Screenwriting : Copyright by Toua Her

Toua Her

Copyright

Question: Before sending your screenplays to get copyrighted, would you send it to get coverage first so you can work on the rewrite before then? Thanks!

Bill Albert

Agree on getting it registered with the WGA

Stephanie Munch

I usually get it registered first

Kiril Maksimoski

Re-writes won't affect the original copyright as long as you're on the track with the basic concept of the story...say, you copyright a story of a murder, but later on change it to a story about unicorns...and getting coverage is anyone's own decision...might help, might not...

CJ Walley

Lock it in ASAP, especially before sharing it around with other writers/readers/industry members.

Don't go for WGA registration first. Use the Library of Congress and then maybe get WGA in addition if you want.

E Langley

Double check, but I believe up to 30% script changes do not require a re-registration. Title changes do not at all.

Danny Manus

Honestly, id say 60% of my clients dont copyright before they send it to me for notes. If you start stealing clients ideas or scripts, youre not gonna be in biz very long. but for random coverage places... yea id register it first.

Glen Bradley

if you don’t have connections for sure get it copy written, In this day and age though, if someone tries to steal your stuff? chances are you already had your agent to look over it, your agency., your other friends. there is a date and time for all of this. Also, there is a possibility you just had the same idea? that’s why we re write a lot of the time.

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