Cartoon Character Copy Right Liscense?
Decorating By KellyNichols Updated 15 Mar 2007 , 1:07am by dodibug
Does one need to have a copyright liscense in order to use Disney Caracters, or any other Cartoon Charater? I work in and Ice cream parlor and we make and decorate ice cream cakes, and I was looking for different ideas to decorate them. That when the copy right issue came up. Can anyone shed some light.
you do need a copyright license to do character cakes.. if you purchase an edible image or little figurines for the cake that is fine because they items were copyrighted i hope that makes sense
but if you make a copyright character for sale and get caught you will get fined
Yes, it's a very tricky business! You can, for instance, buy a character pan (for example, from Wilton), because the pan is licensed, but you cannot sell a decorated cake made in that pan, because you don't have the license to do so. So - you can buy the pan, but you can't sell the cake. I heard it was something about how they can't control what the finished product looks like.
I really have no idea about this, but i was told at the place where i worked(a cake shop), that as long as we didn't make them into edible images that it was fine to draw them on the cake or a FBCT. So to my knowledge drawing them is fine. Keep in mind that thats what i was told by the cake shop owner.
If it is recognizable as the copyright protected character, it doesn't matter whether it done as an edible transfer or hand drawn. Of course, if I were to be the one freehand drawing, it wouldn't be recognizable. (as the character or anything else!) 
RedPanda
WAIT!! So does this mean I can't sell any character cake at all?? So for instance...DebbieBrown inspired books...some of them are characters, do we need a license to do something like that?? And where do you get licenses??
I really have no idea about this, but i was told at the place where i worked(a cake shop), that as long as we didn't make them into edible images that it was fine to draw them on the cake or a FBCT. So to my knowledge drawing them is fine. Keep in mind that thats what i was told by the cake shop owner.
not true. they own the image, regardless. you can't draw it by hand to represent one of their characters. you might not get caught, of course, but they are owed money for the use of their licensed character.
WAIT!! So does this mean I can't sell any character cake at all?? So for instance...DebbieBrown inspired books...some of them are characters, do we need a license to do something like that?? And where do you get licenses??
I imagine she gets permission SOMEWHERE to sell those cakes. I do not plan on selling cakes any time soon, but this always piques my interest; and I have yet to see an answer as to HOW to obtain permission. I've even gone to the Disney Licensing website, and it talks about more of a manufacturing type license.
I have heard that a license for this is very expensive. I once emailed the people for Precious Moments about it and they emailed me back saying that they already had someone that had a license for it. Probably someone that does things for them and they only give out one. I honestly doubt that Disney would give one and if they did it would be a ton of money!
So I just stick to buying toys or images that they make. People generally understand when you explain to them. If they don't they can find someone else that will do it sometimes and they will order it elsewhere.
There was a story a couple years ago about a family who lost a baby and wanted to put pooh on the grave-marker. Answer from Disney???...
DENIED
No heart.
Anything with a licensed character can't be sold unless you have a licensing agreement with that company and pay fees to reproduce those characters. Grocery stores that sell the figures on top of the cakes pay a licensing fee to do so. Disney and Seasme Street are vigorously defend their brand and won't hesitate to get their lawyers on even the small guys.
There was a story a couple years ago about a family who lost a baby and wanted to put pooh on the grave-marker. Answer from Disney???...
DENIED
No heart.
Here's a link. They did change their mind.
http://www.mickeynews.com/News/DisplayPressRelease.asp_Q_id_E_6246Pooh
What about if you make the figurine in gumpaste. Do you still need to have a licence?
If the character is recognizable it doesn't matter what form it takes-drawn, fbct, molded, character cake, etc. You can make it for personal use but not to sell-unless you have an agreement with the owner of the image/character.
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