Suggestion - Print Topic

Only members should be able to read unproduced scripts here. I am getting increasingly worried that my work might be stolen and I can't register it at the writer's guild due to my age (plus, I don't know if you need to be American to register it anyway).

I am aware that it has happened before to someone on this site and that sucks, that's why I'm afraid to post my own work here. I think the unproduced section of the site should be restricted to members only.

I dunno if anyonen agrees...

--Julio

I don't know what creating an account would do to stop something like that though. It would add a few steps to the process for them to be able to view things, but the end result would still give them vision.

Also, if someone signs up as say "Mr. Fakename" so he can view scripts, he can view all the scripts he wants and nobody's the wiser if he never comments on any of them.

You don't have to be American to register with the LoC, but I'm not sure about the WGA.

You forgot that on the main page they can read them. The main page of SS has nothing to do with the message board.

As far as the message board goes you can probably request that your script only be placed on the message board and not the main page it may lessen the chances of someone stealing it.

I've registered my work at WGA, and I'm not American.

What's the minimum age to register your work there, if any?

If you're old enough to pay, you'll old enough to register your work.

Consider registering it with the Copyright Office. IMHO, it's the better of the two.

Phil

The problem I have, is that it is so damn expensive to register your work! I've been scanning the sites and most charge around Ł30-40 per script. Jesus I'm glad I'm a slow writer or it would cost me a fortune. even now I wonder if I can afford it, I know its not much but when you've bills to pay do you just take the risk?

Alffy, check out http://www.writesafe.com/wsreg.html because not too long ago I e mailed them and asked them specifically if they guarentee to protect work against being stolen and they said in short that it creates a paper trail that can be used.

I do agree that the copyright office charges a lot. Here in Canada the CIPO (Canadian Intellectual Property Office) charges like one dollar per page and I was confused by the rest so I gave up I guess I could have called and asked how it works but that involves brains and I have a little damage going on up there.

One thing you can do to avoid paying loads of money for each script is to register them as a collective.

Just combine them all into one file, name it "The collective works of Alffy" or whatever, and register three scripts for one flat rate.

Can you do that with the Copyright Office? Do they not charge on a per page basis though which would round out to the same amount of money? I remember reading on the CIPO website that they charge on a per page basis.

The writers guild has a disclaimer that says "This does not protect your work from being stolen" I believe Phil has mentioned that quite a few times but it literally says that as well.

Registering a copyright with the LoC is $30 I think, they don't charge by the page.

I wouldn't worry too much about the disclaimer. Nothing can protect your work from being stolen...it's just a matter of having it protected in case it is. Both offer protection, but for vastly different periods of time.

I don't think restricting unproduced scripts to members only would do much in regards to protecting from copyright infringement. I think the Kevan incident tought us all that. Besides, the main reason people submit their scripts here seems to be to get exposure. Not everyone knows about the discussion board. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to complain about nonmembers getting free reads. I think putting restrictions on who reads unproduced scripts would eliminate one of the site's key benefits to try and solve a problem that really isn't going to go away.

Thanks for the link Wesley but is it just me or the site a trifle confusing?

Oh I see $15 for a script right.

Phil, I know what you mean about registering a collection but I only have a few shorts and a feature that I could combine. When I do more I would have to wait until I had a few before combining them and paying again.

James, you bring a good point here because I read quite a few scripts here before joining so restricting non members might lose reads and new members.

You can notarize anything for 10 bucks... Just as legit!

I can't imagine having a notary stamp would carry any weight.

Allfy, just register what you have now with the copyright office and worry about your future work when you have it. I have two collected works and four features register. The first one was done a long time ago.

Phil

I used to be a notary and had to notarize documents and contracts for the City of Nashville. All notarized documents hold up in court as proof of authorship.

So if you're on a tight budget or just want it to tide you over til' you finish your copyright app, that's the way to go...

Latas!

Quoted from Just_Initials

a notary is supposed to be proof of a true signature by a person, not ownership of the document. a contract is notarized for proof of signature to make sure the contract is properly executed. documents requring signatures to be properly executed are often notarized, i.e. transfer of title. if you stole a script and signed it and paid a notary to notarize your signature, and the real author copyrighted it, or had other proof that they wrote said script, then your notarized signature would not hold up as proof of ownership (of the script) in a court of law.

Oh Good Lord!
I try to help someone out and I get nitpicked!

All I was saying is that a notary can be used to authenticate the date and author listed on a document or work. Yes, a notary won't hold up against a legit copyright (dur-hey!) But, I don't think Gomez was trying to rip off another story either...

*Although, some states I've found would require you to notarize every single page! (ahem...Texas...cough, cough)

Sorry Gomez, next time I'll just hold in my 2 cents,
Good Luck!

Something that's a lot cheaper would be to mail stuff to yourself. Now, I don't know how this would hold up in court or such, but I know a guy who always printed off his writings and mailed them to himself.

After he got them in the mail, they would have the post-date on them and he would put them away, making sure not to open them.

If it ever came up in court, he could show the sealed packs with the post-date on them.

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#poorman :

Quoted Text

I’ve heard about a “poor man’s copyright.” What is it?
The practice of sending a copy of your own work to yourself is sometimes called a “poor man’s copyright.” There is no provision in the copyright law regarding any such type of protection, and it is not a substitute for registration.

Quoted from Just_Initials

Didn't mean to nit pick, sorry that I did.

Quoted from Just_Initials

Signing and notarizing a script says that you signed a script on a particular day. While it does put you in possession of the script when it was notarized, every page would need to be notarized to carry any weight at all (and I'm not it would at all). One can always notarize a title page and put it on another script years later. This would 'prove' you have the other script years before it was written.

And if you can afford to notarize every page of a script, you can afford to register it with the Library of Congress.

Phil