TOM PK asked a good question in the Intro section re: copyrights.
I know we briefly touched on this in another thread. What methods do you all use for establishing proof of copyright? AJP, or anyone else with a grasp of legalese, can you shed light?
I tend to mail and email scripts to myself and friends. Is this enough?
Obviously I'm not going to come and answer my own question here but one possible method I heard of was to post it to yourself by some specific form of post (vague i know) but the important part was that it was sealed with a post mark on it. You don't open it and then it's all dated with your name on. Probably wouldn't completely suffice either but could help. Tell you what else could help, and this has some dark irony to it, but my rejection letter from the BBC writer's room has the name of my sitcom, my name, address and a date on it. Surely that proves something doesn't it?
Registered Post in the UK ('Certificado' or somesuch here in Spain) both of which yield clearly dated envelopes, which you DON'T OPEN unless there's a future copyright issue (then you take it to your lawyer, still unopened, and explain the problem to him). My son and I have both done the registered post bit with our respective scripts. He's in the movie biz and is in the process of finishing off the filming of his first effort. Its his script, casting, lugging his own camera about and everything else. Its a thriller. He has a wee continuity problem at present because the darn leaves are refusing to fall from trees so he can match in with last years filming!!!
Placing a script copy with a bank or a solicitor is an alternative.
Oh, I've got a Writers Room rejection slip as well for my first two hours worth (lot of words!) of straight screenplay ... but to be honest I just wanted to prove to myself I could stick with 'something' in script format right the way through. That is the 'slog' of it!! Didn't really matter what it was ... it got me into the heads of a load of characters I'll probably never use again but taught me quite a lot one way and another just doing it.
Oh ... and Happy Christmas to all (I believe its that time of year!)
Mike
Write it on a computer and save it and your computer will record the date. Or just simply date every bit of work you do.
SlagA if you email stuff to other people as long as the email account is still open you have proof.
ajp29 - it's very easy to forge computer / email times (just alter your clock and try saving something) - that wouldn't suffice.
I believe the accepted legal method is to file it with a solicitor - but then the legal profession would say that as you then have to pay them. I think Tom Pk has kinda answered his own question - posting it to yourself sounds like it'd work.
I'm staying out of this one (rolls eyes)
Mark, you can forge a computer but the you can't easily wipe the system of any record of altering it if you get what i mean, just ask Pete Townsend. If you date work its up to the person who nicked your idea to proove that the date is wrong you don't have to proove that the date is right, as prima facie you have copyright.
is it worth it though i mean what are the chances or possibility of your work getting nicked or taken on by someone else is this actualy likely do you think?
I've just come across the following website appertaining to copyright.
It may just be what some of you are looking for, and its entirely free.
There's no need to copyright your stuff, it's copyrighted as soon as you write it. Rip-offs are very rare indeed and extremely hard to prove unless it's copied word for word. Plus there are many hundreds of scripts in circulation and you can be pretty sure one of them is very like yours.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it certainly. But if you're determined, asking a solicitor or bank to store a time-stamped copy is probaby your best bet.
Quote: Lee Henman @ January 28 2009, 7:12 PM GMTThere's no need to copyright your stuff. Rip-offs are very rare indeed and extremely hard to prove unless it's copied word for word. Plus there are thousands of scripts in circulation and you can be pretty sure one of them is very like yours.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it certainly. But if you're determined, asking a solicitor or bank to store a time-stamped copy is probaby your best bet.
update: There's a bit here about a company who do it for called Raindance http://www.scriptfactory.co.uk/go/Resources/FAQ_12.html
Quote: Lee Henman @ January 28 2009, 7:16 PM GMTThere's no need to copyright your stuff, it's copyrighted as soon as you write it. Rip-offs are very rare indeed and extremely hard to prove unless it's copied word for word. Plus there are many hundreds of scripts in circulation and you can be pretty sure one of them is very like yours.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it certainly. But if you're determined, asking a solicitor or bank to store a time-stamped copy is probaby your best bet.
update: There's a bit here about a company who do it for called Raindance http://www.scriptfactory.co.uk/go/Resources/FAQ_12.html
Thats not at all useful Lee, what we all want to know really is how do you nick ideas from here and get away with it?! And do not tell me you haven't been reading my cock based innuendos on the card caption threads!
Quote: Tom Pk @ December 21 2006, 8:10 PM GMTObviously I'm not going to come and answer my own question here but one possible method I heard of was to post it to yourself by some specific form of post (vague I know) but the important part was that it was sealed with a post mark on it. You don't open it and then it's all dated with your name on. Probably wouldn't completely suffice either but could help. Tell you what else could help, and this has some dark irony to it, but my rejection letter from the BBC writer's room has the name of my sitcom, my name, address and a date on it. Surely that proves something doesn't it?
This is what I did with my music productions.
Quote: Marc P @ January 28 2009, 7:21 PM GMTThats not at all useful Lee, what we all want to know really is how do you nick ideas from here and get away with it?! And do not tell me you haven't been reading my cock based innuendos on the card caption threads!
They've all been duly-noted, copied, sold and banked. If anyone wants to sue me, I'll be in Mustique. 
Quote: Tom Pk @ December 21 2006, 8:10 PM GMTObviously I'm not going to come and answer my own question here but one possible method I heard of was to post it to yourself by some specific form of post (vague I know) but the important part was that it was sealed with a post mark on it. You don't open it and then it's all dated with your name on. Probably wouldn't completely suffice either but could help. Tell you what else could help, and this has some dark irony to it, but my rejection letter from the BBC writer's room has the name of my sitcom, my name, address and a date on it. Surely that proves something doesn't it?
Aparently that's a duffer, as they can say you posted an empty envelope.
If you email it does it work?
I'm registered with dulynoted but havent used them much so far.