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University of California Press

Creativity and Copyright

Legal Essentials for Screenwriters and Creative Artists
by John L. Geiger (Author), Howard Suber (Author)
Hardcover Paperback eBook
Price: $8.95 / £7.99
Publication Date: Jul 2019
Edition: 1st Edition
Title Details:
Rights: World
Pages: 216
ISBN: 9780520972742
Trim Size: 5.5 x 8.25
Illustrations: 6 b/w illus.
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About the Book

What they won't teach you in film school: This expertly written reference guide breaks down copyright laws for screenwriters.

Inspired by Strunk & White's The Elements of Style, this elegant, short reference is the perfect guide for screenwriters and creative artists looking to succeed as industry professionals. Readers will quickly understand the laws that govern creativity, idea-making, and selling, and learn how to protect themselves and their works from the legal quagmires they may encounter. Written by an unrivaled pair of experts, John L. Geiger and Howard Suber, who use real-life case studies to cover topics such as clearance, contracts, collaboration, and infringement, Creativity and Copyright is poised to become an indispensable resource for beginners and experts alike.

About the Author

John L. Geiger is a screenwriter and intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles with thirty-plus years of litigation and transactional experience representing a broad variety of entertainment professionals including screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors.
 
Howard Suber has taught generations of screenwriters, directors, producers, and film scholars during his more than fifty years at UCLA’s celebrated film school. He has also been a consultant and expert witness for Hollywood studios and networks on copyright and creative control matters.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Disclaimer

Introduction
1. Free for the Taking: What You Can Steal from Others,
and What Others Can Steal from You
2. Clearance Required: What You Do
Need Permission to Use
3. Collaboration
4. Selling to Others and Implied-in-Fact Contracts
5. Copyright Infringement
6. Your Legal Team
7. Confessions of an Expert Witness: Free for the Telling
Epilogue: Creativity and Copyright

Appendix A. Copyright Fundamentals
Appendix B. Collaboration Problems
Notes
Index

Reviews

"A screenwriter seeking a basic understanding of the most important legal issues that pertain to the field will likely find Creativity and Copyright useful and readable."
— Publishing Research Quarterly

"A must read for those who create original work and want to understand the line between copyrighted material and what they create."—Mike Medavoy, film producer and former studio head, whose filmography ranges from Rocky to Black Swan

"Creativity and Copyright is the grail you will never find in film school. Although written with the writer in mind, I would easily argue it's also a must-know for filmmakers, producers, managers—a no-regrets resource that finally reveals the creative power to be unleashed by your own legal muscle."—Demetra J. MacBride, producer of Mystery Train, Night on Earth, When Pigs Fly, Coffee and Cigarettes, and Dead Man

“A handy, user-friendly book for screenwriters who are looking for immediate, precise answers to their most pressing questions.”—Denise Mann, head of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s Producers Program

“All aspiring and working screenwriters should keep this book next to their computers.”—Daniel Bernardi, author of Off the Page: Screenwriting in the Era of Media Convergence

“Somehow Geiger and Suber make crystal clear a topic every writer struggles to understand. Put it on your bookshelf next to the dictionary and thesaurus; it could save you from heartbreak, broken friendships, and financial ruin. Oh, and it’s also a great read."—Daniel Pyne, showrunner, screenwriter, and author

“Geiger and Suber provide the most comprehensive and accessible guide to the legal realities and avoidable missteps in the business—as well as how not to get ripped off!"—Writer-director Robin Russin, coauthor of Screenplay: Writing the Picture

“I can’t imagine anyone else approaching this material more capably or in such a reader-friendly manner.”—Tom Nunan, producer of Crash and The Illusionist

Media

John L. Geiger and Howard Suber interviewed by Rick Hoeg on Virtual Legality.