How to register your copyrighted multimedia works

Nobody wants to work hard and spend lots of money on a multimedia project only to have it pirated. The more difficult or expensive it is for you to produce something, the more likely it will be stolen.

Registering your works (films, footage, photos, music, etc.), with the Copyright Office is like purchasing pirate insurance. You will have greater legal leverage if your content is registered. 

You can submit your works as a single, titled film (for example), or as a batch of footage, photos, etc. You will have to give the work a title. That’s easy for a film or a music album, but what do you name a batch of footage or photos? You could title it something like, “Best lifestyle footage, 2017-2018, by (your name or company name).”

It’s really quite easy to do. And, when the day comes that you need it, you’ll have substantial legal advantages including the opportunity to seek statutory damages and legal fees in court. 

The US Copyright Office can explain the process better than I, so read over their instructions for registering multimedia works here: https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ55.pdf

You’ll need to gather and place your content onto a DVD, thumb drive or prepare it for upload. Then just complete the registration form and pay the fee. The work is registered as soon as the Copyright Office receives your submission. 

Martin Lisius is a producer, director and cinematographer at Prairie Pictures, Inc., and founder of StormStock, a 25-year old rights-managed footage collection