bunch of questions

**Wen_Diesel** · February 18th, 2003, 07:30 AM

Hello again all,

I'm just going to ask the remainder of my questions in this post so as not to take up to much space on the board. Here goes;

1. How do I go about getting a copyright for my scripts/films?

2. How do I go about sending scripts to different agencies? Do I need to register with certain screenwriting groups in order to do this? How do I obtain addresses of studios to send them too?

3. How do I get films entered into festivals? Every festival site I go to never explains how to do this. They just tell about what happened at this years festival etc. One said you have to have professional status to enter. How do you get professional status?

4. Lenses, I'm confused as to what effects certain lenses give. I know I need a wide angle lense, but what exactly do telephoto lenses and fisheye lenses do? I'm not sure but is the fish eye lens the one they use to make it look like someone is looking through a peep hole on a door?

5. My audio always sounds airy when I record, how do I stop this? Will a simple mixer get rid of this? Whats a good program to edit audio on? If I record with a minidisc how do I sync up sound and video on to the same minidv tape?

I think thats all folks, if I have anymore I will ask at a later date....thanks for any help

**ickle_jim** · February 18th, 2003, 03:44 PM

1. How do I go about getting a copyright for my scripts/films?

Easiest and cheapest way to send the material to yourself with recorded mail, that way theres a record it being sent to you on a specific date. Obviously if you are going to make a carear out of this sort of thing you are best joining some union or group or something.

**GREATwarEAGLE** · February 18th, 2003, 05:04 PM

Can't speak for UK, but in America, registering a script with the Writers Guild is a smart move, quick and painless, and cost like $30. I think you can do it online. I did it by going into their office here in New York. I was in and out in 15 minutes.

You don't have to be a member to register a script.

**ac_01** · February 18th, 2003, 05:47 PM

National Copyright Archive Ltd., PO Box 88, Burwell, Cambridge, CB5 0BU -- ?10 per document.

Otherwise try the Writers Guild. Sending the document to yourself should hold up in court as long as the package doesn't show signs of tampering. Some suggest you simply give it to your bank manager.

Agencies? -- author.co.uk should have a list.

**deanl** · February 18th, 2003, 08:53 PM

Hey there.

"well im no expert on law but ive read it from a few different sources, websites on writing, books on writing...
so i presume it would hold up
besides... think about it, you have a package that is recorded as being sent by the royal mail on the 1/1/2003 with your name credited as the author... 6 months later someone else is claiming they wrote it, yes thats gunna stand up as evidence that you are the lawful author"

Well let's put it this way... It's perfectly legal to send yourself an unsealed EMPTY envolope via the Royal Mails Recorded/Special delivery service. That means I could go out tommorow buy a whole bunch of envolopes. Have them all sent to myself via recorded delivery. Now if what you say is true, all I have to do is wait for a few months untill the George Lucas starts shooting Episode 3 wait for it to be released. Download the screenplay of the internet. Print it out, put it in my empty unsealed envolope. Seal it. And what do you know? I have a sealed and dated recorded delivery of a script "I" wrote months before Episode 3 even started shooting. Now do you honestly think that would hold up in court as copywrited material? Would it chuff.

Despin out.

**Patriarch** · February 18th, 2003, 09:42 PM

In denmark there are seals made by the post office to I think

**deanl** · February 19th, 2003, 04:07 AM

Hey there.

If you do that, dont expect it to hold up in court....

Despin out.

**Wen_Diesel** · February 19th, 2003, 04:17 AM

Uh preferably one that will hold up in court...anyone got any good unions to join? What about the screen writers guild? How much does that cost and is it worth it.

**ickle_jim** · February 19th, 2003, 04:31 AM

well im no expert on law but ive read it from a few different sources, websites on writing, books on writing...
so i presume it would hold up

besides... think about it, you have a package that is recorded as being sent by the royal mail on the 1/1/2003 with your name credited as the author... 6 months later someone else is claiming they wrote it, yes thats gunna stand up as evidence that you are the lawful author.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 18, 2003 12:34 PM: Message edited by: ickle_jim ]</font>