Legal Question in Intellectual Property in California

Hi--

I'd like to open a movie review blog, and am wondering if posting movie screen shots (essentially, a computer Print Screen function) with accompanying text, as a form of advertising, specifically to sell movies via Amazon Associates Program, would be considered fair use?

My opinion is that it does not violate a movie's copyright, because the purpose would be to further movie sales.

Here are precedent blogs to gain perspective:

- http://bestmoviescreenshots.blogspot.com/2010/05/ultraviolet-2006.html

- http://framefilter.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=16

- http://www.moviechronicles.com/iron-man-2/

Thank you for any information you can provide.

Respectfully,

Sean Kinn


Asked on 9/24/10, 9:58 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Call the movie studio publicity department. They will probably be very happy to let you use the material, and then some.

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Answered on 9/29/10, 10:07 pm


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