and settings.

Since the books is very short, I decided to kind of make it my own story. The only thing I want to take is the idea of the ghost girl in the camp. That's it.

Thanks,

BWC

 

[directorik]

It's a good thing ideas cannot be copyrighted, isn't it?

Imagine if no one could ever write a story about a killer
in a camp. Or a ghost in a camp. Or a masked killer
terrorizing teens.

 

[barnaclelapse]

Thanks for the replies.
This is why I asked that question.

I just read a GOOSEBUMP book and I like the idea of the story. But obviously it was written for kids, so at first I was going to adapt it for fun, but then I decided to take the main idea (a ghost in a camp). I also decided to rename the story, characters and settings.

Since the books is very short, I decided to kind of make it my own story. The only thing I want to take is the idea of the ghost girl in the camp. That's it.

Thanks,

BWC

I don't see anything wrong with that. It's always a tricky area, but it sounds to me like you're in the clear if that's all you want to take away from your inspiration.

 

[Murdock]

To use the Stephen King reference, there have been plenty of films about chaos and fate without stealing from Insomnia.

 

[BrownwriterChi]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Now I feel better about continuing with planning it. I just wanted to see if people with experience knew if I would get in trouble. I just dont want to get sued.

Thanks,

BWC