How To Copyright Your Film Script

Your script has been completed, the final draft has been printed and you’re ready to send the finished copy to your agent. Well, my friend there are a few steps that you will need to take before your script is sent off into the world, and one of them is copyrighting your work.

I have listed the most popular ways screenwriters/scriptwriters have copyrighted their work to have it legally protected against piracy and copyright theft. Always remember to check your title against other script titles for similarity of name and storyline. Also, be sure to get correct authorizations from the proper parties if your script is an adaption of a story previously made from a book or other feature film or work.

These simple steps will reduce your stress when it comes it making sure you have the rights to the script you wrote and would like to produce one day.

You can copyright your work a number of ways. One is to copyright it through the us government copyright office, you can visit this link below.

www.copyright.gov

Or you can can copyright your work with the WGAE/A Writers Guild America East/West you can vist this link below.

www.wgaeast.org

www.wgawest.org

The Government Copyright Office will charge a $45.00 fee to submit your work for copyright, you should receive your letter within 3-6 months. Remember, once you send in the proper forms your work will be considered copyrighted once received by their office. Also, you should be able to check your copyright registration online for verification that your work has been received. The government copyright will be valid for a number of years and is very secure for a legal copyright.

With WGAE/W will charge a $22.00 fee to non-members to submit your work for copyright, you should receive your approval letter within 2-4weeks. This certificate will be valid for a number of years. This copyright is less secured but usable as a valid copyright for your script/screenplay.

This comment is derived from the opinion and experience of our staff. For more about perspective copyright resources please research the links we have provided for you. Thank You For Reading.

DT Productions Staff

I Was Born To Write This Movie

This was an original vision and inspiration

Picture Created By Sherita Searcy

This is Talia Moore, the creator of the script, “Return Of The Wiz.” I will tell you the story about how this film touched my life and how I was born to write this script.

The Wiz was released, October 1978 in movie theaters nationwide. That was the same year that I was born, August 4,1978 to be exact. I was five years old when I remember seeing The Wiz for the first time. I was mesmerized by the characters, loved Micheal Jackson and could not wait for the, “Brand New Day,” song at the end of the film.

As I became older, The Wiz showed regularly every Christmas season. I was excited every year that I was bound to see my favorite movie at least one time a year guaranteed, until like the time I found out that Santa Clause was not real, after I turned 10, there would no longer be a Christmas showing of The Wiz on regular TV.

As I got older The Wiz faded from my memory. I grew older and went on to high school, college, married, and now two kids and two dogs later I had still kept the memory of The Wiz in my mind. I knew somehow that my favorite childhood movie would somehow follow me and have a significant impact in my adult life.

I will never forget it, I was alone on Christmas 2006 because I had to work and my husband and children had gone to my In-laws for the holidays. That year Dreamgirls had a Christmas opening date, and I was compelled to see it yet, the weather was not favorable and the nearest theater showing it was Syracuse, NY, which was an hour away from where I lived. Just as I wrapped up dinner with my friend Jen and her family, my twin sister called and enthusiastically stated that I had to see Dreamgirls tonight, that it was to good to pass up.

So, I jumped in my 92 Mecury Topaz and press through, snow, sleet and winds to see Dreamgirls. It was the greatest African-American musical I’d seen in film since, The Wiz. As I watched the film tears welled up in my eyes as a voice spoke to my spirit …write Return Of The Wiz. With determination in my heart for the next year and half I wrote and re-wrote, and re-wrote again Return Of The Wiz. Now that the script is complete the final step is to see it come to life on screen on Christmas, December 25, 20??

From growing up to love The Wiz , to the coming full circle to write its completion, only leads me to believe that I was born to write Return Of The Wiz. This is my dream. My birthright and my contribution to a classic that has touched the hearts of millions. My only prayer is that a completed remake of The Wiz will touch the hearts of a million more Return Of The Wiz fans that are yet to come. We all have a story to tell, all of us, and this is mine.

Introduction To Joe The Filmmaker?

JOE THE FILMMAKER COMING TO AN ADVICE COLUMN TO YOU SOON

Well how can we all forget the political parody that continued far past a single plumber’s 15 minutes of fame? Yes, we have all come to know and adore or hate him as, “Joe The Plumber.” When you hear, “Plumber”, you think of a human’s hind parts peaking from an unbuckled pair of pants bending over a toliet bowl with a plunger at his side. But when you think of, “Joe The Plumber,” you think of the 2008 Political campaign of Obama and McCain debating over a single white middle American male name Joe Wurzelbacher who was said to be a plumber by trade, or so he said.

DT Productions, is here to bury the hatch! Obama has been elected President-Elect of the United States of America and Joe the plumber is once again, just another middle class working american who’s putting his plunger down yet another toilet. But, we here at DT Productions say that we are averages Joes, all of us looking to, “Spread The Wealth!” When we mean spread the wealth, we mean spread advise to other middle American filmmakers who are seeking advice to help with screen writing, production, distribution, editing, content and other film/entertainment issues that can be shared for, “FREE!” So, We’re calling all you average, “Joe The Filmmakers,” to give advice and guidance to other filmmakers so that we can all benefit from the wealth of knowledge of what you have obtained over the years in the film industry.

For more about Joe The Filmmaker please stay tuned!

In Loving Memory

In Memory Of Kenny Felton

DT Productions has received news that Kenny Felton has passed away. Kenny Felton was a participate in the Hidden Secret Documentary where he testified to the abuse and molestation of a former school principle in the early 1960’s.

His sister Betty Williams is the writer of the memior, “Hidden Secret Exposed,” and was inspired by her brother and others to tell her story of the abuse as a student of the Byromeville elementary school.

Kenny Felton will be missed by a host of family, friends, and others who have yet to here some of his last words on film. My the Lord God, rest your soul in peace.

For more about the Hidden Secret Documentary and Betty Williams please visit our Documentary Page.

Regards from

DT Productions and Staff

Stand Up And Take Your Place

STAND UP AND TAKE YOUR PLACE

Now that the economy is leaning toward a 2008-2009 depression, what is constant is the stories that are arising from the ash that hangs over America and neighboring countries. Joe the plumbers are coming out of the woodwork with stories of pressing on and enduring hard times, single mothers are returning to cloth diapers to save money, communities are bonding together and finding ways to save money.

Unlike the great companies that are falling like the demolition of the twin towers, ordinary people are taking their place in life and fulfilling their God given talents. The successes that are coming out of these trouble times are due to peoples need to survive.

People ask me, so what’s your advice for this or that? My advice to you is to; start writing your book, open that production company, start writing that script, because out of all of this, there is a greater story that needs to be shared. The decline, the downfall, ground zero, the determination, the coming together, the organizing, the rebuilding, THE MOVEMENT!

Just like Eminimem in 8 Mile: THIS IS YOUR MOMENT-LOSE YOURSELF! WE NEED YOU!

WHEN YOU GET SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED, THAT IS THE TIME YOU NEED TO STAND UP!

Advice by Talia Moore

How To Get A Great Agent!

HOW TO GET A GOOD AGENT

by Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D., J.D.

www.CreativeCommunicationsResearch.com

Are you looking for an agent for books or scripts? Are you having trouble finding one you like? Join the club. This is one of the most common complaints of writers, including long-time professional writers. Even writers who have had agents may be looking for another one, or have different types of writing projects better handled by another agent.

This article will help you find and select an agent, including how to best contact an agent initially and what to send when you provide additional information, such as a nonfiction proposal, fiction manuscript, children’s book, or screenplay treatment or full script.

Selecting an Agent

Some considerations to keep in mind when choosing the agent that’s best for you are:

- Types of books handled. Most agents handle multiple types of books, but some agents specialize. It can be useful to choose an agent who handles several types of books if you have different types of writing projects, or you may prefer to divide up different types of books with different agents, if the agents agree. In some cases, agents will handle other types of projects for clients, but only when they are handling the client for their primary area of emphasis. (Most commonly this occurs when the agent represents you for non-fiction and additionally takes on fiction, children’s books, or scripts). Check on what types of manuscripts the agent handles to decide what’s best for you.

- Film and TV rights. Most agents now handle film and TV rights for projects they represent – generally through a rep in Hollywood, LA, or on the West Coast, though some handle the rights themselves. Should you want an agent specializes in film and TV rights, look for an agent who is a member of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), since many producers, production companies, and studios will only deal with WGA agents. You can find these agents listed on the WGA Web site, and the Hollywood Creative Director at www.hcdonline.com also has a directory which comes out twice a year which features agents and managers. It is one of the sources we use ourselves in creating our database of film agents and managers.

- Foreign reps and rights. Most agents handle foreign rights, generally through a subagent or group of subagents, although some handle these rights themselves. Should you want to know the specific foreign reps which different agents have, these listings for many agents are in the Literary Marketplace, available in a hard copy which comes out in late November each year or on line.

- Location. Do you want an agent who is near you – or one who is near the publishers if you live out of the major publishing centers, which are in New York City (especially for mainstream commercial books), Los Angeles (especially for projects with film and TV potential), and the San Francisco Bay Area (especially for more targeted smaller audience and independent books)? Generally, it is best to get an agent in the major centers, especially in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. on the East Coast or California on the West Coast. Within these states, it is best to have an agent who is close to these major publishing centers. Still, many agents do extensive traveling and some have relocated from these centers, so they may still be well connected. Then, too, if you like having more face-to-face contact with your agent, you may prefer one in your area.

- Size of Agency. While many agents are independent or work in small agencies, others are part of large agencies or affiliations of agents, such as William Morris, International Creative Management, and Writers House. While a big name affiliation can help even new agents gain clout, many independent agents or agents in smaller agencies have excellent reputations and have sold big books. While you can initially query more than one agent in an agency, since not all agents will be interested in the same project, if more than one expresses interest, you have to decide which one to follow-up with in sending additional material. You can also say that you weren’t sure who to contact to explain why you contacted more than one agent in the same agency. This multiple contact approach works better when you are sending e-mails, since this is a more informal type of initial contact. But if you are sending a query by regular mail, it is better to pick one agent to query first; then if you have no response in a couple of weeks, try a second agent at that agency.

Pitches Of The Day 9-18-08

Alright folks here they are.

Brain Life

Logline: A Military science experiment on the human brain derived from human steam cells goes bad when the brain is accidentally injected with bio-checimal hazardous waste liquids that turns the brain into a deformed species of human that feeds on vital human body parts to maintain its life.

Doozee

Logline: A chemically advanced lab rat name, “Doozee,” is on a mission to find a cancer saving cure for a little girl who befriends him while on a tour of the research lab.

Measure Of A Man

Logline: An upscale Wall Street Stock Broker marries a mysterious Chinese woman to save her from execution against Chinese mob bosses.

Down For 1

Logline: A group of deaf hip-hop dancers rejected at a local competition, fight their way to the Dance-Off National Championships to take home the gold.

***********These Pitches were created by DT Productions-Author-Talia Moore All Names and Rights Reserved ***************

The Biz On Bollywood!

So what’s the biz on Bollywood? Does Hollywood have International Competition? Where did Bollywood come from? So what is Bollywood? According to Wiki, Bollywood is the following;

Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the Indian film industry.^[1] Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest in the world.

The name is a portmanteau of Bombay (the former name for Mumbai) and Hollywood, the center of the American film industry. However, unlike Hollywood, Bollywood does not exist as a real physical place. Though some deplore the name, arguing that it makes the industry look like a poor cousin to Hollywood, it seems likely to persist and now has its own entry in the Oxford English Dictionary.

Bollywood is commonly referred to as Hindi cinema, even though “Hindustani“, understood as the colloquial base common to both Hindi and Urdu, might be more accurate. There has been a growing presence of Indian English in dialogue and songs as well. It is not uncommon to see films that feature dialogue with English words and phrases, even whole sentences. There is a growing number of films made entirely in English.

Can you believe that even Hollywood has gone Bollywood! With the emergence of Cheetah Girls One World and Nickeloden’s Wonder Pets, Bollywood has become a curious wonder for movie makers and enthuist.

Evacuee Killed in FEMA Trailer Fire After Expressing Concerns to FEMA

http://www.wafb.com/global/story.asp?s=5234433&ClientType=Printable

CARLYSS, La. (AP) – A fire has engulfed a FEMA trailer, claiming the life of a Cameron Parish evacuee who lost her home during Hurricane Rita.

The victim had previously gone to the news media with concerns about the trailer’s safety. The fire’s cause is unknown.

The Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 51-year-old Ellen Schools. Carlyss Fire Chief Jude Savoie says Wednesday’s fire was heavily involved when firefighters arrived.

Schools had expressed problems with the FEMA trailer in the past. In May, she spoke to Lake Charles television station KPLC about exposure to formaldehyde in the two-bedroom mobile home. She said the exposure was causing headaches, a sore throat and sinus problems.

According to the report, Schools said FEMA suggested that she open her windows to alleviate the problem.

A FEMA official had no comment about whether Schools had reported problems in the past. He did say, however, that a FEMA safety group is investigating the fire.

New Task Contract Awarded For Temporary Housing Units

Release Date: August 4, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-152

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a contract to TL Industries of Elkhart, Indiana to provide two-bedroom, park model temporary housing units.  The contract was awarded following a competitive process, through which the offer from TL Industries was determined to represent the best value to the government.

The contract requirements are based on a new set of procurement specifications for manufactured housing that were developed by FEMA in coordination with the Recreational Park Trailer Industry Association (RPTIA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Health Affairs (DHS/OHA).  The new procurement specifications for indoor air quality include a requirement that formaldehyde emission levels must be significantly reduced inside the units. Each unit must test below .016 parts per million (ppm) prior to acceptance by FEMA. Moreover, this contract provides a critical resource in support of the National Disaster Housing Strategy.  For more information on the Housing Strategy, visit www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=45190.
Award of similar contracts for three-bedroom mobile homes and alternative housing strategies are forthcoming, based on other competitive solicitations, and will further contribute to FEMA’s housing capabilities.
“FEMA is committed to providing safe temporary housing that meets the needs of disaster victims,” said FEMA Administrator David Paulison. “This contract allows FEMA to provide housing proven to meet significantly reduced formaldehyde emission levels.  Additionally, because TL Industries is a small business, we are both meeting the mission needs and enabling small businesses to contribute to the FEMA mission.”
FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.