How to Register a Copyright For an Entertainment Company

Introduction

Copyright is a form of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship. Copyright law gives creators rights over their creations for a set period of time, which can last for the lifetime of the creator plus 70 years after his or her death.

When you register your work with the U.S. Copyright Office, you’re protecting it with federal law against infringement by others. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to protect your idea or an artist who wants to make sure they receive credit for their work, there are several steps involved in registering a copyright and choosing an appropriate filing method. Don’t worry! we’ll walk you through them.

Find Out Which Works are Eligible for Copyright

The Copyright Act of 1976 defines a work as being “original” if it is “independently created by the author (as opposed to copied from another source) and possesses at least some minimal degree of creativity. This means that you cannot claim copyright over any work that you did not create yourself. For example, if you hire someone to create a logo for your company, then their creation is not eligible for copyright protection unless they created it out of their own original ideas instead of copying something else.

The next requirement is that the work must be fixed in some tangible medium. This means that there needs to be an actual physical object (e.g. written on paper) or recording (e.g. saved as an MP3 file). The work need not be published or publicly distributed in order for it to qualify, however, this does not necessarily mean that all forms of media are eligible. Photographs may qualify under this definition, drawings probably do not since they are often displayed only through projection rather than being printed directly onto paper or other materials like photographs would be printed onto photographic film strips before processing them into negatives which can then be used by photographers later on during post production.

Learn About “Fair Use”

It is important to note that fair use is not a license or permission to use the material in question. It does not grant you any rights. Instead, it is an affirmative defense against copyright infringement claims brought by the owner of the copyrighted work. In other words, if you are sued for using someone else’s copyrighted material without permission and you can show that your use falls under fair use, then they cannot sue you for damages or seek an injunction against further usage of their intellectual property (IP).

Fill Out an Application Form

To apply for a registration, you’ll need to fill out an application form. The application form is available online and can be accessed by visiting the Copyright Office site. The fee for registering copyright is $65 per registration, which means that if you are applying for multiple works (such as a book and its related illustrations), then you may need to pay additional fees.

The application process is easy and straightforward:

• Fill out all of the required fields on the form, including your name and address information, title of work being registered, description of work being registered (e.g. screenplay), date created or published (if applicable), name(s) of author(s), etc.
• Include copies of any documents that support your claim to authorship—for example, if you created it alone or in collaboration with others, if someone else helped create it, if someone owns rights in addition to yourself that might conflict with your own claims etc. Upload them using “Attach Documents” link at bottom left corner under ‘Attachments’ section in your submission page before submitting your application packet for review by Registry staff members at headquarters offices located throughout U.S.

Include a Copy of the Work You’re Registering

Include a copy of the work you’re registering. You’ll need to include three copies of your work, along with a copy of each item listed below:

• The fee—$85, paid by check or money order payable to “Register of Copyrights.” If applying by mail, don’t forget to write the registration number on all correspondence and keep copies for yourself.
• A deposit—a physical copy (cassette tape, CD, etc.) as well as an electronic copy in either MP3 format or via email attachment (if you prefer).
• An application form. The official form is available online at http://www.copyright.gov/forms/. Check it over carefully first.

Submit Your Application, Fee, and Deposit to the US Copyright Office

The address and contact information for the U.S. Copyright Office are:

U.S. Copyright Office

Information Products Division, LM-455

101 Independence Ave SE

Washington, DC 20559-6000 USA

The phone number is (202) 707-3000, and the fax number is (202) 707-9100 (for a copy of their current fee schedule). If you want to submit your application in person or if you want to register by mail or email, please see their website for more details on how to get started.

Protect your Creative Work

It’s important to know how to protect your creative work. A copyright is a form of protection for original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. The copyright covers both published and unpublished works. On this page we will look at the basics regarding copyrights for entertainment companies.

Conclusion

We hope that you have found this article on how to register a copyright for an Entertainment Company useful. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.