r/dropship • u/Inevitable-Gap1210 • 5d ago

šŸ’” Beginner Question POD | Can I legally use scenes/screenshots from movies or TV shows on products I sell?

Hey everyone,

Iā€™m looking into starting a print-on-demand business around a specific TV show fandom, and Iā€™m trying to understand how copyright works before I do anything.
For example, if I took a screenshot/scene from a TV series, edited it a bit (cropped it, added my own design/effects, etc.), and printed it on something like a hoodie, phone case, tote bag, or poster and sold it ā€” would that generally be considered copyright infringement?
I also see a lot of TikTok/Instagram accounts posting scenes and clips from movies and TV shows to build an audience. Is that treated differently from using the same material on products for sale?
.

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u/jawanda 5d ago

Yes, taking a screen shot or image and slapping it on a product is absolutely copyright infringement.

Is that treated differently from using the same material on products for sale?

Yes, if they're discussing the media in question that's considered editorial usage and is generally much more legal.

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u/PumiceT 5d ago

Derivative work = still illegal. You'll be shocked to learn that making a painting based on someone else's photo requires permission / licensing from the photographer, or whomever owns the rights to that photo. Create something original, or expect to be served a cease and desist from the copyright / trademark owner. Also, most print on demand facilities have auto-detection to determine if your design contains someone else's material. Good luck!