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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    General Boards    Questions or Comments  ›  Copyright...
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Alfred Hitchcock
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 1:12am Report to Moderator
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when you submit a script here is it copyrighted then?

how do you copyright a script?


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James McClung
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 1:32am Report to Moderator
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You cannot copyright your script by just submiting it here. You can either register it with the Library of Congress by mail or with the Writer's Guild of America electronically.

These links should help you out:

http://www.copyright.gov
http://www.wga.org


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Old Time Wesley
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 2:28am Report to Moderator
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I was looking at the CIPO and man is it hard to get something registered, it lasts forever and only costs 65 bucks (In Canada) but I read something about charges on paper and I have no clue how you'd send in a series that would take a box of printed out screenplays to send ha-ha

The good ole process.


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FilmMaker06
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 11:27am Report to Moderator
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Which one makes it so no one can copy or sell your script, the WGA or Copyright.gov?
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MacDuff
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 11:45am Report to Moderator
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Rapture - I would use the WGA.


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George Willson
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 11:47am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from FilmMaker06
Which one makes it so no one can copy or sell your script, the WGA or Copyright.gov?


Both.

And for a series, I took advantage of the WGA's online pdf submission and packed Fempiror into one 850 page pdf containing the bible, 3 screenplays, and 7 episodes. I registered the whole thing as a series.


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FilmMaker06
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 12:04pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from George Willson
And for a series, I took advantage of the WGA's online pdf submission and packed Fempiror into one 850 page pdf containing the bible, 3 screenplays, and 7 episodes. I registered the whole thing as a series.


Wow. 850 pages. ha ha. That's kinda funny.

And thanks for the advice. I'll use the WGA when I get done with my screenplay.
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Old Time Wesley
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 12:12pm Report to Moderator
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Well I live in Canada the WGC (Canada's lack luster service) says flat out that it does not protect your work from being used, which means you have no claim in courts.

Maybe the American one is different but that's what ours says.

The CIPO will let me do it online but I'd have to use a credit card, I don't have one of those.


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FilmMaker06
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 12:19pm Report to Moderator
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Hmm...I'll have to do a little more research into things like this. I'm worried for my scripts, so I don't post 'em online unless I don't care or if they are fan adaptations.
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Kotton
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 12:19pm Report to Moderator
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One other thing you can do is something called "The poor mans copywrite" Now this will not stand up in court in most circumstances but sometimes it will.

What you do is seal up a hard copy of your work and mail it to yourself.Never open it.Just file it away until, God forbid you ever need it.Then you take it to court for the judge to open.The postal date acts as your copywite date.

This is by no means a substitution for a resgistered copywrite or WGA reg.Just another protection.I use this method as soon as I complete a first, revised draft.Then I get it it copywrited.I do this because there are times that I discuss the script on boards (before it's finalized)such as this and I want to get it protected as soon as possible.

I read about a situation recently where this actually helped out a guy who wrote something for TV.His copywrite was disputed until he presented the poor mans version which proved his case.I'll try to look that article up and post it for y'all.

Just remember it is not a recognized copywrite on it's own.


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Old Time Wesley
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 12:48pm Report to Moderator
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Not posting your work because you think someone will steal it is a weak excuse; your choice but don't blame it on that. If you can afford to make a short film as you are you can afford a copyright.

They should add new ways to copyright/register work such as documented sites like this, mailing it to yourself, and so on.

However, a lot of time they don't record the date on mail (At least in my experience.) When I have received things from America that I ordered it did not have the date but if customs stopped it at the border it would. (Customs alone has sucked over 200 bucks out of me)

I wonder if the WGA accepts non America screenplays.


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Kotton
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 12:56pm Report to Moderator
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What I do when I send it to myself is I have it certified so there is no question as to the date and it's recorded.

There have been many copywrite cases where this method was recognized but I don't think it would stand up in a "big time" court case.Like if you went up against a studio.

You should still have it copywrited officially, of course.


A spoon does not know the taste of soup, nor a learned fool the taste of wisdom.
                                                                    
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FilmMaker06
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 1:04pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Old Time Wesley
Not posting your work because you think someone will steal it is a weak excuse; your choice but don't blame it on that. If you can afford to make a short film as you are you can afford a copyright.



It's not the money, I just never knew how to copyright anything. That's why I don't. I've sent in all of my work, I'm just talking about my upcoming features. I needed to figure out how to copyright them before posting them here when they're done.
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dogglebe
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 1:32pm Report to Moderator
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Keep in mind that the WGA is only good for ten years.  After that, they discard your script and you're unprotected.

The copyright office protects your works for something like seventy-five years after your death.

Wes, I believe you can copyright something here, even though you live in Canada.  Check to be sure.


Phil
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Kevan
Posted: May 3rd, 2006, 5:21pm Report to Moderator
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Each country has it's own forms of copyright including agents or organizations which provide a copyright service..

But, more and more writers are using the services offered by American agencies and organizations incluidng The National Copyright office and the WGA East and West.

Have a check in your own country first regarding copyrighting your work and then go the American route if you decide to..
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