How do u copyright an idea?

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:13 am

I'm just wondering how u copyright an idea so no one can come along and steel it, i was thinkin bout that today for no appearent reason, if anyone knows how lemme know....lol...

xbreaka420 · Post by **xbreaka420** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:25 am

umm you cant copyright a idea but you can copyright something made from that idea

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:38 am

im sure theres some way, hmm....like the lord of the rings series, say someone "thought" of an idea, wanted to protect that said idea,...get my point?

xbreaka420 · Post by **xbreaka420** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:45 am

ya he copyrighted his idea after he wrote his first book, but i mean you cant be like omg i thought of the greatest thing, wheres the copright gonna show on your forhead, cmon truggy

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:52 am

omg u honestly think its for me? Lol, im just curious, lol, thats what this forum is for right? FIlm making purposes, and this one related to a film ....lol

TheWall · Post by **TheWall** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:59 am

i herd you can mail it to your self and its copyrighted if im wrong then like bite me

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:14 am

lol, cheap mans copyright? I think thats what u meant

TheWall · Post by **TheWall** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:18 am

thats right hey its like 37 cents to do it

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:57 am

more, and a cd burner...if you have it created or something...google it

Raptor · Post by **Raptor** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:57 am

OK quick rundown... you can not copyright an idea.... in order to copyright something it must be fixed in a tangible media ( print, film, video, record etc)
As soon as you create it, you own the copyright to it. Proving that you created it first is the tough part however.. the "poor man's copyright" of mailing it to yourself and leaving it sealed in the envelope is NOT legally accepted as proof of creation date. I could mail an empty unsealed envelope to myself, kepp it on the shelf for years, take script I liked from aHollywood blockbuster, retypoe it, put it in the envelope and say... look I wrote this five years ago, he stole it from me...
The ONLY way to register a copyright and be guaranteed the legal protection is to register witht he Copyright office, costs like $35 or $40 dollars. But again it can't be the idea... even though their is a copyright on the Lord of the Rings series, their is nothing to prevent you from creating a similar plot, using similar types of characters.. just so long as it doesn't parallel the plot completely, or make use of any of the characters directly...

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:59 pm

intellectual property can only be copyrighted if it is in a tangible form

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:21 pm

I plan on doing what is called the "Poor Mans Patent" to some of my scripts. Basically you mail somethign to yourself. The envelope is dated by a government agency, so a court will recognize that the content was obviously created before that date.

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:39 pm

I mean you would only have to do that, well nvm, but who would steals someones idea, its lame and s*** if u do that stuff...anyway...

film fanatic · Post by **film fanatic** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:40 pm

In simple terms:

You cannot copyright an idea. If someone comes along and steals it, tough s***. It's legal, not very nice, but still legal.

However, if you have lets say written it in a script, or made something out of it (like a movie

) you can get that copyrighted.

Raptor · Post by **Raptor** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 12:44 am

2nd_Recon wrote:I plan on doing what is called the "Poor Mans Patent" to some of my scripts. Basically you mail somethign to yourself. The envelope is dated by a government agency, so a court will recognize that the content was obviously created before that date.

The poor man's copyright ( not a patent) has NO legal sanding in court, see my post from above about how easy it is to fake.... Doesn't work, no legal standing, and have never found a record of it holding up in court...

Skitz-O-Phrenia · Post by **Skitz-O-Phrenia** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 7:37 pm

You can do the "poor mans" but you have to send it certified mail. The post office then puts a sticker over the opening of the letter(which is not a standard letter) and it DOES have legal standing...just go to the post office and ask.

but no, just mailing it doesnt work, only certified...

Raptor · Post by **Raptor** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:16 pm

Nope, certified mail ahs no legal standing for copyright protecvtion.. try asking the copyright office rather than the post office:) Certifeid mail has legal standing as proof of delivery, but NO mailing will prove creation date. As soon as you pick up your certified letter, the certified sticker is removed and that provides the proof of delivery. It does NOT provide proof of contents. Keep in mind, the Post Office has nothing to do with copyrights.
http://www.copyrightauthority.com/poor-mans-copyright/
http://www.musicbizadvice.com/poor_mans_copyright.htm
and finally, from the US copyright office - you know, the people who handle copyrights

[quote]
IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve heard about a Ã¢â‚¬Å“poor manÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s copyright.Ã¢â‚¬

Skitz-O-Phrenia · Post by **Skitz-O-Phrenia** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:41 pm

I think you are thinking that we are saying the "poor mans" is the same as the copyright office...I never said it was the same. Have you ever sent a certified mail item? I doubt it cuase they only remove the part with the address for them, that they keep as a record for you and them also. again, dont read too much into this....It will serve as proof that you created it first, just that it has not been registered..
again...I AM NOT SAYING THIS WILL COPYRIGHT AN ITEM

Raptor · Post by **Raptor** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:01 am

Skitz-O-Phrenia wrote:I think you are thinking that we are saying the "poor mans" is the same as the copyright office...I never said it was the same. Have you ever sent a certified mail item? I doubt it cuase they only remove the part with the address for them, that they keep as a record for you and them also. again, dont read too much into this....It will serve as proof that you created it first, just that it has not been registered..
again...I AM NOT SAYING THIS WILL COPYRIGHT AN ITEM

He he he he he he dude, I'm 47 years old, I've sent certified, I've received certified, we send several dozen certifieds a week at work, there are two green strips on the back of the envelope and a certified sticker on the front after delivery... nothing more nothing less.
I have found no case law where poor man's copyright has ever been used as proof of creation date. The ONLY date that is recognized by law is the date that the copyright was registered. That is tyhe advantage of registering a copyright, you are not forced to try to prove the date of creation, the official registration date is used. If you can cite case law where the poor man's copyright has been upheld in a court of law as proof of creation date, please do, because all the copyright sites I have researched have been unable to come up with any proof. Until there is a precedent from the courts, then I'd have to go with the copyright office.

Skitz-O-Phrenia · Post by **Skitz-O-Phrenia** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:56 am

I have found no case law where poor man's copyright has ever been used as proof of creation date.

maybe that is because all of us posers never make it big enough to do so...when I reach that level I will send you a cert letter letting you know how things worked out. he he he he he dude, wow you are 47, congratulations! wow, what a valid point....

film fanatic · Post by **film fanatic** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:03 am

He was merely telling you that it will not copyright an idea you stupid idiot! No need to take offense to what he said!!!

Skitz-O-Phrenia · Post by **Skitz-O-Phrenia** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 5:15 pm

film fanatic wrote:He was merely telling you that it will not copyright an idea you stupid idiot! No need to take offense to what he said!!!

why dont you mind your own sh*t and leave he and I to our own discussion you f*cking moron. Dont even come in here and call me an idiot. That just shows what a freaking dumb a** you really are, thanks. I am glad you are in my head so you know what offends me and what doesnt you ignorant mother f***

Truggy · Post by **Truggy** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 6:02 pm

film fanatic wrote:He was merely telling you that it will not copyright an idea you stupid idiot! No need to take offense to what he said!!!

lets all relex, i started this thread as a legit question! not another "Filmfanatic gets himself and someone else banned thread"....Skitz, you probably wouldnt get the joke....w/e FF cut it out. Otherwise thanx for the people who answered with a non-name-calling response.

film fanatic · Post by **film fanatic** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:21 pm

I was only telling him (more politley than I usually would) to stop being a... wait, I won't post this