Is copyright registration with the U.S. Copyright Office just a money grab? Is registering your work with the Writers Guild good enough? I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts on copyright registration before posting on-line all or part of your written material for Hollywood's scrutiny.
On Writing : Copyright Registration by Jeff E. Gregory
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4 people like this
I think registering work with the U.S. Copyright Office is definitely worth it, Jeff E. Gregory. I stopped registering my work with the WGA way back because it doesn't have the same protection as registering it with the Copyright Office.
3 people like this
Excellent comment, Maurice Vaughan!
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Thanks, Jeff E. Gregory. Great idea for a post. I spent a lot of money registering scripts with the WGA because I thought it was the right way to go.
1 person likes this
Thank You Jeff E. Gregory for asking - and Maurice Vaughan for your insight! I was registered with WGA & feel much better now that my script baby is also registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. WHEW.
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You're welcome, Debbie Seagle.
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Glad to be reading this, Debbie!
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Sometimes IP lawyer here: Copyright registration has legal benefits—two of the most important being (1) prima facie evidence that the work is yours, and (2) availability of statutory damages—that you can’t get from registration with a guild. (In fact, it’s never been clear to me what the benefit of registration with a guild is, exactly.)
Money grab? Sort of. But you do get something for your money; you just don’t ever want to have to use it.
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Thanks, Matthew. Those quotes are from other authors' words to me. According to the SCOTUS, March 4, 2019, litigation cannot commence unless there is a registered copyright in existence. The particular case involved a registered copyright that was pending, and litigation was premature. Thanks again for weighing in. https://www.klgates.com/US-Supreme-Court-Decides-Two-Copyright-Cases-and... refers.
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Jeff E. Gregory They say it is copyrighted once you put pen to paper. But having a paper trail to prove it's yours (electronic documentation is best) helps even more. To really have legal on your side, registering with the U.S. Copyright Office is a good plan.
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Kat Spencer, yes, that is true, but it is the level of proof tht courts required that the work or rights belong to the content creator.
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I did both the WGA and copyright on my scripts. The copyright lets you copyright up to 10 unproduced screenplays with one submission ($85) and they require that each script is uploaded. I don't believe I would ever have to use it but then again I said that about my flood insurance and I was wrong about that.
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I've been really close to selling a couple of my screenplays. One of the questions asked was, did I have a copyright. This experience made me more confident about it.
I copyright every screenplay as soon as I finish it. Because if someone steals it, I have a paper trail to assist should there be legal issues. Besides, it tells you on the Writer's Guild website that registering a screenplay with them is not a copyright. Inferring, in my opinion, that a copyright with the Library of Congress is legally more substantial.
I've spoken to a couple of writers too afraid to show people their work because they were really, really scared that someone is going to steal their ideas. I suggested that they copyright their screenplays. It helped give them peace of mind.