Copywrite - logos

[MonkeyVideoProductions]

I know some of you will think I'm an idiot now, but I couldn't careless, and I need to know this.

Are there any specific things you have to do or pay to copywrite a logo and/or company name? (I'm in the UK)

From all of the research that I have done about it I can't find and specific copywrite registration for a logo for a media based production company. I searched a lot of the government's websites, and I asked a business studies teacher I know, and I came to the conclusion that all you have to do is put the little Copywrite and Trade Mark signs at the end of the name.

I kno from the previous 'copywrite' thread that this is probably wrong, but I thought I'd ask because it is confusing me.

[Yammeryammeryammer]

I don't know much about it, but I have never obscured a logo in a movie in my life, and have been accepted to film festivals with no problem. However, one if the prizes for a festival I was in was being showcased on a reel for a T.V. station. And in the movie I used a copyrighted song for the credits. So I rescored the credits no problem and sent in a master for the best quality. Then I got a call back, it seems that a friend of mine in the movie was wearing a band t-shirt (Everclear), and the shirt ended up relatively soaked in blood by the end. So, because the company was kind of paranoid about that, they were going to pull it unless I wrote a letter to them asking permission. I got the address from them, wrote the letter, and never heard a thing about it again, but it went on T.V. with no problems.

[Kev Owens]

MVP,

Please don't count me as someone who thinks you're an idiot... I don't. I appreciate what you're trying to do (eg. be a filmmaker) as we're all in the same boat and need to help each other out from time to time, ok?

I'll try and answer your question because I think YammerYammerYammer got the wrong end of the stick:

Guessing from what I've read from you're previous posts your short is a low-budget small-scale project, so I'll take it from there. To copyright your logo: as long as it doesn't resemble a logo that looks like any other company's (eg. a huge yellow 'M') and you can prove it is your design and when you designed it, then the copyright belongs to you. This is because you can prove it is original and you can legally challenge anyone who copies your logo, hence you may add the 'c' symbol.

To copyright a company name you need to have the company registered- but it will not be unique, so my advice is not to do this unless you want a company account (which you then have to organize, sort out VAT etc.)

So, create your logo design, post it to yourself then when you receive it - DON'T open it, (a post date stamp is legally acceptable as proof of date) file it, then the copyright is yours (as long as it's original), use the company name you want, but only register it after taking legal advice!

Hope this helps... [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[Gurdeep Samra]

Kev Owens is right. Register your company first and then register your logo as a company trademark. This is the expensive but proper way to do it.

Or like me, do what Kev Owens said and post it to yourself (not recommended).

[MonkeyVideoProductions]

Cool thanks for the help, although YammerYammerYammer's answer was not what I meant, that is actualy helpful, because I wont use any company/band names in my film on t-shirts etc.