Copyrighting

dtb1980 · Post by **dtb1980** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:25 pm

I'm sure this topic has probably been mentioned before but i cannot see it anywhere - i need new eyes...

How do i go about copyrighting my scripts. Ive heard a thousand different methods but emailing it to myself like someone suggested - just sounds rediculous to me...

Please help me solve this problem...

Cheers

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:40 pm

well mailing it to yourself, with the post office, and then never openning it is a way to prove when you wrote it, or at lest sent it. But the best way to copywrite a script is to register it with the Screan writers guild, if I am not mistaken.

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:47 pm

doesnt that cost money?

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:01 pm

about $20, if I remember right, but aplying for anyform of copywrite will cost a prossesing fee.

dtb1980 · Post by **dtb1980** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:06 pm

is there a url? uk based?

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 12:32 am

I'm not sure if they are in the UK. I'm sure there is a UK version if it is not universel

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 1:28 am

A good way is to time stamp and seal a copy of the script. Then store it in a safety deposit box or something of that nature, where an official signs and seals it. Shouldn't cost you anything, but at most a few bucks. So then if you find your script out in the open and someone else has claimed it. You can bring a lawyer in and open the timestamped package for him. That is proof that you created it first, if it does not coincide with his claims. Lawsuit, and you are a rich sucker!

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 2:44 am

yeah that is a tried and tested method. Remember that these days original creations are automatically copyrighted as soon as they are created. It the proof bit you have to worry about.

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 3:45 pm

Exactly, and also if you ever post your work online, look at the site and see if they have a clasue that will help to protect you if somebody tryes to steal your work. I am going to in a few weeks I'm going to send stuff to myself and look into at lest copywritting the feture that I want to make soon.

Raptor · Post by **Raptor** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 8:12 pm

Epsilon wrote:A good way is to time stamp and seal a copy of the script. Then store it in a safety deposit box or something of that nature, where an official signs and seals it. Shouldn't cost you anything, but at most a few bucks. So then if you find your script out in the open and someone else has claimed it. You can bring a lawyer in and open the timestamped package for him. That is proof that you created it first, if it does not coincide with his claims. Lawsuit, and you are a rich sucker!

Not doing it that way, you won't see a penny. Mailing it to yourself, emailing, timestamping before a notary are all methods of what is called 'poor man's copyright' and have no value in court other than to prove first right of creation. UNLESS you register the project witht he US copyright office ( not any of the writer's guilds that does not imply copyright ) you can sue only for direct loss - the value you can prove you lost by someone else producing the script - there are no punitive or other "imaginary" damages.. the ones that would make you rich. Even then, it is up to the court to determine IF your particular method is even valid proof of first creation, since the law does not specifically specify any of these methods as a valid proof of creation. Even then the best you can hope to get is a cease and desist order to the infringer, and your actual loss, not projected loss or punitive damages. The only way to truly protect yourself is to register your work with the copyright office, in the US that's $35.00.