Can I copy the narrative structure of a movie? [closed]

Will there be any copyright issues if I make a short movie with EXACTLY the same narrative structure as the Hollywood movie "Memento", but with totally different story? Also, do I need to credit them (the makers of Memento) for the narrative structure of my short movie?

Best Answer

Yes, you can. But I am not a lawyer, and very powerful lawyers may think otherwise, and while you may win a lawsuit over it, it will be expensive.

From an educational lawyer copyright blog https://library.osu.edu/blogs/copyright/

While the requisite level of creativity is low, copyright will not protect ideas (including narrative structure or general plotlines), concepts, or common themes.

In addition, there may be situations in which there are only a limited number of ways to express an idea. If this situation exists, the idea merges with the expression, and the expression becomes uncopyrightable (this is referred to as the merger doctrine in copyright law). Similarly, copyright will not protect standard expressions or stock characters or events that are ordinary to a particular subject matter (this is referred to as the scènes à faire doctrine in copyright law). The structure of a knock-knock joke, for example, cannot be copyrighted.

The general concept is that Expressions of an Idea are copyrightable, but not the general idea itself. Which is why you could have multiple movies about blowing up an Asteroid, or any number of nearly identical love stories, or comedies, or anything.

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Can movies be plagiarized?

Many films have committed plagiarism in movies from a variety of different sources. However, in the case of films, pinpointing the source is not always easy. Mosaic plagiarism is also present in films where scenes copied scenes get blended with other scenes.

Can you copy a movie idea?

A copyright is a legal document that protects your proprietary ideas, like screenplays, from being plagiarised or stolen. But here's the catch: you cannot copyright an idea.

What is the structure of narrative films?

Summary of Narrative Structure Narrative structure is not only the framework of how a movie is told; it provides an avenue for the characters to grow. The narrative structure consists of the plot and story being portrayed in chronological (linear) order or in a combination of flashbacks and present time (nonlinear).

How are most film narrative structures broken down?

The three act structure is a narrative model that divides stories into three parts \u2014 Act One, Act Two, and Act Three, or rather, a beginning, middle, and end. Screenwriter, Syd Field, made this ancient storytelling tool unique for screenwriters in 1978 with the publishing of his book, Screenplay.

How to Build Your Story Structure

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