Is stuff " Safe " here? Page 2

Easy copyright -

Post a copy of your work by special delivery to yourself and DON'T open it. The work inside is legally copyrighted from the date shown on the envelope and there will be a record on the date the item was sent on the royal mail data files. In the event someone tries to steal your work after this date, your upopen (and there fore untampered with) piece which you can present to a judge is your proof! I have check this out myself. This is a legally reconised way of doing this.

PS you can also do this with film and audio too. You must also provide as much evidence as poss such as film scripts, unedited pieces, etc so it's all covered!

PSS It's only safe from the date on the package so if someone nicks it before you post, bad luck!

I believe that is known as 'poor mans copyright' and I found the following information about it on filmmaking.net:

In the past it has been quite common for less-learned people (and sometimes companies) to recommend that you mail yourself a copy of your script as a way to protect your copyright. The idea goes that when you receive your script back you don't open it, and then you are able to use the postmarked date as proof that the work existed prior to a certain date. Unfortunately this is a fallacy, as it's extremely unlikely such an argument will stack up in court. Why? Because it's extremely simple to fake and anyone who works in the legal side of copyright knows this. Faking it is as simple as sending yourself and empty, unsealed envelope, then once it comes back, popping your script inside and sealing it. The post office doesn’t care that the envelope's empty or even that it is unsealed - they will deliver regardless. So you could easily have sent yourself an empty envelope a couple of years ago, rip-off someone’s script, then pop your new script inside the postmarked envelope and voila! You have a sealed, postmarked envelope containing your script. Don’t use this method.

I put sellotape over every possible opening to the envelope and then insist that the post worker makes a clear date stamp on each of the seals.

It's not a perfect method though. I email myself the scripts, I email friends the scripts, I spread it around so that I'll have quite a few corroborative witnesses.

Sending it by recorded delivery means it's not so easy to fake due to the barcode and the record of when it was sent. I didn't say it was as good as the real thing but it IS a way of doing it if you are worried.

Most people on here shouldn't worry, as their stuff is insured against theft by it's own incompetence.

I said most, not all.

I've never looked into getting anything officially copyrighted, but does any one have any idea of how much it would cost to copyright a script? I seem to think it would be quite expensive, but then perhaps it isn't!

It's about £35 for 5 years. Go here if you want to do it

http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/?r=ovuk

EDIT: Don't bother, see post below

Quote: Martin Holmes @ August 13, 2007, 7:28 PM

No it was Coogan, Iannucci, Baynham, Morris and the rest of The Day Today team that Gervais nicked it from.

View original

You're absolutely right!! The Day Today done a mockumentary sketch about an American troubleshooter (played by Peter Baynham) who visits an office and sets a pig loose. It's effing brilliant!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

I think this is the third time i've commented on the subject of copyright but as since you are newcomers you probably haven't read it so here is the legal definition (I studied Intellectual Property for a year, I should know).

You have copyright when you:-
1) Fixate (write down)
2) An original idea

You don't have to post it to yourself or pay for someone to have it copyrighted. As soon as you write it down it is copyrighted. If it ever comes to prooving when you wrote it down computer records will work, posting it to yourself will work, dating it will work, writing it down may even work if you use some forensic analysis.

So everyone relax, take a deep breath and most importantly don't give any lawyers any money to grant you copyright, you already have it

Ooooooo!

Good. Saves me money on stamps!

Sorry bout that Ruby, that was about as tactful as a B52 bomber. Its just it annoys me when lawyers *spits* try to confuse and manipulate people. I'm angry at them not any of the BSG users. Apologies

It's all good in my lil red hood!

I have all my material in a box locked with a huge padlock in a safe covered in glue and camoflaged by feathers. No-one is touching that bad boy!

Are you sure that is what that is in the corner of the room and not just a very suprised looking chicken?