How do I copyright a fictional character I created to secure rights in USA to develop a comic & a film?
By Yahoo User • Category: Copyrights in USAI have created a story with 3 main fictional characters that i wish to copyright and have the rights to produce a comicbook and a film to sell and distribute in the USA. I need to know the steps to register the characters and the story so I have the rights or I can sell the rights for production of a movie, comicbook, tv series, etc. in the US. Also to be able to sell merchandise or give rights to licencees to manufacture products. I do not live in the USA.
You will need to get a lawyer. If you had lived in the United States; what ever comes out of your mind and you have published it, it will automatically become copyrighted because you can prove you were its creator, even if you draw it on paper. Since you don’t live in the USA you are talking about international Copyright laws which really do not mean anything in other countries. You will need to file with each country which allows the copyright of property. Take for instance India which copies 95% of all stories from American movies for bollywood. The American creators cannot do anything about it.http://www.copyright.gov/