Kelvin Fahey: Music supervisor, producer and screenwriter in Canberra, Australia.

Why is it, that almost every time I watch a new film, there is little to no time spent on character development? Is it just me? I know I'm going to see it from the very good to great filmmakers, but it seems as though most newbs want to skip it it all together. Have artists not learned any better, are people just getting lazy or do they just not care? Shouldn't people be taking the time to make us care about the characters they create? Or is this the difference between the mediocre and the outstanding? Your thoughts.

Copyright protection for independent film should begin with its treatments, outlines, and draft script. It’s in these early documents that the screenwriter’s unprotectable ideas become “fixed in a tangible medium“—the moment that they change from being something anyone might have and something that only the author can claim. You can’t protect a mere idea with copyright, only the expression of the idea.

Ideas about how to protect those expressions, however, are abundant, and they are all too often wrong. One persistent notion is the so-called “poor man’s copyright”. It’s the idea that mailing a copy of your completed script to yourself in a sealed envelope and never opening it until needed is irrefutable proof that the work inside belonged exclusively to you as of the date shown by the postmark. Copyright protection forever for the price of a Forever stamp is the thinking.

But it’s wrong for a couple of very important reasons. First, it provides at best minimally useful evidence of the date on which the work may have been created. Postmarks, for example, do not show the date on which the work was deposited in the mail. Nor are sealed envelopes with no documented chain of custody likely to even be admissible evidence. If they are, they are certain to be allowed only with a limiting instruction for a jury that will probably see them as having little persuasive value.

Second, even if a sealed envelope did provide indisputable proof of ownership of a work not registered with the Copyright Office, the value of that proof would be severely limited. Under 17 U.S.C. § 301(a), the federal Copyright Act preempts all state law claims alleging violations of rights that are equivalent to the exclusive rights protected by copyright. “Preempts” means that federal law applies to the dispute. And federal law is clear that without copyright registration, not only is the plaintiff (in this case, the screenwriter of the unregistered work) unable to sue in federal court, he or she would be limited to recovering economic damages that he or she can actually prove, if any. Most of the time, claims that infringement caused an author to lose some amount of money will be pure speculation. In contrast, infringement of registered works entitles the plaintiff to statutory damages. These are amounts awarded by the court regardless of whether there is proof of actual economic loss.

The short answer? Save the stamp. Register your work with the Copyright Office.

Great to know you on Stage32 Mr Shah. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few months and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers from Australia!

Australian Independent Music Video Awards 2014 Nominations close 30 September 2014. The world's largest music video awards are well underway with nominations across all continents.

Independent Music Video Awards 2014 nominations due in by 30 September! Check out how to and previous years winners from around the world www.aimva.net Cheers Kel

Great to know you on Stage32 Stuart. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few months and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers

I WON!!! Heres a clip of my performance from Atlanta... This is the first time I have written poetry to song or performed with music at all.... :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1y-dQYM24 http://www.facebook.com/jerhemaword https://twitter.com/jerhemaword ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ #teamjelizabethhardges #prayzefactorawards

Great to know you on Stage32 Philip. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 Jasmine. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few months and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Mr Fahey, my name is Jackie Martinez. I'm an Spanish actress, singer and songwriter. I live in New Jersey and is so nice if I can have some connection with a person like you:). Have it a lovely day sir:).

Great to know you on Stage32 Steve. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 Craig. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 John. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 J Elizabeth. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 Suren. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 D'Lo. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 Toni. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.

Great to know you on Stage32 Sergio. I'm pretty busy coordinating the MV Awards www.aimva.net and a music festival www.canberracountry.com for the next few weeks and certainly happy to network with you. Cheers Australian Independent Music Video Awards - Home Pagehttp://www.aimva.net/The Australian Independent Music Video Awards (AIMVA) are undertaken to provide recognition and incentive to filmmakers and musicians creating original new works.