Copyright Information

After you have finished writing your screenplay you will want to copyright it. Copyrights are issued by the Copyright Office in Washington, D.C.You simply fill out form PA, submit a copy of the screenplay, and pay a nominal fee for the Copyright. FORM PA can be downloaded from the Copyright Office web site.

WGA SCREENPLAY REGISTRATION

You can also register your screenplay with The Writer's Guild of America. WGA registration DOES NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF COPYRIGHTING although it is quicker to obtain, and can show ownership if a dispute ever occurs over your  screenplay. Since Copyrighting can take some time, and you may want to send you screenplay to a contest or agent, register your screenplay with the WGA first while you wait for your copyright to be issued. You have to send one(1) copy of your screenplay, a cover sheet, your Social Security number, and a registration fee. Complete registration instructions can be found on the WGA web site.