Adapting a game & plagiarism

TheMagicPirate · 13 May 2007 at 14:57

For a university project entitled Private Study (we can basically do whatever we like) I was thinking about adapting a game (FF7) into a film script.

Since I'm no writer I thought it would be a good idea because it would help when adapting stories in the future.

However, after writing about half a page I'm realising that I'm pretty much, but not really at the same time, copying out the game, which I suspect would come under plagiarism.

Since the workings of the film script and the actual game script would be different would this count as plagiarism.

On another note, anyone got any ideas what the hell I can do?

EDIT : of course it is, there is really none of my own work going into the script other than a few different directions.

FrostedNipple · 13 May 2007 at 15:00

ask the copyright holder, its for uni, so you wont be making any money out of it! if their nice they should let you if not, then just hope u dont get caught!

Johnny Girth · 13 May 2007 at 15:42

It may not even be an infringement of copyright in the underlying literary work (potentially the dramatic work) depending on how you go about writing it.

It's very unlikely that writing half a page would be sufficient.

Furthermore you're almost certainly safe under s.29(1C) CDPA 1988 which allows for fair dealing with certain works for the uses of private study.

The icing on the safety cake comes from knowing that no action would ever be brought against you as you wouldn't have caused any loss to the owner of the copyright.

One thing that I would recommend (and it may be necessary) would be to acknowledge that you are using copyright material and draw sufficient attention to this.

So you're fine, don't worry about it.

Psyk · 13 May 2007 at 15:45

You won't get in trouble with the university as long as you acknowledge which bits you didn't do. Of course if it's basically just the dialogue from FF7 with a few stage directions thrown in you probably wouldn't get a very good grade.

What subject is this for anyway? Some kind of media related degree?

Amp34 · 13 May 2007 at 15:49

I would talk to a lecturer if you can, I know at Plymouth uni they are VERY against palgiarism to the point I get paranoid doing anything. It may be ok or maybe not depending on how the lecturers see it.

Hugogo · 13 May 2007 at 16:08

Sounds like an awful an idea for an assignment anyway..sorry but if i got handed that I would probabaly turn my nose up.

Why not do something new and original?

TheMagicPirate · 13 May 2007 at 16:17

Psyk said:
What subject is this for anyway? Some kind of media related degree?

I'm doing Media Production

Hugogo said:
Why not do something new and original?

Because I'm no writer, I'm a director and as such am not too great at getting my ideas into a 3 act structure etc..

Other people scripts however, I'm very good at visualising.

I've decided not to do the FF7 script, as much as I think I'd enjoy doing it, from a marking point of view none of it is my own work really.
(Also, its such an epic story it would be difficult to get it down to 90 pages and still be understandable)

I'm going to do an extended essay on 'Viewing Films' now so I could well be back later on with some kind of questionnaire

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys and girls

Amp34 · 13 May 2007 at 16:29

Hw about doing a script based on FF7, say more along the lines of what happened next or one of the stories that was left. So using ideas and such from FF7 but not copying it?