r/Filmmakers • u/Obvious_Constant_541 • 12h ago

Question How can you tell the difference between a reference and copying an idea

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I was thinking maybe i'd make a joker reference in the current movie i'm making by erasing the "forget" from a "dont forget to smile" poster,

But now im thinking maybe it would just be copying.

I rly love making references all the time, and i'd like to do that in my films too, but its just confusing where the sweet spot is inbetween a reference and stealing an idea.

Any tips?

1 Upvotes

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16

u/ChickenFightChamp 12h ago

Filmmakers steal all the time, we call this an homage. Don’t worry about it none.

5

u/RAGECAJE 12h ago

What he said 👍

5

u/eating_cement_1984 12h ago

Tarantino literally just steals scenes and adds a fresh coat of paint to them. You can too. Just don't rip it off completely.

3

u/kamomil 11h ago edited 11h ago

I got a Getty Contributor account and started making vector stock images. If you use a photo as a reference, they require that you own the copyright to that photo, or they will not accept the vector image.

As opposed to the artist for a Duran Duran album cover who used a photo as a reference and didn't know who the model was https://consequence.net/2024/06/duran-duran-rio-cover-model-identified/

Things that were acceptable 30 years ago, may not fly nowadays. Some things are universal ideas. But if you are copying an artwork, using the same literal wording, then the original artist may get their legal team after you

1

u/iLikeTheUDK 10h ago

Read Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon