4 ms·
Yes you are wrong because a movie script and movie subs are not the same thing at all
by drexlspivey 3y ago
Yes you are wrong because a movie script and movie subs are not the same thing at all
- donatj 3y agoIn what way? The subs are the script (often translated) + timestamps. It’s the definition of a derivative work. The subs wouldn’t exist without the original work. Edit: Yes, it’s a subset of the script and not thee script itself, and being a pedant about that isn’t a useful point. It’s just pedantic.
- jedrek 3y agoSubs are not the script, they are a transcription of the finished work.
- donatj 3y agoThat’s just nitpicking. Even by your definition it’s a derivative work, and regardless then it’s just a translation of a subset of the script.
- nickthegreek 3y agoIt is not nitpicking, it is an important distinction.
- donatj 3y agoNo part of the distinction is important. It's a subset. Imagining I were to hand you a book. It's Harry Potter but missing every third sentence. You tell me "It's Harry Potter" and I'm like "nuh uh", I'd be just being a pedantic ass and not making a good point.
- djbusby 3y agoScript has more content (eg visuals, setting, mood, directions) - subtitles are just the noises.
- donatj 3y agoIf I tried to sell a novel with parts missing and translated, I’d still get in legal trouble.
- BobaFloutist 3y agoIf you tried to sell a translation of all the dialogue that was explicitly intended to be used with a legally purchased copy of the novel (don't ask me how, it's not my metaphor), I'm not sure you would.
- cmcaleer 3y agoBut reading the script to a Simpsons episode doesn't replace actually watching the Simpsons episode. Similarly, I might pay for a subscription to a website which has a detailed review of that episode along with screenshots. Neither replace watching it, not even close. I do think that subs are a little bit more legally ambiguous than a review but I think you could make a reasonable argument that they're a fair use under US copyright law.
- VanTheBrand 3y agoThe script has its own separate copyright distinct from the full episode just like how lyrics and musical compositions have separate copyrights from a specific recording of a song.
- devnonymous 3y agoPeople were writing movie scripts long before the talkies became popular :-) Movie scripts contain much more than the dialogues. There's enough of an argument to be made that transcription is covered by fair use rights.
- Novosell 3y agoScripts include things such as "Character X does Y" and "Z event happens". Subtitles are more like a transcript or written down song lyrics.
- PurpleRamen 3y agoArent' song lyrics also under copyright? Or is this depending on the country and their definition of intellectual property?
- mrpotato 3y agoI doubt they are under copyright, if they were, cover bands or bands making covers of songs would be getting sued willy nilly.
- qingcharles 3y agoCover bands pay royalties to avoid getting sued.
- qingcharles 3y agoYes, song lyrics are very copyrighted. Most of the sites you see online offering lyrics are paying licensing fees to a stack of different rights agencies. source: I worked in the music biz
- diggan 3y ago"Script" in the movie/tv world has a specific meaning, and is very different from what the subtitles are. Subtitles are just dialog, while the script contains so much more. Calling the subtitles "basically a script" is like saying JavaScript is basically Java.
- cantSpellSober 3y agoSubtitles are sometimes truncated/edited to get them to fit on screen at a readable line length Things like [ominous music plays] are not part of the script at all, but featured in subtitles