Comments on: Copyright Your Screenplay

By: Mo

Mo — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:54:40 +0000

I recently wrote a screenplay and it has someone else’s character in it, I have the script copyrighted but I wont publish it unless I have the character’s creator’s consent of course. I was talking to a teacher and he mentioned a waiver that I could have the person whose character Im using, sign so that he/she can view my script and see if they want to give me permission to use the character…Does any of this make sense, I am at the right place to ask?

By: Peggy Goochey

Peggy Goochey — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:23:35 +0000

I write plays and sell them as e-scripts (downloadable)through my website. My question is about whether or not they are considered published works. The scripts themselves never appear on the internet. So are they condered published works when I sell a copy? Also, I’m getting ready to copyright them and need to know if they considered works already published? I appreciate your comments. Thanks, Peggy Goochey

By: Gerda

Gerda — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:45:43 +0000

Hi,I am a first-time too. Just started writing. I just wanna say thanks to all I have read. You really gave me a lot goodies to chew on. I am truely happy that sites like these exists. You have been a really big help. As a South African, it is really difficult when you don’t have that much contact with that part of the world. I think that registering with WGA, U.S. Library of Congress, your lawyer and the country you pitch in, covers your basis from all sides. Expensive but safe. Everybody has his owns fears and opinios. If you do all, they can’t touch you right?

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:14:12 +0000

Not sure if this one was asked or covered before but when mailing in your finished screenplay with the forms, is there a prefered way of presentation? I’m assuming just throwing all the loose pages together in a giant envelope with the finished copyright forms probably wouldn’t be the best idea. Might seem like an odd question but I’m curious nonethless.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:08:35 +0000

Omari, motion picture means a movie script/ screenplay. If you are writing/have written a script that is for a tv show(pilot episode), I do not know howyou would copyright it. However, the “motion picture” button means a movie script. if you have written a script, there you go.

person calling him/her self “Advice”: try to fight the studio in court. First, I would get a good lawyer who deals in this stuff, get your evidence together and either sue the company or have a meeting with them(show some evidence that they stole your item, offer them a chance to offer back to you retribution for your hard work, come with your lawyer). If they seem to not be going for it, make a subtle threat of sueing. Work on them, tell them that you know that they dont need or want a bad reputation of stealing a script, you have evidence, will likely have a court proclaim that they stole it if brought to court and it would just create a lot of trouble for them. bad rep to other companies and less scripts sent to them from other scriptwriters. tell them that the cost of defying you is more than the benefit. If they still dont bite, sue them. You can email me at : RLvictor@cox.net to talk about this more.

By: Omari

Omari — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:22:25 +0000

I notice on the form it asks “literary work” or “motion picture work”. If it is a screenplay, which box should I check?

Thx

By: JSR

JSR — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:24:23 +0000

As a first-time screenwriter, I’m feeling my way along and in reading the above threads, it sounds like one should obtain the services of an attorney to negotiate the sale/terms of sale of the script (?). I have a strong fear of my script being changed, either subtley or greatly, and the “message” of the story being perverted or lost. Is this something that is normally negotiated with the assistance of an attorney?

What is a (ballpark) *reasonable* sale price for a first-time screenwriter to ask?

Thanks for whatever wisdom you can offer!

By: fearofwriting

fearofwriting — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 01:48:37 +0000

Mike – thanks for the tip. Between your link to the eCO and Unk’s article, I have found exactly what I was looking for when I started my Google search this evening. My goal was to save some money and find the fastest, easiest way to copyright my first script.

By: Advice....

Advice.... — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:57:07 +0000

Was wanting some advice. I’ve written (and was still rewriting until recently) a screenplay that was pitched to a certain said studio. This studio told me during the meeting that they were not interested in the project at the time. I just discovered this year that the project had been rewritten and made. Not only that, it had been rewritten quite some time ago and was made in another country and was never released here in America (but was copyrighted here) and from that film – 3 years later was another remake made. I’ve recently discovered all of this when I started recieving phone calls from people that knew about my work wondering why I never told them it was being made. My work is copyrighten with the library of congress and registered with the WGA, not to mention the copyright is older than both movies…but the movie has been rewritten. However, I’ve manage to gather 15 pages worth of comparision (many in which are extremely obvious). I was informed that no one can change or alter one’s copyrighten work or produce and film it with the consent of the one in which whom copyrighted it. I have been reading many of the different comments here and I must say, I don’t remember the person I spoke with at the interview or the actual day of the interview because it was so long ago. I only remember what was said at the interview and the location (which studio it was, which turns out to be the same studio who released the film). Any advice on what to do or how I can fight this? And how far can one go with rewriting someone elses work that has been copyrighted? The story itself is practically the same, just from another characters’ life and deeper point of view and the names were also changed. Advice would be strongly appreaciated.

By: Andrew Wilkerson

Andrew Wilkerson — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:49:54 +0000

I have a question. I’m a first-time writer and I’ve just began working on my screenplay. I only have one completed scene, but I do have a character list and a generalized overview of my story. Do I have enough to get a copyright for my screenplay yet? Please e-mail me and let me know!