Some screenwriters spend years writing and perfecting their idea or screenplay, only to have it ripped off or plagiarized by an unscrupulous producer or agent.
It’s far cheaper for producers to simply buy or option a script than it is to steal one. 99.9% of producers, agents, and other writers KNOW THIS, and know they wouldn’t be in business long if word got out that they were plagiarist scumbag script-stealing thieves.
But… that other .1%… They’re the bad apples to watch out for. Idea theft…script theft… stealing someone’s idea for a show or series… It happens! And it continues to happen. More often than you think.
Your script may never get ripped off, but if it does, it’s best to have as much legal documentation (aka your “paper trail”) on your side proving that YOU are the true originator of the screenplay, so that YOU can be triumphant if you should ever need to fight a court battle against a shady producer, a hack writer, or a thieving studio.
And that’s where SCREENPLAY VAULT comes in with our FREE script registration service.
Screenplay Vault helps protect your scripts by giving you another valuable weapon to fight back with, should the legal need ever arise: documented script registration, complete with a time-stamped proof of authorship.
Each script is digitally signed, time-stamped and archived in our vault. Your script registration will be in the form of an email from our vault system. It’ll have your registration number and all the info you submitted in it, including your script title and whatever contact information you provide. Provide as much contact info or as little contact info as you like. Print it out for your records, or just save a copy on your computer.
Then, feel free to send out your scripts without worry. We’ve got your back. That’s right. Should the legal need ever arise for you to ask Screenplay Vault to provide proof that you registered your script with us, we send you the vaulted file and a new proof of script registration. Having both Screenplay Vault AND WGA Registration only strengthens your legal case.
Register and vault your screenplay for FREE
…and your screenplay will be protected for TEN YEARS in our digital vault. Then, simply put your Screenplay Vault registration # on your script’s title page. Unscrupulous producers, readers, and agents will think twice about plagiarizing your script when they see you’ve put the Screenplay Vault registration number next to your WGA script Registration # on your script’s title page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is my script’s registration valid for?
Your script’s registration from Screenplay Vault is valid for ten (10) years from the date of registration, which is the date you ordered the registration and uploaded the script.
How does registering my screenplay protect it?
Registering your screenplay here at Screenplay Vault establishes a dated record of authorship with Screenplay Vault, who can act as a neutral 3rd party, should you ever need to prove legally that you’re the true author of the material. The actual work you submit is stamped with date and time from the moment you register. Then a copy of that work, with your name and contact information on it, is filed away in a secure databank, never to be looked at again, unless you need us to pull it out of the file and provide it as proof in a legal situation.
What’s the worst that could happen if I don’t register my script?
Not registering your script leaves you open to a whole variety of bad situations. Not the least of which is plagiarism. The fact is, you MUST send your script out to lots of potential agents, managers, producers, and actors in order to try to get it sold or produced. And while 99% of the film industry are upstanding human beings who know that to get caught plagiarizing a screenwriter’s work could mean the end of their career and endless legal battles, there’s always that 1% out there who have no problem stealing ideas, situations, characters, or even the actual text of your script for use in their own projects. In a nutshell, the worst that could happen is that you’re sitting in a darkened theater a few years from now and then see a TRAILER for a new upcoming movie that features the SAME EXACT SITUATIONS, CHARACTERS, AND CONCEPTS, being produced by a Producer who YOU KNOW YOU SENT YOUR SCRIPT TO, but whom you never heard back from. And then film goes on to gross $50 million on its opening weekend, and you don’t receive a single DIME, nor even a CREDIT on the film.
Can’t I just mail myself a copy of my script to protect myself?
They call this “Poor Man’s Copyright,” and it’s not recommended. This method is not guaranteed to offer proper evidence in a legal situation or a courtroom, because envelopes can be tampered with, and the scripts within them swapped out. Don’t rely on this method, ever.
What kind of documents can I protect?
Screenplays, treatments, sitcoms, shorts, beat sheets, character descriptions, script outlines, pitches, television shows, plays, you name it. If it’s literary material, we can register it.
Does Screenplay Vault read my script when I register it?
NO. Nobody reads your documents. EVER. The only time we may even GLANCE at your documents is if you ask us to make sure they’re not corrupted, or if you request us to convert a particular document into a PDF, or to print it out for a legal matter.
What document file formats do you accept?
We vault documents from the following programs: Adobe Acrobat (.PDF), Microsoft Word (.DOC/.DOCM/.DOCX), Final Draft (.FDR/.FDX), Screenwriter (.SCW), Text Files(.TXT), Rich Text Format (.RTF), and other formats upon request.
How do you store the scripts I send in?
We store them in digital format, backed up between two secure locations.
Is your registration service the same service that the WGA offers? Do I really need both?
Screenplay Vault’s service is basically the same type of service that the WGA offers, but it is NOT, repeat, NOT WGA Registration. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you register your script with the WGA AND with Screenplay Vault. By registering the script in these two places, you have DOUBLE the proof of authorship should the need ever arise legally.
Do I have to be a Writer’s Guild Member to register my script here or at the WGA?
No. You don’t have to be a member of the Writer’s Guild to register your script either here, nor at the WGA.
Can I add the Screenplay Vault registration code to my title page?
Yes! In fact, we recommend it! Place your Screenplay Vault registration code on your title page in the contact information. REG. SCREENPLAYVAULT.COM #FOY1JBM (replace this sample code with your registration code we provide you.)
If I register my script with Screenplay Vault, should I still file a copyright?
YES! Filing a US Copyright is absolutely essential in putting together the “chain of title” documents required to protect your script and prove your authorship in the event of a legal dispute. When you register your script with us, we provide you a link and a reminder to get your script copyrighted.
After I register my script(s), can I get copies of them?
We only provide copies of your archived scripts back to you upon request, and only if you request using the same email address you submitted under. No scripts will be printed and mailed to any registered author unless the author sends in (a) a written request, (b) proof of death and consent of heirs if the author is deceased, and/or (c) a copy of his or her photo ID and a signed release form. No documents will be released to anyone but the author unless a court order or other legal process has been served.
Can anyone other than me access my registered screenplay at Screenplay Vault?
No. Absolutely not.
Do you sell or give away access to the scripts you register, or personal information about the registrant/author?
No. No information of any kind will ever be transmitted, sold, or given away from Screenplay Vault to any third party for any reason. Period.
Do you accept printed, hard-copy paper scripts and documents?
No. We only accept digital (computer) files.
What if I don’t renew my free email subscription? Are my scripts still protected and registered?
If you’re we no longer have your email on our list, your scripts are only protected for one year after the date of your unsubscription. If you stay on our list, your scripts are protected for 10 years from the date you registered each one.
Is my script protected even though I’m not a US Citizen?
We only provide proof that you registered your script, and a time-stamped date-stamped copy of that script to you should the need arise. You’ll have to consult with a lawyer in your home country or law expert regarding specifics of any case.
Is my script’s title protected?
No. Titles cannot be protected by registration at Screenplay Vault.
If I change my script’s title, do I need to re-register the script?
No. But it couldn’t hurt.
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