What is the best way to copyright a screenplay?
March 302010
I would like to know the best way to copyright a screenplay? I Would love to get information from someone that has went through the process of successfully copyrighting a screenplay.
If you know of any good website that has helpful information. Please post the web links. All positve helpful information will be greatly appreciated !!!
Thank you!
Copyrighting a screenplay is the wrong thing to do. The reason that many writer do not copyright is because it’s a speed bump in the selling process. And – if it’s only a marginal thing in the first place, they could just say no. They’re always looking for a reason to back out of a deal. The production company or the studio is the entity that copyrights, not the writer. If the writer copyrights, then lawyers have to get involved – which costs money – to get the copyright transferred to the company. It’s a costly PITA.
What professional screenwriters do is register their scripts. There are a few ways to do this, but the most commonly accepted way to do so is through the Writers Guild of America. Their registry site is here:
http://www.wgawregistry.org/webrss/
If you’re deadset on killing your career, you can copyright online through the U.S. Copyright office here:
http://www.copyright.gov/
Whatever you do, DO NOT USE THE POOR MAN’S COPYRIGHT. Poor man’s copyright is this mistaken belief that you can print out your script and mail it to yourself and that that will protect your script. It won’t. If you try to use something like that, you’ll be laughed out of any court in the land. Sending yourself a letter – registered, certified, dated or whatever only proves that you sent yourself an envelope; not that there was anything in the envelope.
Register your work through the WGA. It takes about 5 minutes.
March 31st, 2010 at 2:48 am
I have gone directly to the Library of Congress with my writings…you can look them up on line to get all the info
References :
March 31st, 2010 at 3:28 am
Copyrighting a screenplay is the wrong thing to do. The reason that many writer do not copyright is because it’s a speed bump in the selling process. And – if it’s only a marginal thing in the first place, they could just say no. They’re always looking for a reason to back out of a deal. The production company or the studio is the entity that copyrights, not the writer. If the writer copyrights, then lawyers have to get involved – which costs money – to get the copyright transferred to the company. It’s a costly PITA.
What professional screenwriters do is register their scripts. There are a few ways to do this, but the most commonly accepted way to do so is through the Writers Guild of America. Their registry site is here:
http://www.wgawregistry.org/webrss/
If you’re deadset on killing your career, you can copyright online through the U.S. Copyright office here:
http://www.copyright.gov/
Whatever you do, DO NOT USE THE POOR MAN’S COPYRIGHT. Poor man’s copyright is this mistaken belief that you can print out your script and mail it to yourself and that that will protect your script. It won’t. If you try to use something like that, you’ll be laughed out of any court in the land. Sending yourself a letter – registered, certified, dated or whatever only proves that you sent yourself an envelope; not that there was anything in the envelope.
Register your work through the WGA. It takes about 5 minutes.
References :
I’m a screenwriter.