How To Protect A Screenplay - Shane Stanley 

Copyright with copyright.gov (USCO). Best advice Shane gave at such a personal cost. It's sad to hear him beat a dead horse because of what he went through....to share with us. Thank you

Make a comic book out of it. One of the people you interviewed said that turning your story into a novel was a good way to protect your script because then you would at least be able to prove that your story was stolen if not your script. But what creative is willing to write an entire novel just to do that especially since many current films have been adapted from short run comics like *The Kingsman*

I thought the same thing.

Cheers!

I heard the same thing. It's best to not put the copyright info on the title page, but still have it copy written.

I've heard this from my film school teachers

@@lensbydayandnight Tim B wrote, “Is this only said so it makes amateur writers more vulnerable? It doesn’t make sense. I register every script I write. Is that good enough even if we don’t put it on the the script itself?” Though affixing a copyright notice on creative works is no longer required by law, it can provide important legal and monetary benefits: The removal a copyright notice can suggest that your work was *“willfully”* infringed, and that’s a big NO-NO that can subject the infringer for payment of enhanced statutory money damage from $30,000 to $150,000 (if the work was timely registered with the US Copyright Office). When you finish writing your script, you’re granted an immediate and automatic copyright. If you don’t feel comfortable including your copyright attribution on your scripts because it might make you look unprofessional, at the very least, get it timely (quickly) registered with the US Copyright Office. *If you have to make a choice, either include your copyright notice attribution or timely registering your script with the US Copyright Office, choose the latter every single time, as copyright registration really, really counts!* Watch JUST the first 20-seconds of Washington, DC copyright attorney litigator Joshua Kauffman’ RU-vid video where he explains why creatives MUST “timely” register their copyright claims: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cBOKkrleY3Y.html Good luck.

Congratulations! Great job!

Kit Krash wrote, “These days if you use Google Docs or even co-collaborate in Final Draft you will have your material time stamped automatically.” A Google, Microsoft, or any other third-party time-stamping documentation may provide you with peace of mind, but it won’t really hold up legally (for works creative in the US), as those time-stamps can be manipulated/forged + challenged, just like the poor man’s copyright (mailing a SASE to oneself, use steam to unseal it). FYI: You help *PROVE(!)* your script’s authorship and its corresponding copyright ownership by quickly registering it with the US Copyright Office (USCO), as you’re statutorily(!) granted *“prima facie” evidence (aka “presumptive legal proof”) of your copyright authorship.* Here’s the legal citation: 17 USC § 410 (Registration of claim and issuance of certificate). When filing a copyright registration application, you must check a box to *“certify”* to the best of your knowledge that all the information you’ve included is correct (i.e., who’s the creator of the work, who’s the copyright owner, date of creation, date of publication, etc.). If you knowingly LIE or MISREPRESENT a material issue, you’re subject up to a $2,500 FINE. See 17 USC 506(e): False Representation [Criminal Offenses]). Registering your works with the USCO is very much a vetting process to help authenticate your copyright creation and ownership claims. Your issued copyright *“Certificate of Registration”* will list your “effective date of registration” (aka, official government date-stamp) that helps prove you created the work to a federal judge. So, when a copyright infringer producer (script stealer) challenges your script authorship, just show him/her your copyright Certificate of Registration -- that’s your (presumptive) legal (court) evidence!

I know replying to my own comment is a bit weird, but on this occasion I consider it more appropriate than editing my initial comment. After some quick online research I've read that a U.S copyright for a screenplay is (as of 2019) just $35, which I consider well worth it at whatever stage one is at with a completed script. Even if said script ultimately proves unsellable, or not up to standard, it's worth it to protect whatever "worthy" ideas may be present, and that can be approached and utilized in later works.

WallKenshiro wrote, “Is copyrighting a screenplay expensive?” I just posted detail information on the procedure and cost to “register” your script’s copyright: Search “cnlicnli” on this page. WallKenshiro wrote, “If so, is the cost worth it if you're still at the stage of looking for feedback and constructive criticism of the script?” It’s best to complete the work before registering it with the US Copyright Office. You can, however, register your in-completed script, and a few weeks later, register its additions in another copyright registration application (using the Standard Application, register it as a derivative work @ $65 for each time -- but that can be pricey). Just make sure your script is registered *BEFORE* you begin shopping it around (register it as an unpublished work) OR no later than three-months of its first-date of publication! Don’t delay!

AlmightyGamer wrote, “Does it matter which draft you copyright *[“register”]* your script on? or is it best to wait till its well polished? It’s best to finalize the script before registering it with the US Copyright Office. However, you can register your in-completed script (draft/s), and a few weeks later, register its draft additions in another copyright registration application (using the Standard Application, register it as a derivative work @ $65 for each time -- but that can be pricey). Just make sure your script is registered *BEFORE* you begin shopping it around (register it as an unpublished work) OR no later than three-months of its first-date of publication! Don’t delay! I just posted detail information on the procedure and cost to “register” your script’s copyright: Search “cnlicnli” on this page.

Register it before you send it to anyone or anyone gets to see it. Most people take years and years to *polish* a script but by that time your best friends, cousins roommate might have seen the script and turned in a finished copy to a producer before you even decided what the title should be.

You can register every draft, or register the final draft. Your call. They are ALL automatically protected the moment they are completed and in a tangible medium. If you're asking about formal copyright protection, the same still applies - whether your first draft or your final draft, the choice is yours. Just remember that each draft is treated as its own property. So if you had 3 drafts of one story; a first, second, and final draft, they would each have a different registration number (if you registered formally).

lirtwd wrote, “I register my stuff with the writer’s guild.” I would *skip* registering your scripts with the WGA; it’s more prudent to “timely” (quickly) register them with the US Copyright Office (USCO), as you’re statutorily granted *presumptive evidentiary proof* of your authorship claims. lirtwd wrote, “You can also do a common law copyright. Certify mail it to yourself and when you receive it, sign for it and put it away! Don’t open it of course.” That’s incorrect. There’s no “common law [state] copyright” statutes; copyright law got federalized with the 1976 Copyright Act (see 17 USC § 301; federal preemption). States do NOT have authority to adjudicate copyright infringements disputes nor grant Certificates; those are exclusively reserved for the federal government. Your “mailing a letter yourself in a certified sealed-stamped-self-addressed-envelop” (SASE) method is commonly known as the *“poor man’s copyright.”* Though there may be a few(???) international countries that accept the poor man’s copyright process, *it has NO legal authority in US Copyright Law - the poor man’s copyright is an on-going MYTH that just won’t die!* When you mail your work in a SASE, all you’re proving is the US Post Office can mail a letter/package back to you. *It’s quite easy to challenge/defeat the poor man’s copyright claim: I’ve actually mailed myself a SASE by folding the seal into the letter. When needed, I can then take any script, place it into the unsealed envelop, and lick it shut, and use the four-year old US Post stamp date as my proof. You can also steam-open a sealed envelope to accomplish the same fraud.* FYI: Your SASE will NOT be opened in court; you’re copyright attorney will have to open it in his/her office to review its evidentiary authenticity, and then what? Will your attorney have to be a witness? The court will dismiss your poor man’s copyright date/stamp claim without prejudice. A federal judge *MUST(!)* see your issued copyright “Certificate of Registration” for you to have legal standing to proceed. lirtwd wrote. “…Hollywood will still steal your shit.” By quickly registering your script with the USCO, you’re granted *“prima facie” evidence* of the works copyright and validity. This *presumptive legal proof* is how you help PROVE your authorship and its corresponding copyright ownership claims to a US court. Copyright’s “Presumptive Proof” is one of my favorite provisions of US copyright law! See 17 USC § 410 (Registration of claim and issuance of certificate) Copyright registration really, really counts! Watch JUST the first 20-seconds of Washington, DC copyright attorney litigator Joshua Kauffman’ RU-vid video where he explains why creatives MUST “timely” register their copyright claims: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cBOKkrleY3Y.html

I just posted detail information on the procedure and cost to “register” your script’s copyright: Search “cnlicnli” on this page.

Go to: www.copyright.gov

Your work is automatically copyright protected the moment it is completed and in a tangible medium. So you're fine. Formal copyright registration isn't necessary BUT is absolutely highly advised.

It has to be in a "tangible medium" yes. You can't copyright an idea. Once it's a tangible media, then it's automatic. Registration is that extra, more formal layer of protection. Like seatbelts and seatbelts and airbags.

ViewNo Tangent wrote, “Nobody needs you once they know the title and the *ideas* and have a script.” FYI: Script “ideas” are NEVER(!) copyrightable. However, a completed script can be protected by copyright. *BEFORE* you sell, shop, or share your script with others, get it IMMEDIATELY *registered* with the US Copyright Office (USCO). By registering your works QUICKLY, you’re granted *presumptive legal proof* (aka prima facie evidence) of your copyright authorship & copyright ownership claims. Registering your scripts with the USCO is very much a legal vetting process that helps prove your copyright creation to a federal judge (and the infringer’s attorney).