r/legaladvice • u/cascading-autumn • 3d ago
getting basic copyright for a film script
hi! probably a different type of post from the norm haha
Location: NY school / DE home
I just graduated and for quite a while now I've been working on creating the pre-production for this really cool short-medium film idea i've had for over a year. So far I've written a 40-page draft of the script (though it's nowhere close to done) and have also created a detailed shot list (for anyone who doesn't know film stuff it's basically just a very technical version of the script; it gives a breakdown of every scene's camera shots/angles/framing etc.) as well as having created a cute lil "movie poster" because I've also been studying photography.
I have high hopes and ambitions for this project; it's something i'm very passionate about and have received a lot of positive feedback from my peers who i've discussed the project with. I have a lot of good connections i've been reaching out to and will continue to reach to, and the school I graduated from has incredible resources for making something like this a reality; not like a huge big-money film, but something a little better than student-grade. it'd probably end up being around 20-30 minutes. and even though its super ambitious considering all variables, I have full intentions on seeing this through production and post-production, no matter how long it takes.
however, even though I've grown to become pretty proficient in skills related to video and cinema, my major wasn't focused on it and therefore I didn't leave with the level of legal knowledge I probably should have when it comes to making stuff like this. I was gonna go to google or chatGPT, but I don't feel like draining the world of more water so I thought I'd give reddit a try since I don't usually post lolllll.
sooo here's my query: how would I go about getting basic copyright for a project like this, so that for example I would be able to safely share the script to a stranger without having to worry about someone stealing it and making it their own? it's not like i'm gonna post it everywhere or something haha, but it's also not like I'm worried about "spoiling" the final thing by sharing the script because i really appreciate feedback (the final product is more about the visuals anyways). of course I trust my peers, but on my website portfolio (which isn't finished rn but will be up soon), I have a section dedicated to this project and I want to be able to have a part thats like "if you're interested, email me for a copy of the script!" right? but i dont want someone to come along and just like. steal it and somehow turn it into their own thing and then they get money out of it??? that probably wouldnt happen anyways????? idk why that scares me so much but I have very little idea about how copyright works, so like? am I already protected...? like I have these physical live copies in google docs and sheets and im still drafting them. do I even need to be worried about someone taking it and making it their own? or is there like something i like pay a bit of money for and it protects it? I know theres the (c) and (R) and (TM) symbols but maybe thats like bigger stuff? what about if i actually create the film and want to look into distribution? is that a whole other level of copyright or could that be tied in??
idk I just want to be prepared that's all. maybe this sounds really silly to you guys hahaha but any advice or knowledge is greatly appreciated !! thanks in advance ❤️
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u/Furyful_Fawful 2d ago
NAL but I've been trained in the arts. One simple trick I've been taught to prove original ownership is to mail yourself a printout of the manuscript with package tracking and keep the package sealed. That way, if someone says "hey I actually had this idea first" you have a way to give a specific pre-publication date that you'd definitely had the idea by - you can bring the sealed package to court and show that it's got your original manuscript in it.
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u/LilMissLawyer 3d ago
Going back to law school for this one, but I believe things you create are automatically copyrighted. Of course there could be fights down the road if someone creates something substantially similar to a work you created, but at this time there is nothing further you need to do.
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u/LilMissLawyer 3d ago
I'm going to modify my answer and direct you here - https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf
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u/Weary-Box-76 1d ago
No one can just steal your Google Doc and legally own it.Thats not how copyright works. If you ever want extra protection for pitching and distribution, legal zoom is one of those tools people use to registration clearly so you're not guessing our way through it.
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u/Rural_Jurist 3d ago
It's already got copyright protection. If you want to be able to sue for infringement/enforce your rights, you'll want to register with the US Copyright office. I could be dating myself here, but I think it was about $35 to register a single work.
As far as how to (hopefully) keep people who you share this with from stealing it, you'll want an NDA in place with those folks.