• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Screenwriting.io

Screenwriting.io

Answering basic questions about screenwriting.

  • Answers
  • About
  • Ask
  • Index
Generic filters
Exact matches only

Do I need to register or copyright my screenplay?

Copyright automatically exists when you write something. Proof that you completed the work and the date by which you completed it is valuable, but stealing scripts is fairly rare. That said, there may be comfort in registering your IP. These are the two common ways of doing so:

1) [Register it with the WGA](https://www.wgawregistry.org/registration.asp) — When you register a script with the WGA, it does not offer formal, legal copyright protections, but it does maintain a record of your material and its submission date. This is not recommended. It costs $10 for WGA members and $20 for non-members.

2) [Register it with the US Copyright Office](https://www.copyright.gov/registration/) — Registration is voluntary, and copyright exists upon the creation of the work regardless. [“You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work”](https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#register). It costs $35 to register one work as the only author and claimant, not made for hire.

Titles cannot be copyrighted. Ideas cannot be copyrighted. Only unique expressions can be copyrighted.

### More from johnaugust.com
* [Scriptnotes Ep. 5: WGA, copyright and musicals — Transcript](https://johnaugust.com/2011/scriptnotes-ep-5-wga-copyright-and-musicals-transcript)
* [You Can’t Copyright Titles](https://johnaugust.com/2011/you-cant-copyright-titles)
* [Copyright and Changes](https://johnaugust.com/2003/copyright-and-changes)

Answer Index

script scriptwriting screenplay screenwriting formatting terms film structure presentation business writing software TV WGA Final Draft characters length guild credits FDX FDR union scene headings dramatic theory outlines adaptations arbitration pdf highland fountain producers guru managers Celtx Movie Magic rights pitching awards agents short film iPad iPhone festival directors musical

Primary Sidebar

Switching from Final Draft to Highland 2

Switching from Final Draft
to Highland 2 – Get the PDF

© 2023 Screenwriting.io — All Rights Reserved.

  • Answers
  • About
  • Ask
  • Index