Planning on sending script out next week but wanna make sure I'm covered copyright-wise first. Is that old chesnut of posting it to yourself still acceptable? What about emailing it to yourself?
How to copyright a script
by Robin Banks? Sorry, I was thinking of something else.
You COULD post it to yourself as a backup, but I don't think it's enough on its own.
There are many threads about this, I'm sure someone would find the link for you? (Not me, I'm on holiday).
Quote: Leevil @ April 18 2008, 12:32 PM BSTby Robin Banks? Sorry, I was thinking of something else.
You COULD post it to yourself as a backup, but I don't think it's enough on its own.
There are many threads about this, I'm sure someone would find the link for you? (Not me, I'm on holiday).
Lee's right mailing it to yourself is the easiest way to copyright it.
It will have a stamp of the date you recieved it. (Just don't open the envolope)
I'm a novice when it comes to sending out scripts as I've yet to finish one but I agree with Griff when he says stamping your script with copyright symbols is not a good idea.
BTW it's a positive thing if your idea does get swiped because there's nothing funnier than a barfly weeping into his/her beer and telling the bar man that it should have been you. And that's what it all boils down to: being able to make people laugh.
If my words ever come back to haunt me then I know I've made it!
In the UK, Copyright is automatically implicit in what you write and lasts until 70 years after you die. It does not have to be registered anywhere.
The business about posting it to youself or giving a copy to lawyers' escrow, is just to prove WHEN you wrote it so that you can refute anyone who pops up and says "Oi I wrote that first".
Email timestamps are too easily faked but any irrefutable timestamp would do the trick, so posting it in the forum would timestamp it. If you did not want other forum members to actually read it, you could encrypt it (so long as you could subsequently decrypt it). Perhaps Aaron could add a spare forum for such a purpose as no one would actually want to read encrypted scripts; they would be rather boring. 
BgNVBAcTDlNhbHQgTGFrZSBDaXR5MR4wHAYDVQQKExVUaGUgVVNFUlRSVVNUIE5ldHdvcmsxITAf
BgNVBAsTGGh0dHA6Ly93d3cudXNlcnRydXN0LmNvbTE2MDQGA1UEAxMtVVROLVVTRVJGaXJzdC1D
bGllbnQgQXV0aGVudGljYXRpb24gYW5kIEVtYWlsAhBufp85QA80WlFQsEjWVL8WMAkGBSsOAwIa
BQCggbowGAYJKoZIhvcNAQkDMQsGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAcBgkqhkiG9w0BCQUxDxcNMDYxMTA0MDAz
MTU4WjAjBgkqhkiG9w0BCQQxFgQUwMdoUVWBXDY5argpHaszzpfvnvIwWwYJKoZIhvcNAQkPMU4w
In the USA the Writers Guild has a facility for accepting scripts, so that they are effectively time-stamped.
You can post them to yourself using the special delivery service whereby you have to sign for it on delivery. You need to write on the back the title of the script [just for your future ref] Also when I have done this I have signed my name all over the part where the envelope is sealed, across the sealed part so that if it was opened the sig would be ruined. Any trouble then as to who wrote it, you take the envelope to a solicitor and he opens it.
Quote: billwill @ April 18 2008, 6:06 PM BSTIn the UK, Copyright is automatically implicit in what you write and lasts until 70 years after you die. It does not have to be registered anywhere.
The business about posting it to youself or giving a copy to lawyers' escrow, is just to prove WHEN you wrote it so that you can refute anyone who pops up and says "Oi I wrote that first".
Email timestamps are too easily faked but any irrefutable timestamp would do the trick, so posting it in the forum would timestamp it. If you did not want other forum members to actually read it, you could encrypt it (so long as you could subsequently decrypt it). Perhaps Aaron could add a spare forum for such a purpose as no one would actually want to read encrypted scripts; they would be rather boring.
BgNVBAcTDlNhbHQgTGFrZSBDaXR5MR4wHAYDVQQKExVUaGUgVVNFUlRSVVNUIE5ldHdvcmsxITAf
BgNVBAsTGGh0dHA6Ly93d3cudXNlcnRydXN0LmNvbTE2MDQGA1UEAxMtVVROLVVTRVJGaXJzdC1D
bGllbnQgQXV0aGVudGljYXRpb24gYW5kIEVtYWlsAhBufp85QA80WlFQsEjWVL8WMAkGBSsOAwIa
BQCggbowGAYJKoZIhvcNAQkDMQsGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAcBgkqhkiG9w0BCQUxDxcNMDYxMTA0MDAz
MTU4WjAjBgkqhkiG9w0BCQQxFgQUwMdoUVWBXDY5argpHaszzpfvnvIwWwYJKoZIhvcNAQkPMU4wIn the USA the Writers Guild has a facility for accepting scripts, so that they are effectively time-stamped.
Well the "timestamp" pretty much proves the point that you wrote it first, to my knowledge unless you go to a few lengths to try and fake the time, posting it to yourself is the most effective way of timing it, the forum works, I guess if someone if very paranoid we could open a thread then hide it from public viewing (except for GMs and Admins of the site).
Quote: Paul W @ April 18 2008, 2:36 PM BSTLee's right mailing it to yourself is the easiest way to copyright it.
It will have a stamp of the date you recieved it. (Just don't open the envolope)
And don't forget top write on the back what is inside. I've still got stacks of jiffy bags with cassettes inside but I've no idea what's what.
I think this procedure was invented by the post office as a marketing gimick.
A copyright related thread keeps coming up. Here are some of the older ones... https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/1715 https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/1131 https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/454
Basically, I wouldn't get too worked up about it. If you're sending it off to a reputable production company (i.e. one you've heard of before) they won't steal your idea - they're all above board people. Copyright only seems to be an issue in the stand-up industry.
Quote: Norton&Wright @ April 18 2008, 3:04 PM BSThttp://www.dulynoted.co.uk/
yeah i use them, they're quite good
Quote: Zuhaib @ May 8 2008, 12:01 PM BSTyeah i use them, they're quite good
Has the posting it to yourself thing ever been proved in court? The so-called "poor man's copyright" has always had a logic flaw to me but people seem to just accept it.
Don't tell anyone but I posted lots of empty envelopes to myself in 1998 and when something is big at the box office I copy the script and seal it in one of those envelopes and then sue. It works every time.
Quote: Robin Kelly @ May 8 2008, 1:31 PM BSTHas the posting it to yourself thing ever been proved in court? The so-called "poor man's copyright" has always had a logic flaw to me but people seem to just accept it.
Don't tell anyone but I posted lots of empty envelopes to myself in 1998 and when something is big at the box office I copy the script and seal it in one of those envelopes and then sue. It works every time.
Royal Mail Special delivery items have to be sealed or they won't be accepted.
At the point where the flap meets the env, you sign your name across it several times and get the Post office to datestamp across the 'seam' too. That way it would show if anyone opened it.
When it's delivered to yourself and you sign for it, you then store it.
If someone then nicks your work you take the env to a solicitor and he opens it. The proof is the datestamp on the item.
Didn't work for you with 'Keeping Up Appearances' though did it?