Once your script is registered, SWN will save your work and provide evidence in court of the date of your ownership.
Your screenplay will be stored away as an encrypted file on a password protected hard drive in our office. Your screenplay is safe with us!
After registration has taken place, we issue each of our customers with a unique protection stamp to put on their screenplay.
Once your script is registered with us, you will receive information on what to do next and will be given some advice on what you can do to avoid your work getting copied.
You will receive a unique protection stamp to place on the title page of your script. This is for future reference and serves as a deterrent for script thieves. People are a lot less likely to copy a work that is protected and has been legally registered.
Your script will be saved as an encrypted file on a password protected hard drive. It will stay there until further notice is given by you if you wish for us to delete your file. If your computer breaks down and all of your screenplays got deleted, it’s always beneficial to know that it’s safely stored away and available at your request.
If you are from the United States or Turkey, you will have to register your script for copyright with your local government.
Registering your script means that it will be saved and recognised by a third party (us), so if you ever had the misfortune of going to a court of law over a copyright dispute, we would provide this evidence of your ownership.
The only difference is we charge half the price. You will receive the same amount of evidence, a registration number and even an added extra; SWN protection logo to put on your script (if you wish).
As well as this, any questions related to the protection of your script, we will answer them and give you advice from our lawyer to put you at ease.
Not officially. As soon as you create a work it’s technically copyrighted as you have created it. In the case of America, the copyright office charge citizens for them to be able to make a legal claim.
We charge a small fee of £12 to cover the cost of processing with our lawyer, documentation and purchasing of hard drives.
If you have entered or are going to enter into the SWN Screenplay Competition as of August 2020, your script will be automatically registered with us for free.