Protecting intellectual property done on spec

S

sbryan

Well-known member
How do you protect intellectual property done on spec? Intellectual property being slogans, designs, campaign initiatives, etc.

I would think a simple verbal agreement wouldn't suffice and would lead to "Hey, it's your word against ours."
 
In the end, there's no way to guarantee that someone won't "steal" your idea. But you can at least register your copyright before you show it to anyone.
 
Are you being asked for the spec work? Usually there's a written agreement. If you want to make sure it stays your property, don't take any payment for it at all (sometimes clients will pay agencies for pitch work, but then they get to keep any ideas that come from it). As David said, there's never a guarantee, but a written agreement goes a long way.

If you're just rolling the dice and presenting work in hopes of getting hired, well, you're pretty much at their mercy.
 
Well, staying on this similar topic. I am in the stages of filming a documentary regarding veterans issues and a very important symbol to veterans. I have a signed release from the designer of the symbol but no exclusivity. I have 9 months and 600 hours of research into this thus far and almost completed with the filming. I have saved every scrap of paper, notes and emails and letters from the principals and I have dated them. Do I have any recourse should I promote the film to say PBS and they reject the idea. But then a year later, they come out with it. I am very reluctant to now even promote the film....which I know is crazy!
 
Jokerswild -- You can't protect the idea of your documentary. I mean, I can go and do a doc about baseball and Ken Burns can't do squat about it. But unless your doc is crap, the chances of PBS seeing your idea and wanting to spend their own money producing it versus just buying yours seem fairly low. This doesn't seem much different from an indie film looking for a distributor, really.
 
Yeah I guess you are right...I guess I will go into full blown marketing mode once I am close to it being completed.
 
I can bust out ideas constantly... and sometimes within seconds... somebody else changes one small detail and thinks it's their own original idea.

It's like the FedEx commercial where the guy waves his hands... then the boss says the same thing, but waves his hands differently.

Good luck with your "protection"... they'll make the color red instead of blue and call it a brainstorm.
 
I can throw out ideas constantly... and often within seconds... somebody else changes one small part and thinks it's their own original idea.

It's like the FedEx commercial where the dude waves his hands... then the boss says the same thing, but waves his differently.

Good luck with your "protection"... they'll turn the color red instead of blue and call it their brainstorm.
 
Matt Grunau said:
I can throw out ideas constantly... and often within seconds... somebody else changes one small part and thinks it's their own original idea.

It's like the FedEx commercial where the dude waves his hands... then the boss says the same thing, but waves his differently.

Good luck with your "protection"... they'll turn the color red instead of blue and call it their brainstorm.
Click to expand...

:beer::beer::beer:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top