Hello to everyone who is interested in this topic!
I'm Mashito, a new member of the Stage 32 platform.
I am a screenwriter, and I have a great ambition that my current project, the criminal mystery Red Pool, will be very successful. I am new to this industry and you will be surprised and the main privilege is now that, despite my inexperience, there is hardly a lot of interest in my idea. Likewise, I sent one of the episodes and a description of this scenario to a number of producers and other professionals in this business. There is also a lot of interest from their side, although I get a lot of messages and warnings that someone might steal my idea.
Accordingly, I removed the story description from my page.
Since I have never copyrighted my work, I would like to ask for advice on how this can best be done and how the screenwriter can be as sure as possible that his idea is not stolen.
My next point is that by sharing only one part of my script and showing a video of the mood board that I made just to better describe the style of Red Pool as a TV series, I don't think anyone will get it and steal the idea because the key to this is that it's shrouded in history, directly for those who aren't fully invested in this project, and the plot is absolutely unpredictable. So if the idea is trying to steal from the style or the characters, it doesn't matter much because no one knows the characters yet, and I doubt anyone will understand the main character of this story just by reading one part and watching a short video of mine. If someone tries to copy the content and shoot something completely different, good luck to him,LOL, but this idea absolutely cannot be similar to my idea and will be a completely different work because he is not familiar with it.
If you have sincere interest, you can contact me.
5 people like this
USCO (US Copyright Office) is best place to copyright your work. As for people stealing your idea, most people you deal with, that's the last thing on their mind. But it doesn't hurt to ask someone to sign an NDA. If they don't want to, move along.
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Register all your works with the US Copyright Office (USCO) is the best place to copyright your work. Welcome to Stage32!
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Thank you for advice !
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Just copywrited my first script,even though all the characters were copyrighted from a published book,cost about 85 bucks and well worth it . Protect thy self...
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Def. register your work with the US Copyright Office - it's worth it. I do it both in US and in my country even though my scripts are adapted from my own books.
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I do both SWGW and the LOC. US Copyright (LOC) is a little more expensive than SWGW, but affords much more protection than the SWG, which has to be renewed, I think, every five years, whereas the LOC registration is for life, plus.
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Mash Ito Hi Mash, just to let you know that ideas can’t be copyrighted. And whilst people keep telling you to register it with the USCO, find out what the copyright protocol in your country is. In the UK, it simply means putting the copyright ascription on the page.
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Jeff E. Gregory but that is for work which originates in the US and is perhaps produced there. If you are a writer from any of the other 194 countries in the world, you need to know what the copyright law is in your country. That’s what counts.
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(.......no comment.......), zipping lip.
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@Mash Ito, as others mentioned, you can't copyright an idea. However, you can go through the US Copyright office and for the script, you can register through WGA West or WGA East (whichever one makes sense for your geography). Both are fairly easy processes, just be aware that if you make substantial changes to the work after you register it (more than just fixing typos), then the new version will NOT be copyrighted. You'll have to register all over again.
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Register it with the WGA East or West Mash Ito Here: https://www.wgaeast.org/
Then go to script registration.
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As an adapations author working with a major Hollywood studio (Paramount Pictures) for five (5) months last year (2022); having a registration with Write Vault (SEE IMAGE) was fine for that particular conglomerate movie corporation; as well as (fyi:) not having an agent. Speaking on the scripts (more than one) that I own; based on my all time publishing industry listed book on a best list.
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Jeff E. Gregory Hi Jeff, yes that is true, but it is unnecessary as a citizen of Europe or any other continent.
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Jeff E. Gregory Yes, Jeff, but that’s in the US. Other countries have different protocols and that will cover them making approaches to producers.
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I am working with her and will be making sure her copyrights are protected. I hold several, one with a Canadian citizen btw. Not only have I had my writing credit stolen, at Cannes, 2001 by one who is now a HW power player, but I have a connection to the US intelligence family as in I am listed as a federal gov. executive. Her rights as a creator as in good hands.Her goal is get her project on Netflix and therefore US copyright is a necessity.
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I have copyright on my script, that I brought a Canadian writer on. US production will insist on a US copyright anyway. If we don't have that some will try to insert their name on the copyright.
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I am wondering if copyrights are as important as they used to be. Previous to electronic formats all we had was typewritten hard copies. The copyright was used to establish a date proving when you had the original idea. Now with computers your document is dated. Now with virtual opportunities to show your work you have a date your writing was produced. It just seems that now we more alternate ways to prove our original conception.
Only 25 bucks to register with the WGAE and you are covered Mash Ito
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Recommend numerous registrations for protection. First, register it at US Copyright Office (Library of Congress). Second, register the work at WGA (Writers Guild of America). Third, create a web page with a url containing the name of the work. Fourth, self-publish maybe the episodes for the first season as a screenplay on Amazon - and design book cover art (image with title and your author name). Fifth, post a link to your web page on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram - with the meta-image set to the cover art.
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We have a really great legal webinar on how to protect your work here: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Script-Protection-and-Idea-Theft
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Big thanks for this important information!